A pressing issue of dinner-party etiquette is vexing Washington, according to a story now making the D.C. rounds: How should you react when your guest, in this case national-security adviser Condoleezza Rice, makes a poignant faux pas? At a recent dinner party... Rice was reportedly overheard saying, “As I was telling my husb—� and then stopping herself abruptly, before saying, “As I was telling President Bush."

Where would we be without you, New York gossip papers?

Wow. How completely arbitrary and disturbing. The WaPost have a bad record of condescending to women. And this is just one further example. I wonder what other 'wifely' duties they're implying Condi undertakes in Laura's stead at the office.

And, as always, this was completely unnecessary to the story.

Certainly disagree with the with the pejorative for many reasons, as well as the tone. The sarcasm in the article is tasteless and shows the author finds it easier to insult the wife and the secretary than Mr. Bush.

On the other hand, I do not believe we OWE Rice any respect. I cannot think of how she has earned it. I hope she does not deserve respect simply because of her appointed position.

The Wa-Po editorial is nothing more than piling-on. It wasn't but a couple weeks ago that Rice made the news for dressing-down an employee at a jewelry store.

Aren't Argetsinger and Roberts Wa-Po's gossip columnists?

I remember reading about this "office spouse" thing a couple of months ago, and thought it was weird then, too. Apparently it's a long-term (opposite sex) friend at work who offers you advice and emotional support. It makes sense that it didn't take too long for "office wife" to become a normal term, and no one refer to an "office husband." I'm guessing that if Ms. Rice publicly referred to the President as her "office husband," it would start a firestorm of commentary, don't you think?

The phrase "work wife" is supposed to denote an unusual intimacy ie an "emotional affair" or something like that; not necessarily submissiveness.

http://www.slate.com/id/2109876/

But yeah, it's still bullshit; she's a fucking professional. Even so-called "liberal" dudes piss me off with the way they treat Rice. There are plenty of ways to hate on her without resorting to talking about the way she dresses!

I don't work in an office, but I do remember seeing an episode of some fat-guy-skinny-wife sitcom which was all about husband meeting her "office husband". So its a term used by somebody.

And I do think we should respect Rice's position if not Rice herself. It takes a lot of education and experience in government to get that high in the government. I don't know if Condi was qualified, as it seems none of Bush's people are, but in theory, at least, we should respect what she had to go through to get here.

Rice did call Bush 'her husband' back in 2004 (or was it 2005?)...

I agree with dagzine. This woman doesn't deserve any respect automatically. Respect is earned. If I wrote an article about Bush and Rice, I would call them both MUCH worse things than "office wife."

I don't think Rice deserves any respect, but certainly the Office of the Secretary of State does. What if the Office was occupied by a non-white male and he was trivialized with a racial slur?

I honestly don't know if I'm more saddened by the fact of it, or the fact that I'm utterly unsurprised by it.

for some reason, this reminds me of when white men had their proper family and then their black family.