Politics & Government

Watch: Politician Blasted for Calling Slow Learners 'Dummies'

The West Palm Beach Mayor says the new ad is a 'cheap trick.'

Check out the video at the bottom of this post.

No-holds-barred politicking and mudslinging isn’t limited to big national races where congressional seats and a White House address might be on the line.

Case in point: A new political ad that blasts incumbent West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio for her use of the word “dummies” to describe slow learners.

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It seems the 30-year veteran of the classroom turned politician used the term during an August media briefing when queried about a proposal to open a charter school that would group slower learners together, WPBF reported.

“You’re talking about ability-grouping kids and putting all the dummies in one place,” the video advertisement quotes her as saying. It goes on to repeat her use of the term several times and claims she flip-flopped on the issue.

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The advertisement was paid for by Voters Response, a committee out of Tallahassee.

For her part, Muoio is calling the ad a “cheap trick by Tallahassee lobbyists” and says, as a mother, grandmother she wouldn’t disparage kids, WESH.com reported. She told the station she believes her opponent in the March 10 election, City Commission Kimberly Mitchell, is behind the ad.

Mitchell denies the allegation.

Why such a fuss over a “small town” mayor’s post?

The Sun-Sentinel might have some insight into the matter. The paper reported back in 2011 the annual salary for West Palm Beach’s mayor was $125,000. While that figure is less than some, it’s a fair amount more than the $29,697 Florida State senators bring home, according to Senate records.

Muoio and Mitchell face off March 10 in West Palm Beach’s municipal election.

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What are your thoughts on this? Have political ads gone too far? Share your thoughts by commenting below!

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