Rahm Emanuel apologizes for 'retarded' remark

Updated 4:21 p.m.

By Michael D. Shear

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has apologized for referring to liberals as "retarded" during a strategy session last summer.

A White House official said Emanuel called Tim Shriver, the CEO of the Special Olympics, last week after his comments were reported in a Wall Street Journal article and prompted Shriver to write him to express "dismay" over Emanuel's word choice.

"Rahm called Tim Shriver Wednesday to apologize and the apology was accepted," a White House aide said. "The White House remains committed to addressing the concerns and needs of Americans living with disabilities and recognizes that derogatory remarks demean us all."

The apology gained new attention just hours after former Alaska governor Sarah Palin posted a scathing critique of Emanuel's comments on her Facebook page and called for President Obama to fire him. Palin's son, Trig, was born with Down Syndrome.

"Just as we'd be appalled if any public figure of Rahm's stature ever used the 'N-word' or other such inappropriate language, Rahm's slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities -- and the people who love them -- is unacceptable, and it's heartbreaking," Palin wrote.

Emanuel's comment was reported in a story that recounted a summer strategy session in which liberal groups said they might run ads attacking conservative Democrats for refusing to back Obama's health care plan. His apology was first reported last week by Disability Scoop, an online news organization.

"F---ing retarded," the Journal reported Emanuel as saying during the meeting. A report last August recounted Emanuel as having said "f---ing stupid" at the meeting with liberal Democrats.

Emanuel has a reputation for foul language in private conversations and is known for his love of bare knuckle politics.

The Special Olympics has launched a campaign called "spread the word to end the word," which is aimed at eliminating the use of the word "retard" in reference to people with special needs.