The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
Imagine if a republican said that.
Ex KKK member Democratic Senator Robert Byrd can throw out the term "white n*****" and still retain office. (2001)
GOP Majority leader Senator Trent Lott speaks at Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday and joked that the country may have been better off if he was elected president (Thurmond ran on a segregationist platform). Then is forced to step down shortly there after. (2002)
What did Reid have to say on the matter at the time?
"He had no alternative… If you tell ethnic jokes in the backroom, it's that much easier to say ethnic things publicly. I've always practiced how I play."
If Reid is true to his word then yes he should be forced to resign.
Come on. You can't compare the two incidents. Lott basically joked that it would have been better for the country to remain segregated. Reid said that Obama could be successful with white voters despite being black.
You're grasping at straws. You always do. Stop posting.
Come on. You can't compare the two incidents. Lott basically joked that it would have been better for the country to remain segregated. Reid said that Obama could be successful with white voters despite being black.
You're grasping at straws. You always do. Stop posting.
They both made racially demeaning comments.
You argument is Reid's comment that racially demeaned Obama and every other African American wasn't bad enough. Do I follow?
On January 13 2010 04:21 motbob wrote: Reid said that Obama could be successful with white voters despite being black.
That's what I think too. Reid told the truth from a political strategist's point of view. It's funny that they want a guy to resign because he didn't lie about the situation.
Come on. You can't compare the two incidents. Lott basically joked that it would have been better for the country to remain segregated. Reid said that Obama could be successful with white voters despite being black.
You're grasping at straws. You always do. Stop posting.
They both made racially demeaning comments.
You argument is Reid's comment that racially demeaned Obama and every other African American wasn't bad enough. Do I follow?
Regardless of what he truly meant by the comment (which is something that I can't know for sure), his comment can easily be interpreted as commenting on white voters' perception of black people in general, not as a comment on black people in general.
By the way, your OP is misleading. You make it appear that Lott was ousted from the Senate, when all he did was resign his leadership position.
This also gives it a bit more context (and you just accidently left it out) The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
"He [Reid] was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,' " Halperin and Heilemann say.
"Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination," they write.
You'd have to try really hard to find something demeaning in that and it's not even in the same ballpark as the other shit you're trying to draw parallels to
I don't think he should step down. What he said reflects not his own opinion, but a real understanding of how the American psyche, to this day, works. He is not a racist, he's just really acute to the ugly issues still rearing their heads and is willing to engage them. That fearless quality is what is needed at the helm of any political party.
The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
In all honesty, the above is true though. A darker african-american who spoke ebonics would never be accepted by the mainstream as a president of the USA.
People say things, it doesn't mean he was making an super official statement of any kind. He may have his opinions as long as he isn't hurting anyone, it's a free country (your country) after all and the first amendment guarantees everyone the right to speak their minds.
I think bringing politics into TL really diversifies the conversation we see on here. I mean we have enough members not making political threads, that one member who is making political threads is a blessing.
But yea, but he should definitely step down, he's holdin ga double standard if he doesn't.
I suspect he won't step down b/c of the pressure from the dem. party for the health care bill.
EPT
