Respect Yourself.
I am pondering why one person would allow another person to speak rudely to them on a daily basis.

My Coworker routinely speaks to the Boss with condesending, badgering tones. The way the Boss is spoken to would be unacceptable to me - IS unacceptable to me. I wouldn't put up with it from anyone. Why a Boss would put up with it from an employee is beyond me.

I want to step in, make a scene, make an example, but ya know...it ain't my issue...I think. I DO have to listen to the disrespect and undermining of Bosses reputation. Coworker sits in the cubicle next to mine and everyone in the department is subject to Coworkers outburst's. Coworker offers many excuses (endless excuses to explain the actions of this Coworker - sick, too much stress, not enought hours in the day, Boss is on diet, Husband is unreasonable slob...I mean endless and it never comes back around to the Coworker maybe owning some part of it), and false apologies are made from Coworker to the Boss as if saying 'Sorry" eleven times a day makes acting like a bitch okay. The ONE time Coworker spoke to me in such a manner, I respected myself and told Coworker I would not be spoken to as if I was less than human. Never happened again.

Grow a backbone Boss....