Posted by denised in 2009 was full of them. Tools. Men and women who, despite being put into positions of power, couldn’t disguise their true, tool selves. Here are a few of Really Bad Boss’ favorite tools of 2009:
Roland Burris was bad enough to earn slots in both our shady politicians and tool of the week roundups. Here’s how we summed him up back in August.
It seems as though politicians are falling all over themselves to display tool-like behavior. If we could unilaterally present the award to the architects of the birther movement and the healthcare town hall showdowns, we would. But, in keeping with tradition, we’ll give the award to a single individual who’s recently displayed very tool-like behavior.
This week, it’s a toss-up between Blagojevich puppet, Senator (we use the term loosely) Roland Burris and Governor Mark “don’t cry for me Argentina” Sanford. Sanford’s personal use of his state’s plane has rightfully fallen under scrutiny. Pickups from his son’s games and flights to get discount haircuts, all funded by taxpayer dollars, deservedly put Sanford in the running.
However, Burris gets the award this week for announcing a change of heart and declaring that he might run to retain his senate seat. He then provided further proof that he’s operating solely on fumes when he declared “people all over the country” were urging him to run. When pressed, Burris could not specify what country or clearly define what he meant by “people.”
The New Jersey Massive. Remember them? Here’s a refresher.
This one is about a week late in coming, and it’s technically 44 tools…but we’ve got to give it to the group we now refer to as the New Jersey Massive. The NJ Massive includes Rabbis, assemblymen, mayors and a host of other elected and appointed officials allegedly involved in crimes ranging from money laundering to human kidney selling. The turnpike isn’t the only thing that stinks in New Jersey.
Brilliantly Stupid Boss
We kind of tread lightly on this one, after all she was the victim. But we had a hard time believing that this extremely intelligent, highly paid woman would be duped into living in abject poverty by her fake Rockefeller husband. Here’s how we saw it back in June…
The Harvard educated ex-wife of Rockefeller perpetrator Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter says she stayed married to a man who she says withheld food and kept her a mental prisoner throughout their 12 year marriage. Gerhartsreiter, who’s on trial for kidnapping the couple’s 7 year old daughter last year, spent his entire adult life pretending to be someone else, the most famous of which was Clark Rockefeller, heir to the Rockefeller legacy. Read the full story here.
RNC Chair Michael Steele was a Really Bad Boss favorite this year.
RNC Chair Michael Steele continues to do everything in his power to attract minorities to the Republican Party. And by attract, we mean swear them off for life. He seems to be aiming for a Really Bad Boss Lifetime Achievement Award, and if he keeps it up, he’ll get several. In his seven months as RNC Chair, Steele has done the following – Suggested that hosting hip hop rallies was the key to recruiting a younger, more diverse following for the Republican party. Declares there’ll be no more apologizing from the Republican Party, and then fearfully continues to apologize to Rush Limbaugh on the rare occasions when he has an original thought. Thinks that fried chicken and potato salad will attract diversity to the Republican Party. In the same interview, refers to the end of slavery, but doesn’t seem to believe it himself. All this and he’s only held the position for about seven months. For his sheer ignorance and intense stupidity, Michael Steele gets this week’s Really Bad Boss Tool of the Week Award. He’s earned it.
Bosses behaving badly – Another Senator, another affair, another Tool of the week
Nevada’s Republican Senator John Ensign is the latest publicly elected figure caught up and out engaging in an extramarital affair. It’s becoming rote. The headlines can practically write themselves.” Insert politican/public leader /CEO name here, has affair with 30ish assistant/campaign staff member/former model.” In fact, it’s so common that this “news” almost didn’t make it as a post. But then I started thinking. The fact that extramarital affairs by public leaders have become so commonplace that it’s no longer news…is news. Read our take on it back in June here.
Valley Swim Club gets the Tool of the week award
Philadelphia Club rescinds camp’s membership when they learn black children attend
the camp – We know that members only (often code for whites only) clubs still exist. But the fact that the president of one of these clubs (a club that advertises open membership) issues the following statement after members complain about black children swimming in their pool, reminds us that stupid is a club with more members than it can handle:
“There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club.” John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club. Yes, he actually used the word complexion. Read the rest here.
