We Know Who Called Her "Chubby"

Since the release of her memoir, Off The Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has been teasing us with tidbits of alleged sexist comments she received from several of her male colleagues. Most of these comments focused on her weight during and after a pregnancy — Gillibrand is one of only a handful of Congresswoman to give birth during her tenure — and, well, they were pretty forward and borderline salacious. Although Gillibrand refused to name names, The New York Times has clued us in on at least one perpetrator: the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye allegedly called Gillibrand chubby — and liked it.

In her memoir, Gillibrand writes that a male senator once squeezed her waist and said: "Don’t lose too much weight now. I like my girls chubby." Let's say it together: Ew.Gillibrand tried to stay mum on who said that comment — as well as the equally egregious "porky" slight — but The Times claims to have "people with knowledge of the incident," and they're talking. Oh, are they talking. It was Inouye, or so the sources say. Inouye died in 2012 after serving 48 years in the Senate. The Democrat from Hawaii was the most senior senator at the time of his death, and is the second longest-serving senator in Congressional history. He was admired by his colleagues, including Gillibrand. In her memoir, Gillibrand described the chubby-loving senator as "one of my favorite older members of the Senate."Still, that didn't stop Inouye from allegedly making inappropriate comments and gestures to an up-and-coming female colleague.

Gillibrand's office is declining to comment on this latest gossip. But by not confirming nor denying it was Inouye, does that mean this edition of D.C. Blind Gossip is finally solved?

If it is, let's move on to the next Gillibrand blind items that need answers:

• An older, male colleague allegedly told Gillibrand while working out in the congressional gym: "Good thing you’re working out, because you wouldn’t want to get porky!"
• One male, Southern congressman reportedly said while walking her down the chamber aisle: "You know, Kirsten, you’re even pretty when you’re fat."
• A labor leader allegedly gave Gillibrand this unsolicited advice: "When I first met you in 2006 you were beautiful, a breath of fresh air. To win [the special], you need to be beautiful again."

It looks like this D.C. guessing game has just gotten started.

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