Are Republicans Stupid, or Do They Think We're Stupid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is of one your top three leaders. Nice. I didn't see a thread about Democrats being stupid anywhere so I added here.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Saturday for making racially insensitive remarks about Barack Obama during the presidential campaign.

Journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann reported the remarks in their new book "Game Change," which is scheduled to be in bookstores Tuesday.

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.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/09/obama.reid/index.html[url]

Hey, I am a dark-skinned Black woman, and when Obama began his campaign I said he was the type of Black man that America would be receptive too. He was light in appearance, but not too light; his build was slight in build; he graduated from the top schools in the country; and he spoke in what many believed was non-threatening terms and tones. If it took these characteristics to break the color barriers, so be it. What you need to ask yourself is this, would Barack Obama have been more receptive for White people support if he emoted with the swagger of Al Sharpton/Martin Luther King Jr., the color hue of Seal and the body build of Lawrence Taylor. I think not. Obama's appearance made White people feel comfortable. Obama just so happened to have the intellectual and political chops to go with his non-threatening appearance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Concerning the Reid remark: I thought I was pretty sensitive on racial issues, but I don't quite see what is so offensive about the remark. Is it that he used the word "Negro"?

Can someone enlighten me?

Check out this discussion by two staunchly Republican commentators, in which one maintains it was utterly racist and the other says there is "not a scintilla" of racism:

Do any of you see a parallel, as claimed by Cornyn and Steele (not Jeff, the other one), between Reid's reference to Obama's skin color and Trent Lott's comment that the country might have been better off if the segregationist campaign of Strom Thurmond for president in 1948 had succeeded?

What Trent Lott said and what Harry Reid said are so, so different. Trent Lott basically said we would be better off in a segregated society and Jim Crow/Apartheid in full-force. Harry Reid said, hey this Negro man has a chance and it is good for the country. He is light-skinned and speaks not in a Negro dialect. Now which Negro dialect was Reid referring I can only imagine. Did Reid mean ebonics, rap, country, oratorically preacher style, or everyday English that all educated Amercian speak regardless of their race.

[Anonymous]

Political conservative here -- this kind of thing is why the Republicans are going to blow it in 2010. They have a golden opportunity to make gains in Congress, but do not seem to have the leadership to execute. I must confess it is driving me batty. Can't anyone here play this game?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Political conservative here -- this kind of thing is why the Republicans are going to blow it in 2010. They have a golden opportunity to make gains in Congress, but do not seem to have the leadership to execute. I must confess it is driving me batty. Can't anyone here play this game?

It's a great chance for John McCain to show he still has class by getting up and saying that it's ridiculous to call Reid a racist for calling a spade a spade. (Please have a heart and don't club me over the head for that expression -- I'm just a diamond in the rough.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Political conservative here -- this kind of thing is why the Republicans are going to blow it in 2010. They have a golden opportunity to make gains in Congress, but do not seem to have the leadership to execute. I must confess it is driving me batty. Can't anyone here play this game?

It's a great chance for John McCain to show he still has class by getting up and saying that it's ridiculous to call Reid a racist for calling a spade a spade. (Please have a heart and don't club me over the head for that expression -- I'm just a diamond in the rough.)

McCain? Who cares what that RINO has-been has to say about anything? I voted Obama because I'd rather have a real liberal than a fake republican. This may have been an error in judgment, of course, but thankfully had no impact on the outcome.

[Anonymous]

As the one who suggested that McCain stand up and do the right thing, I'm glad to see this quote from Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20100111_11_0_USSenT56111):

"Washington plays a game of gotcha," Coburn said. "It pains me that Republicans are saying Harry Reid ought to step down. When you point a finger, you have four fingers pointing back at you. There is not anybody in Washington who has not said something that could be judged inappropriate and wrong."

[Anonymous]

Hey, I am a dark-skinned Black woman, and when Obama began his campaign I said he was the type of Black man that America would be receptive too. He was light in appearance, but not too light; his build was slight in build; he graduated from the top schools in the country; and he spoke in what many believed was non-threatening terms and tones. If it took these characteristics to break the color barriers, so be it. What you need to ask yourself is this, would Barack Obama have been more receptive for White people support if he emoted with the swagger of Al Sharpton/Martin Luther King Jr., the color hue of Seal and the body build of Lawrence Taylor. I think not. Obama's appearance made White people feel comfortable. Obama just so happened to have the intellectual and political chops to go with his non-threatening appearance.

Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King Jr are two different type of men and I wouldn't use them both on the same side of an argument. My first introduction to Al Sharpton was during the Tawana Brawley case back in NY in 1987/88. He tries to intimidate and bully people and has no regard for the truth.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a dignified man who had honor and integrity. He had lots of charisma and knew how to handle himself.

[Anonymous]

When I first heard about this, my first thought was "thank god Jon Stewart is back this week".

Terror Ball? Too funny.