Harry Reid Apologizes for Racist Comment re: Obama

[guido911]

Is this Reid's "macaca" moment?

Senate Majority Harry Reid (D-NV) apologize for privately referring to Barack Obama early in his presidential campaign as a "light-skinned" African American "with no Negro dialect," as recounted in the forthcoming book Game Change.

Reid's statement: "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans, for my improper comments. I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama's legislative agenda."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/01/09/reid_apologizes_for_private_remarks_on_obama.html?utm_medium=pwire.us-twitter&utm_source=direct-pwire.us&utm_content=site-basic

[patric]

Other than a poor choice of words, nothing to see here.

[guido911]

Other than a poor choice of words, nothing to see here.

Absolutely, especially that whole "double standard" thing.

[USRufnex]

I didn't realize "negro" was a racial slur.

Odd that you expect someone to lose his or her job over something said two years ago that was very similar to what Joe Biden said..... "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," he said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

George Allen, on the other hand.....

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=macaca
macaca

Common French racist slur. Meaning and use is similar to English '******,' and is used to described non-European (Arab and Black) North Africans. It was in particularly prevelant use during French occupation of Northern Africa. The term has been showing up with increasing frequency as a racial slur on racist websites and chatrooms.

In considering the controvery of whether Senator George Allen truly knew the meaning of the word in his infamous August 11, 2006 outburst, it is significant to note that his mother and numerous relatives are ethnic French expatriates of Tunisia in North Africa.

"This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere. And it's just great . . . Let's give a welcome to macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia." -- Sen George Allen refering to S.D. Sidarth while campaingning in rural Virginia, Ausgust 20006.

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George Allen didn't resign and wasn't forced to... he lost an election.
If the people think it's an important issue enough to vote for the other guy because of it, then it's important.
If enough people think Harry Reid was being racist, then they may vote for the other guy.

Democracy.... it's what's for dinner.

[guido911]

SNL skit coincidence:

http://www.hulu.com/embed/_1qtxnGs6FMmEo4Ul4Ltzg

[RecycleMichael]

Harry Reid should resign, but not for these comments. They were stupid, but he quickly apologized and Obama accepted.

Hary Reid is ineffective as the leader of the Senate, and has trouble keeping democrats on board on key legislation.

[Red Arrow]

Harry Reid should resign, but not for these comments. They were stupid, but he quickly apologized and Obama accepted.

Hary Reid is ineffective as the leader of the Senate, and has trouble keeping democrats on board on key legislation.

So maybe Democrats aren't as stupid as their leadership thinks.  One can always hope.

[Conan71]

I didn't realize "negro" was a racial slur.

Odd that you expect someone to lose his or her job over something said two years ago that was very similar to what Joe Biden said..... "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," he said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."

George Allen, on the other hand.....

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=macaca
macaca

Common French racist slur. Meaning and use is similar to English '******,' and is used to described non-European (Arab and Black) North Africans. It was in particularly prevelant use during French occupation of Northern Africa. The term has been showing up with increasing frequency as a racial slur on racist websites and chatrooms.

In considering the controvery of whether Senator George Allen truly knew the meaning of the word in his infamous August 11, 2006 outburst, it is significant to note that his mother and numerous relatives are ethnic French expatriates of Tunisia in North Africa.

"This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere. And it's just great . . . Let's give a welcome to macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia." -- Sen George Allen refering to S.D. Sidarth while campaingning in rural Virginia, Ausgust 20006.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

George Allen didn't resign and wasn't forced to... he lost an election.
If the people think it's an important issue enough to vote for the other guy because of it, then it's important.
If enough people think Harry Reid was being racist, then they may vote for the other guy.

Democracy.... it's what's for dinner.

Let's apply a similar standard.  George Allen was not the Senate Majority Leader.  Trent Lott was:

"I want to say this about my state. When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either."

Trent Lott was pressured to step down from GOP leadership over this comment.  There was nothing overtly racist about it, nor stereotypical, nor any sort of evidence that it had anything to do with Thurmond running in the Segregationist Party.  For all anyone knows he could have been thinking of fiscal policies. 

How can anyone not see that Democrats are allowed to scream "racism" or "racial stereotype" at any comment with the slightest racial overtone, and it has to be dealt with severely, yet if Republicans call it, it's summarily dismissed.

Still high irony that a former kleagle in the kkk (sorry can't capitalize anything to do with that pathetic organization) has a home in the Democrat party as one of it's most admired Senators.

"I shall never fight in the armed forces with a Negro by my side... Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds. "   — Robert C. Byrd, in a letter to Sen. Theodore Bilbo (D-MS), 1944

I forget, that's different.

[we vs us]

Neither slip raises to a firing offense in my mind.  That said, Reid apologized to -- and received a pass from -- our first sitting black President.  Trent Lott didn't have anyone to give him a pass.

Also, Reid is a Democrat and Lott is a Republican.  Therefore Reid automatically gets the benefit of the doubt.  Lott didn't and doesn't. 

Is it fair?  Maybe, maybe not.  It's not a double standard if you take into consideration the history both parties have with black Americans.  Republicans have a pretty lousy reputation and have for years.  Democrats just don't (though we might disagree about whether or not it's deserved).  So of course it's going to be viewed as a minor slip if Democrats do it, and a window into the deep dark soul of the GOP if Republicans do it.   

Hilariously enough, Michael Steele is the first real sign of "outreach" on behalf of Republicans to black America in the modern era.  And just as we were saying in that other thread about gay Republicans, it's hard to join a coalition that won't try to combat the perception that it actively hates black people (cf. Kanye).

[we vs us]

Also, I'm not a citizen of West Virginia, so I can't vote Byrd out of office.  Was he wrong to be a part of the Klan?  Absolutely.  Did he also filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 64?  Yep.  Has he apologized for both?  Yep.  He did an interesting thing, IMO:  he realized that being a Dixiecrat was a political dead end, and he started voting with mainstream Dems, round about '68. 

I know that a lot of purity types around here will brand that flip-floppery, but I like the idea that a racist could reform himself and start doing right.  It certainly doesn't erase his Klan participation from history, but it does show that he's capable of change.

[guido911]

Also, I'm not a citizen of West Virginia, so I can't vote Byrd out of office.  Was he wrong to be a part of the Klan?  Absolutely.  Did he also filibuster the Civil Rights Act of 64?  Yep.  Has he apologized for both?  Yep.  He did an interesting thing, IMO:  he realized that being a Dixiecrat was a political dead end, and he started voting with mainstream Dems, round about '68. 

I know that a lot of purity types around here will brand that flip-floppery, but I like the idea that a racist could reform himself and start doing right.  It certainly doesn't erase his Klan participation from history, but it does show that he's capable of change.

Then there's this gem from the reformed Byrd:

[cannon_fodder]

Offensive speech shouldn't lead to a resignation, it should serve to put people on notice.  Id prefer more open and potentially offensive speech from representatives.  Better to know what they really think.

That said, at least his comment about obamas dialect/dicta was just a statement of fact.  A person speaking ebonics would not get elected.  Nor a southern drawl or any other negatively percieved accent.   I don't know about the 'light skinned' comment, I must not have compared obama to other peoples skin color very accurately (darker than mccain or hillary, somewhere short of eddie murphy?).

[Conan71]

Wevus, thanks for the input and acknowledging there is a double standard.

One has to wonder though, how much contrition there is in Sen. Byrd's heart about his old kkk days and how much was political expediency.

"As recently as 1997, he told an interviewer he'd encourage young people to become involved in politics, but with this warning: 'Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations in the political arena."'

http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd

Kind of an odd comment, as if that's the only reason one should avoid a misguided hate-mongering group of pinheads.

[Hoss]

Wevus, thanks for the input and acknowledging there is a double standard.

One has to wonder though, how much contrition there is in Sen. Byrd's heart about his old kkk days and how much was political expediency.

"As recently as 1997, he told an interviewer he'd encourage young people to become involved in politics, but with this warning: 'Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations in the political arena."'

http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd

Kind of an odd comment, as if that's the only reason one should avoid a misguided hate-mongering group of pinheads.

Almost sounds like that instead of being remorseful of being in that club, he was more remorseful about people finding out about it.

Oh, wait a minute...he IS in politics...or at least was at the time.  THAT explains it.

[RecycleMichael]

There is no double standard. That is a partisan term only used to falsely justify the other side are hypocrites.

Reid will be forced to resign his post even there is no evidence, no recording of him ever saying this. This is just words in a new book thrown out by a guy who is on a book tour.

I don't doubt Reid is an idiot, but this is pretty weak reason to bring him down. I would prefer to emasculate people for far better reasons.