Top Democrat defends Reid for remarks

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/10/top-democrat-defends-reid/?feat=home_headlines

In a private conversation reported in a new book, Reid described Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign as a "light-skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Mr. Reid apologized to Mr. Obama on Saturday, and the president issued a statement accepting the apology and saying the matter was closed.

But Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele mocked the DNC chairman's defense as he called on the Nevada Democrat to resign.

"If [Senate Republican Leader] Mitch McConnell had said those very words, then this chairman and this president would be calling for his head and they would be labeling every Republican in the country a racist for saying exactly what this chairman's just said," Mr. Steele said.

He also compared Mr. Reid's remark with that led Senate Republican leader Trent Lott, who in 2002 said at the 100th birthday celebration of 1948 presidential candidate Sen. Strom Thurmond "if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years."

Mr. Lott's remark was considered an endorsement of Mr. Thurmond's segregationist policies, and he was quickly drummed out of the Senate leadership post.

"There is this standard where the Democrats feel that they can say these things and they can apologize when it comes from the mouths of their own. But if it comes from anyone else, it's racism," said Steele, who is black. "It's either racist or it's not. And it's inappropriate, absolutely."

Sorry, guys, I think people are getting all riled up about nothing.  I don't like Harry Reid and I hope he loses in November, but not because of these remarks. If you're upset about Reid's private conversation, tell me what part you disagree with.  I'm tired of politicians from both sides refusing to address directly "unfortunate" remarks, but hoping to imply some sort of racism in their opponents.  Is "light-skinned" racist?  Is "Negro" racist?  All these politicians are playing racial games behind the scenes, kowtowing to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.  It's time to move on.  Deal with real racism when you see it, but don't accuse each other or racism just to score cheap political points.

On the other hand, it's perfectly fair to point out that the Democrats have a double standard when it comes to offending minority groups and women.

Posted via email from The Blue Pelican