Collins Caught On Hot Mic Calling GOP Rep. ‘So Unattractive, It’s Unbelievable’

Following a meeting with Sen.-elect Angus King of Maine, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tells reporters that she wants answers from disgraced CIA Director David Petraeus about the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, on... Following a meeting with Sen.-elect Angus King of Maine, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, tells reporters that she wants answers from disgraced CIA Director David Petraeus about the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, on the American consulate, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. Petraeus, who stepped down from the CIA last week over a sex scandal, was scheduled to testify at a Congressional hearing this week on Benghazi but has been replaced. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on Tuesday was caught on microphone disparaging the looks of a Republican member who blamed “some female senators” for Congress’ inability to pass an Obamacare repeal.

“Did you see the one who challenged me to a duel?” Collins said. Her comments were caught on C-SPAN’s audio broadcast of a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing.

“I know. Trust me,” another senator replied. “You could beat the shit out of him.”

Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX) on Friday called the Senate’s inability to pass an Obamacare repeal “absolutely repugnant” and blamed “some female senators from the Northeast” for the lack of progress.

Farenthold said that “if it was a guy from South Texas, I might ask him to step outside and settle this Aaron Burr-style,” referring to the 1804 gun duel between Burr and Alexander Hamilton which resulted in the latter’s death.

“He is so unattractive, it’s unbelievable,” Collins said on Tuesday. “Did you see the picture of him in his pajamas, next to this bunny?”

Farenthold in 2009 donned pajamas with a rubber duck print for a party at a local bar.

Collins on Tuesday afternoon said she “received a handwritten apology” from Farenthold earlier in the day.

“Neither weapons nor inappropriate words are the right way to resolve legislative disputes,” she said in a statement to TPM. “I accept his apology, and I offer him mine.”

This post has been updated.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. My respect for Collins just increased ten-fold.

  2. Avatar for ghost ghost says:

    Senator Collins may well have known the mics were on. Whatever you do, Senator, don’t apologize.

  3. “So unattractive” may be the nicest thing anyone ever said about his looks.

  4. Why? She sounds just like Donald Trump does when he talks about women.

  5. Remember kids: It’s the GOPosaurs who rail on incessantly against “Political Correctness.” So the second that Fatty Fartenhold opens his gaping pie hole to start whinging about this…

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

120 more replies

Participants

Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for pluckyinky Avatar for feathered_head Avatar for mooster Avatar for bluestatedon Avatar for navamske Avatar for mantan Avatar for egyptsteve Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for lastroth Avatar for thebishop Avatar for rb639 Avatar for keninmn Avatar for dc10001 Avatar for tena Avatar for georgeh Avatar for mukansamonkey Avatar for canyoncountry Avatar for timbo Avatar for katscherger Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for maximus Avatar for dannysgrandma Avatar for edgewise

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: