KitchenAid apologizes for tweet insulting Obama
(CNN) - The home appliance brand KitchenAid apologized Wednesday evening for a political tweet sent out from its official account during the presidential debate.
The tweet has been removed but at least a dozen retweets of the post showed it read, "Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! 'She died 3 days b4 he became president.'"
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
- Check out the CNN Electoral Map and Calculator and game out your own strategy for November.
The company apologized in a later post from the same account.
"Deepest apologies for an irresponsible tweet that is in no way a representation of the brand's opinion," the tweet read in part.
The original post would have been in reference to a comment President Barack Obama made during the debate as he spoke about the importance of programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
"You know, my grandmother - some of you know - helped to raise me," Obama said. My grandfather died a while back. My grandmother died three days before I was elected president. And she was fiercely independent. She worked her way up, only had a high school education, started as a secretary, ended up being the vice president of a local bank. And she ended up living alone by choice."
"And the reason she could be independent was because of Social Security and Medicare," he continued.
Cynthia Soledad, KitchenAid's senior director of marketing, said in a statement to CNN: "During the debate tonight, a member of our Twitter team mistakenly posted an offensive tweet from the KitchenAid handle instead of a personal handle. The tasteless joke in no way represents our values at KitchenAid, and that person won't be tweeting for us anymore."
"I am deeply sorry to President Obama, his family, and the Twitter community for this careless error," Soledad said.
READ MORE: CNN Poll: Most watchers say Romney debate winner
READ MORE: Mentions of 'Big Bird' increased 800,000% on Facebook
From CNN Politics
- McAuliffe fights to engage politically exhausted Democrats in close of Virginia campaign October 16, 2021 02:03 pm
- Who is Glenn Youngkin, the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Virginia? October 16, 2021 02:03 pm
- Who is Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia? October 16, 2021 02:02 pm
- Democrats' clean energy program will likely be cut from massive budget bill October 16, 2021 01:56 pm
- Here comes the anti-vaccine requirement solidarity movement October 16, 2021 12:01 pm
- 5 things we learned from the committee investigating January 6 this week October 16, 2021 12:01 pm
It isn't only an insulting tweet, it's a disgusting one.
Typical right-winger comment, hateful, illiterate, and demeaning toward women and the elderly. Right-wingers are starting to give sociopaths a bad name.
That was an appalling statement. I propose an immediate boycott of all KitchenAid products.
Somebody is in very deep doo doo!! Looks like a job opening up at KitchenAide tomorrow.
Horrible tweet. Absolutely awful. Inexcusable.
Totally stupid and disrespectful. All woman should boycott their products/
Won't be buying any more Kitchen Aid products.
Companies hire social media companies to do status updates, tweets and forum moderation. A person NOT ASSOCIATED with Kitchen Aid, but hired by the social media company that Kitchen Aid employed made the tweet on the corporate account. It was a grievous mistake and I certainly hope Kitchen Aid has severed ties with this social media company, but hold no ill will towards Kitchen Aid.
I also won't be buying kitchen aid products. That's disgusting.
It is so disgraceful to our country when other nations read or listen to the vile things the Republicans and their illbred and hatefilled supporters say about our nation's first black President. This is what is left of Republicanism in America. Ignorance and racism is still within their souls and corruption in their many PACs is so prevalent it is scary. They are so stupid they think none of us know why they are doing their damnedest to block our citizens from voting. They stole the election from Gore and now they are going to try to steal it from Obama. It is laughable that these corrupt bums call themselves Christians. There is hardly a decent Christian among them.
Tacky irresponsible and inexcusable. Minus one customer here for sure.
"deepest apologies" just simply is not enough... if I were the CEO i would up front and in the public eye at the first available moment... it looks to me like a horrendous PR stunt...
Tacky – no longer a customer here
I refuse to buy another kitchen aid appliance ever again!!!
All is well. Get to the next topic. The game is over for now. No need for repeats.
Kitchen Aid; hey your gonna be sorry for that comment, Breville all the way for me and my house. Now I do not feel sorry that I buy the best for my new home. I feel no need to support your products.
Let's pump the brakes here. Rod pretty much hit the nail in the head, though I'm not sure it's been confirmed that Kitchen Aid is using a social media agency or not. Regardless, it's obviously a mistake due to people managing multiple brands on a social dashboard where the individual also manages their own personal account. Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Seismic, they all work the same way. Kitchen Aid obviously would NEVER in a million years endorse a tweet like that. The person thought they were posting on their own account and simply misclicked. It's VERY easy to do. That's not to say it is acceptable or that the person shouldn't be held liable in some way and possibly reprimanded, but boycotting Kitchen Aid is taking things WAYYY too far.
Don;t tell what you think, tell what you know.
Dispicable. I an seriously considering not buying KitchenAid products anymore.
Unless KitchenAid wants to come out with a better apology and explanation, my KitchenAid will be llisted on Ebay. Disgusting.
Signed.....Former Custumer and Fan
Well Kitchen Aid, that sure reflects your views only you didn't plan on it being leaked. Man up and stand by your despicable tweet.
No apology is needed. Just don't do it again.
Kitchen Aid just lost my business. Never again.
Whoever twitted this needs to be fired and not allowed to collect unemployment
That is beyond low! I don't care who's responsible! I don't care for the half assed apology! I'm boycotting and making sure everyone I know does to!