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Published Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 | 11:40 a.m.
Updated Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010 | 4:03 p.m.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gestures while speaking on health care reform during a news conference, Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Sun Coverage
WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Saturday for private remarks quoted in an upcoming book in which he promoted then-presidential candidate Barack Obama’s racial appeal as a “light-skinned” African-American.
Reid was convinced Obama’s race would help him in the 2008 campaign for president, believing the country was ready for a black president and noting that Obama speaks "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one," according to reports of the book “Game Change,” by journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.
Excerpts were reported by Marc Ambinder today in The Atlantic, and Reid’s apology was first published by the Sun’s Jon Ralston.
“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,” Reid said in a statement.
“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," Reid said.
“Moreover, throughout my career, from efforts to integrate the Las Vegas Strip and the gaming industry to opposing radical judges and promoting diversity in the Senate, I have worked hard to advance issues important to African-American community.”
The president accepted Reid's apology "without question," saying he knows Reid and "what's in his heart."
"Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today," Obama said in statement.
"I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart," Obama said. "As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."
Beyond the impolitic expression, Reid’s comments provide deeper revelations about the extent to which the majority leader backed Obama over the other candidates in the 2008 race -- despite his professed neutrality.
In last year’s epilogue to his own book, “The Good Fight,” Reid disclosed that he called then-Sen. Barack Obama into his office off the Senate floor in early 2007 and encouraged him to run for president.
“If you want to be president, you can be president now,” Reid recalled telling Obama in the book.
Reid’s comments last April were a game changer at the time, revealing a closer relationship between the often-inscrutable majority leader and the popular new president than Washington had realized.
Today’s comments show an even deeper involvement by the majority leader in supporting the candidate who would become president.
The book details a pivotal Reid-Obama meeting in mid-2006 where the majority leader summoned the young senator to his office and surprised Obama by encouraging him to run.
However, the description of that meeting in "Game Change" is similar to the 2007 one Reid described in an interview last year with the Sun upon the release of the epilogue to his book.
In that interview, Reid similarly described Obama as sitting by the fireplace in the majority leader's office, ostensibly summoned on other business, and surprised by Reid's unexpected encouragement.
At the time, Reid could not recall the exact date of their talk.
When asked today if Reid was mistaken in his autobiography, that the meeting actually took place in 2006, Reid's spokesman said it was possible, as the two met often, and Reid could not be sure of the date of the meeting.
Reid’s publicly-stated neutrality throughout the campaign season led to much speculation about his true feelings, especially during the heated early caucus in Nevada in January 2008.
Observers believed if anything, Reid secretly leaned toward Hillary Rodham Clinton because of his long relationship with the Clintons. Reid’s son, Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid, was co-chairman of Clinton’s Nevada campaign.
But the book reveals Reid's misgivings about Clinton's viability and his belief in Obama.
Obama visited Nevada 20 times, with Reid often appearing alongside him, and went on to win the state by 12 percentage points – the largest Democratic presidential victory since Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Ambinder notes that the book is due to be released Tuesday, and the journalists are scheduled to discuss it Sunday night on “60 Minutes.” He said he picked up a copy of the book at a Washington bookstore Friday night.
The book is described as a gossipy chronicle of the 2008 election.
The disclosures on Reid come on a difficult day for the majority leader, who faces an uphill battle for re-election as the nation’s most vulnerable Democratic senator.
Republican candidate Danny Tarkanian, a former UNLV basketball star-turned-businessman, was among the first to go after Reid for the comment, reminding of Reid's recent remarks comparing Republican stonewalling on health care reform to foes of slavery.
“He disgraces himself almost monthly with some disparaging remark about his constituents, political opponents, or now the President,” Tarkanian said.
The Republican senatorial campaign committee invoked a comparison to comments made by former Republican Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi.
Lott said in 2002 that the country would have been better off if former Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina had been elected president in 1948 on the segregationist Dixiecrat ticket -- causing the then-Republican senate leader to step down.
But African-American leaders came to Reid's defense.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, president National Action Network, said he spoke with Reid today and "while there is no question that Senator Reid did not select the best word choice in this instance, these comments should not distract America from its continued focus on securing health care or creating jobs for its people.
"Nor should they detract from the unquestionable leadership role Senator Reid has played on these issues or in the area of civil rights," Sharpton said. "Senator Reid's door has always been open on hearing from the civil rights community on these issues and I look forward to continue to work with Senator Reid wherever possible to improve the lives of Americans everywhere."
Steven Horsford
In Nevada, state Sen. Steven Horsford, the Democratic majority leader of the state Senate, said he was disappointed in Reid's choice of words, but accepts the fellow Nevadan's apology.
Horsford said Reid "has consistently been supportive of advancing the interests of the African-American community as he has for all Nevadans and all Americans.”
"I have known Harry Reid for many years -- he is a good man," Horsford said. "I know Senator Reid's character and I know, now more than ever, why his leadership is needed in Washington."
A new poll out today from the Las Vegas Review-Journal shows Reid’s standing dropped among Nevada voters.
Reid’s approval rating dipped to 33 percent, according to the poll, with 52 percent saying they have an unfavorable view of the senator, a new low.
Reid's campaign has run ads to re-introduce him to Nevada's transient population and highlight his power as majority leader to help the state. The campaign has said internal polling sees the majority leader faring better.
“Nearly a year out from the election, our own internal polling shows Sen. Reid beating all of his potential opponents," said campaign manager Brandon Hall. "These are difficult times for Nevada and as the majority leader of the Senate Sen. Reid has taken action to address those challenges. He knows there is more work to do to turn our state's economy around and create jobs and he is committed to seeing it through."
HA HA ! Harry's true nature is exposed HA HA !
Wow....he is a racist, too.
Worst Majority Leader in U.S. history.
Harry, why don't you just retire? Save yourself from the shame and humiliation when you get voted out in Nov 2010..................
My jaw just dropped out of my mouth hearing such a racist outburst from Harry Reid. Harry Reid gave us hope as a nation by his proposals to legalize all the undocumented works and his opposition to the clearly racist "English as the only language" of the USA bill. But I am afraid these slurs about Obama "not having Negro dialect" show his true colors. Sad, really.
Quick questions: How does a skin color have a dialect? If I go to the local tanning salon, does that mean my "dialect" is going to change?
Rush Limbaugh didnt get a pass Don Imus didnt gat a pass Jimmy the Greek didnt gat a pass. Citizens of Nevada we should not give Harry Reid any more passes. Forget the election he should resign now
Mikegino has a crush on Reid. What a fem loser
Senator Being There
He will get a pass. If you are a bigot make sure your a liberal bigot. So if you are going to offer a woman employment in exchange for (Bill Clinton) or discuss the way "Negros" talk (Harry) then make sure you have your Democratic Party credential in hand and you will get a pass from all of the liberal special interest groups.
I can't wait to watch the SUN try and find some contorted way to blame this on Bush. Because we all know that everything wrong in the world leads back to Bush
Sorry Nick, Gino dances with girls.
There is such a thing as a "Negro dialect" and Barry Obama is light-skinned. Neither of those has anything to do with a person's ability, capability, intelligence or worth. However, Obama's lack of a "negro dialect" and his "light skin" did help him get elected. Harry's apology shows his lack of a spine and his "blown by the winds of politics" character (or lack of it). This thing is a tempest in a teapot, but ol' Harry is afraid of his own shadow.
Do the nation a favor, Nevada and VOTE THIS "MAN" OUT OF OFFICE. He's not just an embarassment to your state, but in combination with Mz Pelosi, he is a testament to the failures of our national Congress. They no longer represent "we the people"; don't care what we think OR need and are cramming their agendas down our throats, whether we like it or not. VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENTS!!
Harry's mouth is no longer connected to his brain due to that series of strokes he suffered awhile back.
And at the advanced age of 70, harry clearly needs to get the heck out of the way so we can get someone in there to watch out for Nevada's best interests instead of the democrat party's best interests.
Very true, Reid is the worst majority leader in Senate history. No public option, terrible. If Tom Delay would have been the majority leader he would have had every senator in line.....
The opportunity cost of having Reid in the Senate is hurtful to Nevada.
JSilver
Yeah, You Right Wingers are Right!
All the hate!
That is all you got, and the beauty queen ,and little Tark.
All the minorities will vote for your candidate.
Because Minorities are low information voters.
The Politico is such a right wing on-line rag, they even pretend to be balanced.
This controversy will be a dim memory, and all the haters on the right with hateful vindictive ideas will be disappointed this November.
Even if Reid loses, you will still be out of power.
There has been a shift in politics.
The electorate is on to your corporatist ways.
So, you keep listening, Beck or Savage or Heidi,
Because you love to hate.
That is all you got, tools.
Why would anyone want to commit himself so much self-inflicted embarrassment when he has a golden parachute awaiting him? Win or loose he'll enjoy a retirement second to none.
Pretty neat trick, shooting oneself in the foot by flapping ones lips rather than shooting a gun. If the media was not dominated by the intellectual elite, there would be no fracas over Harry Reid's comments in private, because they were factually true, in terms of Barack Obama's appeal to the electorate. We would have heard the same sort of comments from Presidents Johnson, Nixon, and Carter and no one would have been surprised.
Barack Obama is a graduate of Columbia and Harvard. He writes and speaks in impeccable upper class American English, unless he chooses not to. Just watch him on the campaign trail, talking to directly voters, when he intentionally begins using the sloppy English of America's working class. That change in manner of speaking offends me greatly.
President Obama is not the only Ivy League graduate politician to switch into sloppy working class English. Hillary Clinton, a Yale graduate, significantly altered her vocabulary, sentence structure and tone of voice when she was campaigning in rural Pennsylvania and Ohio. At the time, I thought "What a phony".
Frankly, I am tired of this country being led by alumni of the Ivy League. They have not done a sterling job, beginning with Bush I, Clinton, Bush II (Harvard Business School) and now Obama.
We need to go back to a leadership class who have worked they way our of ordinary circumstances and who have been educated at outstanding public universities and small private colleges. When they spoke in public, it was a whole lot easier to tolerate Presidents Johnson, Nixon and Carter, who were not Ivy League windbags, and who didn't change they manner of speech when talking to working people.
One of the things I like about Harry Reid (no Ivy League education) is that he speaks like a normal person and doesn't bother to self-censor and be politically correct.
Whew, I was a big Harry backer, but this is unacceptable. Period. He needs to step down now. So the Dems can select someone to run against the BBall coach's son or the Beauty Queen. What a pathetic, uneducated, corrupt state we live in; it's like going to the Dog Pound to select an animal. What's up, Fido?
Just wonder if Harry's religious background might have caused him to utter such slurs.
Very sad, totally reprehensible. Go away Harry, you're 70, time to live the great life in that beautiful resort town of Searchlight.
The only reason he apologized is because he is up for re-election. He won't win. Us Nevadans need to make sure of that. This is unacceptable language. He thinks he is above all and can get away with anything-let's prove him wrong in November. Bye bye Dingy Dirty Harry. No more lining your pockets for you!!! And remember-like father like son.
"Rush Limbaugh didnt get a pass Don Imus didnt gat a pass Jimmy the Greek didnt gat a pass.
Citizens of Nevada we should not give Harry Reid any more passes."
AGREE
---------------------
Reid was convinced Obama's race would help him in the 2008 campaign for president noting that Obama speaks "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one," according to reports of the book "Game Change," by journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.
"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," Reid said
--------------------------------------
Reid only apologized for a poor choice of words NOT the DEED. Harry Reid believed what he said just a poor choice of words.
What Harry Reid basically is saying is Obama speaks "with no African-Americans [Negro] dialect, unless he wanted to have one,"
In the movie Casino - there was a reference to the "Hicks" that controlled Las Vegas gaming licenses in the 1970's and 80's - Harry Reid was one of those Hicks - Racist-Hick-Mormon to be exact.
Like Joe Biden said...Barack is clean and well spoken!
This is the purest example of the 1950's mentality these clowns still harbor today and how they talk around the dinner table when it's just the kinfolk!
doog: you are so right that there has been a shift in the electorate. Unfortunately for your sorry butt, its to back to traditional, conservative values.
Hey, give Harry a break, he's just your typical hypocritical liberal. These clowns like to talk the talk, but can't walk the walk when it comes to race relations in this country. And just how many times did he and his fellow Democrat party members label those nasty "tea-baggers" as "evil-mongering, bigots"?
Most pols. use a negro dialect, ever hear Hillary or billary?
http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/20......
http://www.mediaite.com/online/is-i-gues......
http://mediamatters.org/research/2004120......
just a couple of Reids Racist views
BTW, not O'bummer or any other democrat hack in DC is gonna hit Racist Reid on this - they need him to ram the Deathcare bill through. Just because they use each other, doesn't mean Racist Reid and O'bummer like or respect each other.
Hopefuly our species will have a future free of all racism. Historians will look back on the ages when it was a factor and teach their children what a logical mistake it was for anyone to even take note of superficial pigmentation. Some of us are already there and race or skin color means nothing except that different humans have different genes and pass them along. Education in basic biology simply shows that we humans are all the same variations on a central theme. Lack of education is most apparant the moment the issue of race rears its vestigal head from the underbelly of humanity. Not exactly an intellectual coup for those who vastly underestimate the lack of any shred of racism and bigotry in a fast growing majority of the world population.
Democrats say these things all the time except they have the big media cover and get away with it. The most amazing part is African American vote 90% with these guys. The Democrats have toyed with AF Americans forever and they still vote for them. That voting block needs to wake up.
Michael, just where in the hell do you expect your party to come up with even a SINGLE CANDIDATE that can properly espouse the doctrine of "traditional, conservative values"
with a straight face, and be able to back it up?
Good LUCK.
Harry sure is old-school. And he DOES say some outlandish things... If ol' Harry manages to get his health-care reform bill passed, maybe he should head home to Searchlight and call it a career. Pelosi, Reid, and Frank have become too divisive to be effective, thanks in large part to the constant attacks from the rrrrright!
We need new blood, on both sides of the isle.
gregory: Brian Sandoval. Concur wholeheartedly on the need for new blood. One of the slogans of Mexico's last revolution was "No Reelection." Perhaps they were on to something. I wouldn't shed a single tear if Ensign, Gibbons, and Reid decided to move to Central America to set up a religious commune together. Can you imagine the infidelity and bribery?
And the backstabbing?
The "We Three Kings" Cult... er, commune.
Our brothers & sisters south of the border are in dire need of another revolution. Either that or we've got to quit buying their dope.
DISGUSTING....
The comments are reprehensible, but the behavior is consistent with a pattern of bad judgment that validates a lack of a moral compass.
He praises Barack Obama and in a quest to cleanse himself of this unseemly behavior firmly acknowledges he's working for the agenda of the President. He openly admits his priority is the President's agenda -- not the agenda of the people of Nevada. Last I looked the people of Nevada sent him to Washington.
Some other high points....
* Harry is a man who has called a sitting President (GWB)a "liar" and a "loser."
* Harry is a man who called a sitting Supreme Court justice "incompetent." (Reid barely practiced law while the Justice went to Yale)
* Reid called the the head of America's central bank, whom he voted to approve twice, "One of the biggest political hacks we have in Washington."
* Reid referenced that anyone opposed to his pathetic, pork-laden "pass it any cost" health care bill as "Evil-mongers" for daring to actually exercise the right to disagree with his prodigal piece of corrupt legislation.
The simple truth that we're seeing is Harry has become so drunk on his position of power he feels he responds to no one. He has lost vision of what is right and what is wrong.
And even when such words make it into the open, the liberal media will, no doubt, give him a "pass" on the matter. They'll say he just used a poor choice of words...it wasn't the 'Big' word, after all. And yet we all know what's in his mind, don't we?
Wow. What else can one say? Wow.
Can we say enough is enough...please don't vote for this guy again just because he is in the job now...it is time for change and someone we can believe in and its not H. Reid.
CynicalObserver is 110% spot on. I always got slammed by others for pointing out how during the campaign, Obama would selectively launch into "Negro speak", or whatever you want to call it, when giving a sppech. Interesting how it ALWAYS managed to manifest itself when he was speaking before a blue-collar and/or primarlly African-American audience.
Sorry, but that's exactly what Obama did and it DID happen. This fancy pants Harvard elitist had one dialect for white, upper West Side audiences and quite another for his NAACP voters.
It really was disgusting to watch, not that the media would ever have pointed out that there was something a little odd, shall we say, about a presidential candidate that consistently launched into "jive talk" whenever he was around a black audience, but that's hardly a surprise.
You can still see it today. Only now it manifests itself in the form of an aloof, unfeeling person that utilizes whatever particular tonality he thinks is supposed to reflect the situation at hand. There's the "dramatic speaker" Obama when he goes on his Mid East apology tour, there's the "stern" Obamawhen he takes time from his golf game to yak about the ummm, "lone actor" that almost blew up an airplane, and on and on.
He'll be following Dodd. Wait and see!
Wow, a comment from John Chachas, Wall Streeter and Republican candidate for the Senate.
How's that name-recognition-by-the-public going for your buddy. I saw in today's LVRJ polls that no one has heard of you.
And, by the way where did you go to undergraduate and graduate school, and what investment banking firm did you work for?
The lib media and Democrats again are showing their hypocrisy colors in spades.
Like in the past, if this was a Republican there would be shock and disgust at the statements.
Now......silence from the lib media and Democrats.
I hope that public just ignore the lib media and Democrats forever.
They are just empty suits.
Well of course he said it, said it in plain fashion that any one would understand, especially a politician or any one who understands politics. And so what? Oh yeah, not "politically correct". And no one is supposed to notice those who have an accent or dialect. Please travel this country with hearing protectors. Also, wear digital sunglasses that present all fleshes in neutral tones.
The tone of this article suggests that it was a good thing for Harry Reid to have uttered such racists comments, because doing so unearthed evidence that Harry Reid supported Obama more than people thought.
Brava to such a penchant analysis. There, have I made it past the free speech abolitionists?
This guy has to be one of the sleaziest people in the State of Nevada, yet alone the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate.
Talk about hypocrites, and bigots, this dude takes the cake.
He can't help it though. It's the way he was raised and the way he raised his punk kid, Roy!
Send them both packing in 2010!!
"with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one" ...Harry Reid
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." ...Joe Biden
So these are the two top Democrats in the country, well after that clean black guy of course. How nice?
Reid may be surprised, but Obama is versed in Arabic too.
.
Obama: Man of the World
The New York Times | March 06, 2007
Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated, Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as ''one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.''
.
http://www.barackobama.com/2007/03/06/ob...
Whether the words were actually offensive to some folks, or just ammunition for shallow political attacks, Harry Reid simply spoke the truth. And he helped elect one of the most brilliant and educated Presidents in U S history.
I'm African American and I didn't take Reid's comments as racist. I took them as extremely uninformed and very ignorant. I won't vote for Harry as that seems to be his intelligence level on a whole...one of uninformed and ignorance. And for clarification, Whites American votes varied from 30% to 60% in their support for Obama. But for technicality sake, then I guess DiamondDogg is right.
Congratulations to the RightWingNuts.
You have already won!
Now when you take over the house and senate, you
go ahead make law to restore the middle-class.
I just want to see if the electorate is so stupid locally, and nationally to embrace your regressive policies.
My advice: give all the homeless tax cuts.
Give all the $8.00 per hour workers tax cuts.
It really doesn't matter, if the GOP defeats Reid, and regains the Senate and the House.
The economy has already fallen over the cliff.
The GOP is intellectually bankrupt, and the Dems.
are compromised by the lobbyists as well.
So even if the GOP comes roaring back(circa. 1994), their victory will be
extremely short-lived.
The GOP's message and leaders are reprehensible.
Mitch McConnell, Ensign, and others have a negative pessimistic message.
This doesn't sell!
Have you heard the phrase "You get more flies with honey than vinegar"?
Americans aren't a pessimistic lot, we are usually optimistic and hopeful.
When the message gets through that the GOP has been the lapdog for multi-national corporations and big business for thirty years, they will not be supported by the working class.
I think that our middle class is almost non-existent, and it is because of policies dating back to St. Reagan who systematically started degrading our middle class.
Clinton was also in on it, But GWB he finally put almost all the nails in the coffin.
So, now we have to look forward to a continuing downwardly mobile society, and the GOP will just play the blame game.
They have one answer for working people,"Forget You Loser!" Or as some of you spell it "Looser"
If Harry would have ever paid attenetion when he traveled to Bali or to Indonesia, he may have noticed that many men there have the same physical features as our president - they are not typical urban African Americans by a long shot - by look or by behavior. Over half the population is not white and has some darker shade of skin. It is ignorant of Reid to portray Obama as African American, he is Indonesian.
"You can always tell when it is summertime because you can smell the visitors. The visitors stand out in the high humidity, heat, and they sweat." (December 2008)
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/011...
It is called 'ghetto speak' and you just have to live in the ghet to learn it. Your race or color has nothing to do with it. If you tried to speak correct English you would be asking for a beat down. Our president did not grow up in a ghetto, DUH.
WRosencratz wrote:
Harry Reid gave us hope as a nation by his proposals to legalize all the undocumented works and his opposition to the clearly racist "English as the only language" of the USA bill.
I want to make sure I understand you. You're saying that to legalize all the undocumented workers would give us hope as a nation? And you view an "English only" bill as racist?
I'm going to assume you were being sarcastic; There's no other explanation.
if he was a republican they'd be sharpening their pitchforks, but since he's a democrat...no big deal.
There was no "hate" or "malice" involved in Reid's comment. You racist morons and anti-Obama groupies are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, as per-usual. The President has accepted Ol' Harry's apology, because even he realizes it's just semantics, and that old white people sometimes say the darnedest things.
Obama has admitted to being a mutt on several occasions.
The fact that he is part black did help get him elected, and of course the African American community has every right to take pride in that fact.
B.T.W.
It is hot and humid in the nation's capital in summertime; Harry's probably right about stinky tourists... it just should have been a silent thought, like many other things he's uttered over the years.
I haven't heard anyone use the word negro, other than a black comic, in 20 years. But Harry has a record of anti-Black behaviour, he didn't support Joe Neal when Neal ran for governor, and he didn't want Roland Burris in the Senate.
Huh...
WRosencratz wrote:
"Harry Reid gave us hope as a nation by his proposals to legalize all the undocumented works and his opposition to the clearly racist "English as the only language" of the USA bill.
I want to make sure I understand you. You're saying that to legalize all the undocumented workers would give us hope as a nation? And you view an "English only" bill as racist?"
_____________________________
No-No-No!!! What Harry is saying is that as long as "they" don't speak English like Negro's then "they" be O.K.!
"Good thing, that the black people are too damn stupid to take offense at this!"
_____________________________________________________________
Now this comment I DO consider racist. Generalizing and lumping everyone that disagrees with you is not only racist within itself, it's very self-opinionated and shows an acute unawareness of how self centered you really are.
See gmag defending Reid is hilarous.
Only the incompentent and stupid would be defending Reid.
Of course, the libs and Democrats and media are showing their hypocrisy on this.
If it was a Republican....you will hear words like disgusting and shocking to discribe that statement....now it is just....He is old man....he is from the old people...That is just how they talk
So freaking funny...........racism amoung the lib world is TOTALLY IGNORE......so the people should just ignore them...they are just empty suits....all they are interested in is power and the real goal is money that can get my obtaining power....Al Sharpton is exhibit A
What is harry saying that obuma dont know ebonics...Give it a rest already... He stressed on it thinking al and jesse would have his head on a fencepost for that stupid remark...What a racist buffoon...
Hey nance, incompetent and stupid? Shucks, you conservative folks sure have a way with the fancy platitudes.
You seem REALLY REALLY ANGRY, "Sargent". Try some breathing exercises, & perhaps a spot of Tea!
Your hate for Harry is well documented on these pages, "rock", and you should certainly exercise your constitutional right to vote for someone else come November.
BUT FIRST... I suggest yoo'se guys find a legitimate candidate.
Health Care Reform???
HECK NO! We've got to discuss this business about what Harry Reid said for the next month!!!
Have hearings! Hold conference committee meetings! Poll the American People! Maybe this changes everything! Get Ken Starr on line 1! John Ensign must be smiling for the first time in MONTHS tonight!
The forceful 2008 endorsement of Barack Obama by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy -- and Kennedy's sudden break with the Clintons -- was caused in part by a racist comment made by Bill Clinton to Kennedy over the telephone, according to a new campaign book.
After Obama won the Iowa caucuses, Clinton called Kennedy to press for an endorsement from the influential Massachusetts liberal. But the call backfired, according to the authors, and left Kennedy deeply offended.
The day after Iowa, Bill Clinton phoned Kennedy and pressed for an endorsement, making the case for his wife. But Bill then went on, belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.
Bill Clinton, once lauded by African-American admirers as the "first black president," got in trouble later in the campaign when he came across as dismissive of Obama's South Carolina victory by noting that Jesse Jackson had also carried the state when he ran in 1988. But this is the first time the "coffee" remark has been reported, and it is likely to reopen all old wounds -- and cause some new ones.
For his part, Clinton reacted angrily in 2008 to anyone who dared question his racial sensitivity. If history is any guide, the former president will not let this latest assertion go unchallenged, either. In his telling, which should come any minute, Clinton will surely recount the conversation differently. Unless he simply flatly denies the second hand account, Clinton will likely say something along the lines that on the contrary, he was not belittling Obama but extolling how much racial progress had been made in this country -- and characterizing not his own view of Obama's audacious campaign, but how Republicans would talk about it.
Hillary Clinton is tickled when her New Hampshire campaign chairman Bill Shaheen mentions Obama's use of drugs as a young man. "Good for him," Hillary is quoted as saying. "Let's push it out."
Most of the Clinton staff, knowing this instinct was wrong, dissuaded Mrs. Clinton. But not all. senior adviser Mark Penn is heard boasting to his staff how many times he managed to work the word "cocaine" into an MSNBC segment where he went after Obama
I think Dirty Harry Breid was really trying for Senator of the year. He was up against 11 other senators and he was hoping to win that extra $2,000 and a free meal at Red Lobster if he won Senator of the year.
It seems The Sun has opened a can of worms. This article would have been better off published after the November elections. What tells them to print this inflamatory garbage. Most of these posters are bigots, as is Harry Reid I might add.
As a former (white)and (rare) collegiate defensive back, I can tell you that there is most certainly such a thing as "talking Black." Blacks do it, Whites (who wish they were Black) do it also as the situation dictates. Coming from my Lilly-White high school background, with no experience whatsoever in "Black-Ology" except for what I saw on "Yo MTV Raps,"I used to stand in awe as the language of my Black team mates would change to suit the occasion! In fact just this past summer, when professor what's his jackass at Havard went off on the police officer, a co-worker of mine (Black, and dark skinned-OH NO, Harry!!! A dark skinned Black guy!!)said "Now why did he have to go and ACT GHETTO on that officer? So we all know what Reid was talking about, but he's just so ignorant and stupid that it's almost funny that he's put himself in this situation! And it's equally funny to see all kinds of uppity, "I aint from the ghetto" Black folks (who toe the Democratic Party line) get up in arms at what they know to be true anyway. Harry Reid is a Bigot and a Tool. Oh sure-he'll remind us all of what he's done for Black folks, but now we all know what really goes on up there in ole' Searchlight when the kinfolks are around the dinner table! Harry the Greek!!!!
A few years ago, nobody would have been getting Ted Kennedy coffee that's for sure!! Unless it was so he could come down from an all-night binger!!! So he could drive home. . . . . . . . . .
Obama should make Harry and BIll C his bi*&hs instead of accepting his apology without question. Imagine if the remark was made by a republican, all hell would break loose. Harry would have a heart attack over excitement if that was the case, he would be so excited to be able to slam the competition. What a jerk
Im not too surprise that senator Reid turned out to expose his racism. No coincidence that this is before his election.
Which crook will replace the old crook?
Democrats need to check US history to truly see who are the real haters and racist in America, As MLK said Dr. King said: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Judging from history it is clear to see that the Democrats are the real racists and haters!
During the Civil War, Republican President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863 which ordered the freeing of slaves in states that were rebelling against Union forces. Republicans passed the Thirteenth Amendment on January 31, 1865 that was ratified on December 6, 1865 to abolish all slavery in the United States.
Democrats passed discriminatory Black Codes in 1865 to suppress, restrict, and deny blacks the same privileges as whites. The Codes forced blacks to serve as apprentices to their former slave masters. Democrats also prevented blacks from getting the promised "40 acres and a mule".
Ku Klux Klan was started by Democrats to lynch and terrorize Republicans, black and white
In 1866, the Ku Klux Klan was started by Democrats to lynch and terrorize Republicans, black and white, and the Ku Klux Klan became the terrorist arm of the Democratic Party. Over 3,000 Republicans were killed by the Klan, of whom 1,000 were white and 2,000 were black. Details about the Democratic Party and the Ku Klux Klan can be found in the book "A Short History of Reconstruction" by Dr. Eric Foner.
To counter the discriminatory and terrorizing actions by Democrats, Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Reconstruction Act of 1867 that were designed to establish a new government system in the Democrat-controlled South, one that was fair to blacks. Further, the Fourteenth Amendment championed by Republicans was ratified in 1868 that granted blacks citizenship. The Fifteenth Amendment also championed by Republicans was ratified in 1870 that granted blacks the right to vote.
During the civil rights era of the 1960's, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought to stop Democrats from denying civil rights to blacks. It should come as no surprise that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican as has been affirmed by one of his nieces.
Dr. King fought against Democrat Public Safety Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor in Birmingham who let loose vicious dogs and turned skin-burning fire hoses on black civil rights demonstrators.
The chief opponents of the 1964 Civil Rights Act were Democrat Senators Sam Ervin, Albert Gore, Sr. and Robert Byrd
The chief opponents of the 1964 Civil Rights Act were Democrat Senators Sam Ervin, Albert Gore, Sr. and Robert Byrd (a former official in the Ku Klux Klan). Democrat Senator Byrd who conducted a filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act is still in Congress. None of those racist Democrats became Republicans.
throw HR into the LaBrea Tar pits
I am a 30 day Jr. to Sentor Reid, born March 1940 a dark skin American.
Senator Reid only said what we in the black community has been saying all along, A dark skinned male with the same intelligents would not have been accepted as a presidential candidate.
America has, come a long way in race relations
but there is still transparency in accepting dark skins males in TV, achor people, CNN, etc.
One just needs to look at president's Obama own cabinet count the dark skin people.
Does (The Truth hurts)
NJ green
I will boil this down again -
Light skinned
No Negro dialect
The apologists cannot defend the meaning of that statement - just consider the alternative>
A "dark skinned" (candidate) who speaks "negro dialect" (would not positive attributes for a President, according to HR)
Should we not mention the Mormon aspect of Harry? -They are known to be VERY judgmental of others - just ask anyone excommunicated - or anyone in the neighborhood who does not convert. The Tupperware chicken cacciatore stops after the 2nd attempt to get you to the Tabernacle. Ask any non-mormon construction firm bidding a project in Utah, Nevada and Arizona.
The racist remarks that Dirty Harry made are typical of a Freudian slip!
A Freudian slip is done when the truth is spoken directly the the individual!
It is a window into their soul!
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c52_11861...
light-skinned" African American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one," Wasn't a poor choice of words,what Ried really said, glad he it not black with a Negro dialect, that the fact, Ried must apologized for his heart
I think Reid was really saying...."Thank God Obama is not a dark skin Negro who speaks in Negro dialect."
LOL.......you guys defending Reid are so pathetic.
I hope now you shut your mouths forever about some little thing that a Republican says.
This remark demonstrates the hypocrisy of the left. Had this been a Republican saying these things, they'd go after him with a vengence. It would not have mattered if this Republican had a "good civil rights record," the calls for his resignation would be shrill and constant. But because he's a hallowed Democrat, he's forgiven. Total hypocrites!!!!
I think Reid likes Mexicans though, he has done a lot for us. Free Health care and this year he make us all legal citizens, in his get out the vote platform. thank senior Reid, even though you know like black people, i still vote for you.
Good triangulation, he should get more Mexican votes too, remember the flap over the cartoon on the Mexican stamp?
It was Bush that threw Lott under the bus by the way.
Reid was just saying what most people think.
I'm what many Americans call "African American," which is meant to be a cultural description of myself and others who possess similar genetic characteristics.
After reading the comments, I have concluded that many posts indicate a lack of understanding/an accurate interpretation of Senator Reid's words regarding President Obama. It is a commonly held perception that African Americans live in the ghetto, are on welfare, have children who are all born out of wedlock, are thugs, do not speak Standard English, are looking to be given things, are immoral, etc. What is not commonly known or acknowledged is that there are millions of African Americans who do not fit these stereotypes, but it's more convenient to label all members of the groups using the same descriptions.
The president is not an anomaly among African Americans, but he is to most Americans. In my opinion, this is due the fact that these stereotypes are a part of the normal discourse in America where African Americans are concerned.
I am not upset about what Senator Reid said about Obama. I view his words from the perspective of someone who lived through segregation, and the civil rights and voting rights movements in America. I attribute his comments to his age, the period in which he was reared in America, and not having a lot of contact with African Americans who don't fit the commonly propagated stereotypes of AAs.
And contrary to what many Americans think, the word Negro does not carry the same stigma for AAs that the word ni99er does. There are millions of AAs who still refer to themselves as Negroes. It's their choice, just as it is my choice to think of myself as me, irrespective of any attempt to classify me from a cultural or national POV by others in this society. I only think about my race when someone else brings it up.
I speak Standard English. I was reared by my parents to do so, but I also occasionally use what is known as "black English," or as it is sometimes called, Ebonics. I am college-educated (UGA--BS, c/o 1974,) have advanced degrees in the field of education, and I taught school for 33 years until retiring at the end of the 2008-09 school year. I fully understand why Senator Reid said what he said, and it was not based in racism, but in not knowing/encountering many educated, middle and upper class African Americans. I refuse to pillory him because I understand that every one's view of the world is based on one's individual background and experience. This is all any of us has as a reference to use when comparing ourselves with others, and the media has played, and plays, a role in our perceptions of what others, unlike ourselves, are like.
The ideal solution would involve getting to know some of the individuals who are a part of the racial/ethnic/socioeconomic/religious group. Whether America is ready to pursue this course is a query yet to be explored.
The headline should read: "Once Again, Democrat Benefits from Double Standard" And since when does Al "Tawana Brawley Hoax" Sharpton dispense forgiveness when he has never even apologized for his high jinx? Idiots all. And what's with the two knuckle head reporters intimating the gaffe did not rise to the evil level of Lott's gaffe but only to air-head-fun loving Biden's gaffe. Oh, yea, that double standard, of course. But since what blacks in the story claim it was no big deal, I'd like to say the Negro in the White House is doing a damned fine job.
Why Harry Reid making the comment behind closed doors. He's a snake! Time for him to go, the sooner, the better. Nevada, you guys are the Mississippi of the West. Ignorant!
Everybody in the world is a racist. Arabs hate Jews. Irish hate the Brits. The French hate everybody. Nobody likes the blacks. It is a proven fact that light skinned blacks dislike darker skinned blacks, so what's so hard about understanding the dynamic of it. The United States is a failed experiment and it is getting worse by the day.
Southern states started the hatred, for whatever reason I don't know. I was stationed in the deep south and a dumber bunch of hayseeds I've never seen. They were standing on the shoulders of black people for centuries. Along came the Democrats and changed all that and now the South is mostly Republican. If we could just get to the point of ignoring each other we would all be better off. If we all had no opinion of blacks at all and if the blacks had the same attitude it would get better. I guarantee it. Ignore each others achievements, and failures. Make no comment at all. Refer to each other as Mister and Mrs. Have a little more respect. Incidentally I agree with people who say that Mr Obama is doing a lousy job so far. Maybe it will get better. Keep a good thought for his success.
who cares, all the mormons that run the state of nevada are racists, who knew!
if you sign-up to comment on his senate web page he wants to know the interest of the people and African american is the first listed interest! WOW!
Harry will quit his bid for re-election as soon as he can spend his 25 million dollars in his campaign fund.
jajma..Wonderful of you to accept Reid's insult as a compliment. I wonder if you would be so generous if a Republican had said it. I think you are kidding us.
_____________________________________________________
Rhooster, I don't think jajma is accepting Reid's statement as neither insult or compliment. As African Americans, we just think he's ignorant and uninformed, it's what everyone deals with everyday. We don't have to say anything or be outraged. He's damned himself.
So Reid would not given Obama his support if Obama had dark skin or talked with a negro dialect.
I guess the Democrats are A-OK with that.
So long Harry.. cant say it was nice to know ya!!
Reid is a jerk, Ensign is a jerk.
Vote them BOTH out!
Sorry, I can't halp, I'll be busy trying to vote out Boxer and Feinstein here in California!
No I don't care at all for Obama, But come on Harry, you should know better.
Personally I have no problem with a black President, I'd vote for geenab65, regardless of political party. She sonuds like an honest, common sense person, even on occasional points I may disageee with.
I am from Arizona and I would be proud to have Harry move here to lead our party. He is such a hard worker. He has taken jabs from every side. He has not wavered an inch in his resolve to get a health care reform bill through. He is very admired from a tremendous amount of Democrats. He is a legend in our state. I hope that Nevada keeps such a valuable leader, and a valuable human.
Who is Steven Horsford to matter anyway? But, Harry's comments are atrocious...where are the Black leaders on this...Sharpton, Jackson, etc? Did Obama pull the leash on them as he still needs his boy Harry to do the Health bill thing! The United States is being laughed at when it comes to politics...and, Nevada keeps being put down due to Harry Reid.
lifecoaches: He has taken JOBS from every side.
Democrats: the party of hypocrisy and Alice in Wonderland.
Harry didn't you know not to say the N word. We have all these problems and the media is so stupid. If you aren't careful Harry you will turn black over night kissing a-s
Here is a perfect case of double standard in the democratic party, if anyone on the right said anything remotely close to what Reid said, they would be tarred and feathered.. Democrats, the liberal party or should they be called the Hypocritical party.
I can't believe that people actually listen to Sharpton or Jackson anymore. Aren't they a joke by now? Aren't their better leaders for the black community? Trust me there are..
C,mon people , Harrys' a Mormon and all Mormons have reservations about Negros,they still are racist in the church functions that blacks are allowed to participate in. Harry is just showing his true religous beliefs,the only reason Harry supports Barry Obama is because he's stupid and easy to con. Keep runnin ya mouth Dirty Harry ya doin fine, just fine.
why wouldn't the minorities continue to vote for the Dems? The Dems keep approving more social services and now free heathcare. Why work just vote for the Dems!
"There was no "hate" or "malice" involved in Reid's comment." - gmag39
Are you kidding me? What if he had said "He doesn't have a hooked nose and doesn't speak Yiddish, unless he wants to"? Or even "He doesn't carry a Bible in his pocket and doesn't pray in public, except when he wants to"?
The concept expressed by Reid's words, whatever he chooses to use, reveals one of the most insidious racist attitudes. Namely, the old "some-of-my-best-friends-are-Negro" attitude that still pervades our society.
Yes, much of this can be attributed to him being 70 years old and being true to his upbringing and environment as a child. All the more reason to get rid of him and get fresh blood in Congress.
Reid is A-OK.
So what if he would have had a problem with Obama if he was darker or spoke with negro dialect. We can overlook that.
He is A-OK because he came out released a letter in support of Nevada's Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage and voted for DOMA and has not push for DOMA overturn or for Obama to rescind Don't Ask Don't Tell. Both the light skin Obama and Reid are against gay marriage anyway and believe that each state should determine its laws on the matter.
He is a swell guy that Reid dude.
I am having an absolute HOOT reading all the neo-cons bashing ol' Harry today. They could CARE LESS about the content of the comments by Reid, and what they mean, or do not mean. They are winking at each other and snickering at the opportunity to STICK IT TO OL' DIRTY HARRY!!!
Can't you just HEAR THEM?
It's just another tactic to steeeeeer us away from discussing the REAL ISSUES that they have NO ANSWERS for.
Let's get back to addressing actual PROBLEMS, SHALL WE?
Sgtrock, we'll give you a head start.
Go ahead and type in to the comment box right now, as follows:
"Your doing it wrong! Your doing it ALL WRONG!"
Cool! Now you are set to go.
There becomes a time in all of our lives when it is time to step down and let younger more energetic people carry the load.
Harry has reached that point in his life where he needs to pass the torch to a younger generation and spend his remaining days enjoying the sunsets in Searchlight...
Boy, there sure are a lot of disappointed Liberals crying today.
They must be upset because Harry has let them down...
Just like Harry, Liberals turn to name calling when the truth starts to hurt.
It does not matter who lost the last election. But it does matter who will win the next election...