The classic goes like this (and we don't know exactly how Mr. Cordle may have shortened or changed it, but the punchline certainly survived):
THE WELSH COW
The only cow in a small town in Ireland stopped giving milk. Then the town folk found they could buy a cow in Wales quite cheaply. So, they brought the cow over from Wales. It was absolutely wonderful. It produced lots of milk every day and everyone was happy.
They bought a bull to mate with the cow to get more cows, so they'd never have to worry about their milk supply again. They put the bull in the pasture with the cow but whenever the bull tried to mount the cow, the cow would move away. No matter what approach the bull tried, the cow would move away from the bull, and he was never able to do the deed.
The people were very upset and decided to go to the Vet, who was very wise, tell him what was happening and ask his advice. "Whenever the bull tries to mount our cow, she moves away. If he approaches from the back, she moves forward. When he approaches her from the front, she backs off. If he attempts it from the one side, she walks away to the other side."
The Vet rubbed his chin thoughtfully and pondered this before asking, "Did you by chance buy this cow in Wales?" The people were dumbfounded, since no one had ever mentioned that they had brought the cow over from Wales. "You are truly a wise Vet," they said. "How did you know we got the cow from Wales?"
The Vet replied with a distant look in his eye: "My wife's from Wales."What exactly was the point of telling this joke at a conference on election training, with a preponderance of women in that room? What possible relevance does this demonstration of male prerogative have at a training seminar for voting administrators?
Bob Cordle was an appointee of Governor Roy Cooper. Maybe only Roy Cooper could discipline him or, better, ask for his resignation.
I am well aware of Mr. Cordle's tendency to do and say inappropriate things concerning women.
ReplyDeleteAgree, thats a horrible joke to tell in a professional setting. At a Company function, this would get the attention of HR same day
ReplyDeleteGreat joke why are people upset cant we all laugh this didn't offend me ,or am I missing something ???
DeleteI'm afraid you are missing something. It's known as common sense.
DeleteI would say if this guy did not know this joke is offensive he needs to resign because he is a complete idiot. Gov Cooper this was the best person you could find for this job???
ReplyDeleteIt matters not what political party you are affiliated. This country is in the hands of the biggest, moronic ,school kid mentality creeps in the history of this country. Maybe if the riskiest made a dash to take over everybody might wake the Hell up! Oh! I almost forgot. You religious
ReplyDeleteKnow it alls? SHUT UP! Read some history books. And the Bible ain’t a History book. Hate to bust your bubble!
He was a fool prior to being appointed to the Board by Gov Roy Cooper, everyone (except Cooper) knew that. It is up to Governor Cooper to remove him.
ReplyDeleteAs a Republican woman I find that joke funny, not offensive. People need to just chill out and stop reading into things what is not really there.
ReplyDeleteAgree ,I dont get it I'm from Connecticut I find this funny is this political correct chit ??
DeleteThough I felt that the joke was inappropriate for a professional meeting...Im female and I in no way felt offended. It was a misplaced silly joke, I’ve heard worse on Saturday Night Live. I’m more offended that people were offended so easily. 1/3 of the room laughed, 1/3rd rolled their eyes, and the rest were appalled. Oh well...life goes on. It was his decision to resign at the end of the day. It’s unfortunate anyway you look at it. He meant no harm and people need to seek mental help if they walked away from that somehow injured emotionally.
ReplyDeleteSomeone here gets it, and I dont mean the joke. This is 2019 stop catering to the weak
DeleteThat's not that bad. I was expecting something way worse for him to resign. This joke isn't bad at all, people are just overly sensitive crybabies today.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that he told the joke. It was inappropriate. It's truly sad that we are such a moralistic society, so easily offended by anything and yet behind closed doors we do the same or even worse. Is the NC governor asking for trumps resignation? Are all those women at the conference demanding Trump to resign for saying he likes grabbing women on their genitals? Grow up America it was a simple Joke.
ReplyDeleteWell, I get the joke. Not very funny because it’s outdated. But I’ve heard worse jokes in a professional setting. And people lighten up to them because everybody starts out uptight.
ReplyDeletePeople can't take a joke any more. Yes it was not smart to say this in a professional setting but nothing he should lose his job for. It's crazy more time then not people who claim to be offended tell just as lewd jokes to their friends.
ReplyDeleteI'm a republican woman and find that men and women tell jokes at meetings. Why this man got so offended... now that right there may be the main joke. Lighten up. I'm not a winer so why encourage others to be one?
ReplyDeleteCordle just proved he's a moron and lucky to have had his job as long as he did.
ReplyDelete#DRAINTHESWAMP
ReplyDeleteCordle has been a vulgar a'hole his entire life, from teen to today.....apparently a size problem.
ReplyDeleteI think my dad would've told this joke at a lodge meeting in 1968. What an outdated, trite and tired joke. I think he should've retired and not resigned if he thinks this is a current comedy.
ReplyDeleteIf you find it offensive, you must be from Wales.
ReplyDeleteIt was stupid. Stop defending stupidity.
ReplyDeleteWho thinks it's a good idea to tell a joke like that in front of 700 people at a training conference?? I could have come up with about 5000 better jokes to break the ice, and I'm not a particularly funny guy.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the real story behind the "joke" is that both the General Assembly and the State Board of Elections have been "uncooperative and unproductive cows" for years.
ReplyDeletethat's a "dirty joke" ? c'mon people, maybe not appropriate in that setting, but pretty tame considering other things said in public settings. Hear the statements at the recent soccer parade in NYC ?
ReplyDeleteThat's an old joke and its kinda funny. If you are offended by it you are weak minded. This country is becoming a joke. You want to know why people support Trump? Because he is the only person in this country who can speak his mind without fear of reprisal...
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day, whether you are offended or not by this joke, this guy is an idiot for making such a joke in this scenario. Maybe it's OK when the boys go get cigars and brandy on the porch, but this is a political position in which INTELLIGENT people should be THINKING about what the heck they say because it is all public. Why would we want such an ill-informed and out of touch person to chair our election commission? I'm glad he resigned. Now, please, Governor, appoint a grown up.
ReplyDeleteThis joke is something that I might hear in a social setting with some friends, but definitely inappropriate at work. For all the people saying that this was ok, I hate to think of how they behave at their workplace! There is a reason the entire #MeToo movement happened, and this points to it directly. Women should not have to be subjected to this type of caveman behavior when they are simply trying to do their job. Happy to see the resignation.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Bob Cordle's sense of humor was affected by several things: a) he attended an all men's college (it was then), Davidson, where he was co-captain of the football team (I was a contemporary and I learned a lot of raunchy jokes and songs, many sacrilegious, there); b) he's 78 years old for heaven's sake, his repertoire of funny stories was no doubt learned generations ago; c) he (like the Governor, like Jimmy Carter, etc.) has taught Sunday School for years, and he has served on a number of civic boards since retiring from a white shoe law firm in Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteOne inappropriate joke should not negate a long record of service.
But he was right to step down.
Here's the sad part: if Cordle were a member of the LGBT community and made a speech laced with profanity and obscenity, he could get away with it (everyone calling him a misogynist over this would be calling him courageous), but as an apparently straight, white male, he's labeled a misogynist and publicly shamed for committing what amounts to the minor social gaffe of telling a corny old joke in a poorly chosen setting.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, for this joke to be misogyny, the veterinarian's punchline would have to be "I'm from Wales" since in that version it's the wife who's reduced merely to an object of sensuality. In the version shared in this blog, it's the husband who's the stereotype.
Welcome to the United States of the Offended. It’s a dumb joke, not particularly funny. The thing that strikes me is that if you actually pay attention to the joke, if you’re from Wales, I could understand the offense, but gender has nothing to do with it. What if the vet were a woman and said that about her husband? The joke doesn’t refer to all women, and it doesn’t associate all women to cows. It is referring to being from Wales. People just look for things to take offense to these days.
ReplyDeleteThe NC Elections Board is a joke to begin with. It should be made up of 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans and yes there will be standoffs. However, things will be decided on merit instead of always a lopsided 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans. We know how that goes!
ReplyDeleteLots of aggressive comments here by "anonymous" cowards, errr, folks....99% of whom have clearly never even met Bob Cordle.
ReplyDeleteBy all appearances Don Saunders is the only one who actually knows Bob Cordle.
I too know Bob Cordle...Bob Cordle is a friend of mine...none of you anonymous dolts could hold Bob Cordle's jock on your best day.
Go pound sand dolts.
I would not want any of these overly sensitive snowflakes working on any state elections business. They should stay home in their safe place.
ReplyDeleteYou put a racist, misogynistic, ignorant child in the President's office, what do you expect of everyone else in the government? Duh. You want change? Start at the top. Disagree? Then stop complaining about the mess you made.
ReplyDeleteI left the last comment and thought my name would be published.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the last sentence should have read: "Go pound sand you gutless dolts."
Billy Thomas
NOTE: I left the "dolt" comment at 11.24pm...
ReplyDelete...I had no part in the 8.52am or 11.51am comments!
Cheers.
Billy Thomas
So says another anonymous dolt with no sense of humor. That settles it!
ReplyDelete