Joe Arminio says he “committed an error” without saying what it was
Republican nominee for Delaware’s at-large U.S. House seat, answering a question at the candidates forum
“Well, first, let me say that I stood in error, or I committed an error before, and I would acknowledge it. And it's not the first error I've made or I'm going to make in this campaign or at any point in my future life.”
Source and context
Original video
About this source
The first sentences of Arminio's answer to a policy question, nearly nine minutes after the moderator's final warning. He does not say what the error was, and goes on to the economy.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Original video
About this source
Joseph Arminio's three-minute opening statement as the second-half U.S. House candidate, identified on his table placard. In it he refers to Rep. Sarah McBride as “his” (“the representative from Delaware, through the net of his comments and his actions”), the audience reacts, and he says “I would like to show respect to the speaker, that would be nice.” Later in the statement the recording captures the words “he's accomplished,” then “she is accomplished,” then Arminio saying “Thank you for the correction.” Moderator Ken Grant then says “We saw an example over the past hour of candidates acting with decorum and with respect towards each other. This is your final warning.” Mike Katz, opening for the U.S. Senate candidates, apologizes to “everybody here and everybody else on the stage” for the comments. The only use of “sorry” in Arminio's remarks in this half is the phrase “I'm sorry to have to say that the representative from Delaware…” that opens the sentence containing the first male terms.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
In his opening statement Arminio had referred to McBride as “his” and, later in the statement, said “Thank you for the correction.” Moderator Ken Grant had told him: “This is your final warning. If you fail to show respect to anyone else on this stage, you will be asked to leave.” Mike Katz had apologized to the audience for the comments.
After the quotation
Arminio continued: “Now, what I would like to see from all Americans is outrage when a major act of dishonesty takes place in Washington, D.C.,” and turned to the economy. About eleven minutes later he said “gentlemen like the two here on this, up here with me on the Democratic Party, and in the Republican Party,” and was removed. Delaware Public Media reported that he “apologized” after the first remark; the recording captures him acknowledging an error but does not include an apology, and the only use of “sorry” in his remarks is “I’m sorry to have to say that the representative from Delaware…” at the start of the sentence containing the first male terms.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Did Joe Arminio’s misgendering of Sarah McBride warrant his removal from a Delaware candidate forum?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to the case’s fixed reference point — Arminio’s use of male terms for McBride at the forum after correction and warning, and his removal for it — Arminio’s answer is mixed. He concedes an error, a partial acknowledgment of the conduct at issue. But he does not say what the error was, does not apologize, generalizes it as “not the first error I’ve made or I’m going to make,” and moves to another subject. The closest competing labels are condemns, which loses because he does not criticize or reject the conduct, and minimizes, which loses because he calls it an error rather than downplaying its seriousness. About eleven minutes later he used a male term for McBride again.
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- Joseph Arminio
Did Joe Arminio’s misgendering of Sarah McBride warrant his removal from a Delaware candidate forum?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
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