by Mark Silva
The Rev. Al Sharpton, among those who received apologetic telephone calls from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday night, sees a big difference between what Reid once said about President Barack Obama and the comments that led to former Sen. Trent Lott's resignation as Senate majority leader in 2002.
Reid, according to a new book coming out today, had said during a private conservation that candidate Obama spoke "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.'' Reid promptly apologized to Obama over the weekend, as advance word of the book blazed on the Internet, and Obama swiftly accepted - "the book is closed,'' said Obama, hailing Reid for his longstanding commitment to "social justice.''
Lott, speaking at a 100th birthday celebration for then-retiring Sen. Strom Thurmond on Capitol Hill in 2002, had said this of the erstwhile Dixiecrat candidate for president in 1948,in a comment broadcast on C-SPAN: "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.''
Sharpton, appearing on FOX & Friends today, allowed that he was "offended" by Reid's "reference" to Obama, but suggested that - with some Republicans now calling for Reid to step down as majority leader -- there is no valid comparison with the Lott situation.
"I was offended by the reference of 'negro dialect,' Sharpton said. "I think though, to say that what he said is anywhere near comparable...to what Trent Lott said is insulting to the intelligence of the American people."
Sharpton said Reid had called him Saturday night - "not a call out of context, I've talked to him now through the years about legislation...I told him, as he said, I think his comments were very poorly chosen words - 'negro dialect' I was offended by."
"Trent Lott commended a Dixiecrat for running (for) office who left the Democratic Party to run to fight integration,'' Sharpton said. "How do you compare Trent Lott...to a guy saying why a black could be elected president. Now, he [Reid] said it in an insensitive way but he's electing a black president compared to a guy that would say I wish this guy had won, that would have kept...segregation...
"[Reid] was supporting Sen. Obama,'' Sharpton said, "as opposed to someone saying don't vote for him because he is black."
Lott, too, apologized for his remarks back in 2002: "A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embraced the discarded policies of the past," Lott said. "Nothing could be further from the truth, and I apologize to anyone who was offended by my statement."
The Republican from Mississippi retired from the Senate five years later.
Comments
Reverend Sharpton got this one right. It was some more rabid Republican-Libertine distortion. anything to poison the political dialogue in our country. Senator Reid's mistake was not in his observation, but he could have found a better choice of words, in which to state his observation. Senator Reid is an honorable man, from my vantage point and I will continue to respect him as a person and an elected official, until he proves otherwise. Not for one minute, will I take the ravings, or screeds of his political enemies as anything less than what they are: *&%*#%$@*^^&$%(*$%#@&&$#I( In deference to Mr. Silva's New Year proclamation.)
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 11:27 AM
Don-What was Reid "trying" to say that was in your words distorted- when he said that Obama only uses a "Negro" dialect when he wants to?
**
Or what was -again your words - the "honorable man" Reid's intent in evaluating Obama based on the tone of his skin?
- Just curious..
Posted by: heartburn | January 11, 2010 11:45 AM
AntiAcid,
You know the answer to your own " question ". I'm sure, of that !! Why play so cute !!? You're smarter than that, aren't you ??
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 11:52 AM
Reid spoke the truth, and he's being pilloried for offering a political assessment. There have been studies showing whites are more comfortable with light-skinned blacks, plus light-skinned blacks are vastly more prominent in high elected positions. (I just read this this morning, but can't for the life of me remember where. I'll try to figure it out and post a link.)
His assessment was nonest and correct -- I have long maintained that if Obama had been "darker," he would not have gotten elected. We're just not there yet -- he's light enough that all kinds of people felt comfortable with him. Sorry -- that's the way it is.
I find it highly amusing, however, to watch Obama and other Democrats now having tyo defend that which they'd formerly decried. The hypocricy is quite amusing.
Posted by: Beth | January 11, 2010 12:00 PM
To Don and Beth
You, like every other liberal in this country, are hypocrits. If someone from any other group that you hate says the wrong thing you would hang them if you had the chance. But becuase it is your beloved bleeding eart liberal hypocrit party, you can always justify it. Face it, your closet racists and it really has come to light this past week.
Posted by: Fed up with Liberal Whining | January 11, 2010 12:20 PM
You know the answer to your own " question ". I'm sure, of that !! Why play so cute !!? You're smarter than that, aren't you ??
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 11:52 AM
Don- typical- when asked a direct question that requires an answe that does not allow for mindless ideological rants you punt...
I asked two simple questions that challenged your partisan hero-worshipping view of Reid's comments... if you can't even defend your own views with any coherence why do you bother posting here?
Posted by: heartburn | January 11, 2010 12:47 PM
Weren't these same bozo's just honoring Byrd for his "service", yet wasn't he
in the KKK?
The democrats just don't know the reasons why, except if a republican says something they don't like - no apology is good enough.
Look at the double standards - all we heard was "Bush Lied" - yet obama lies about everything, and these same people say nothing. I guess he said it in a negro dialect - so no one believed him in the first place! I'm a democrat so I'm allowed to spew hatred and racism without accountability.
Posted by: worsethanbefore | January 11, 2010 1:11 PM
One day, far off into the future, the black community will realize that the biggest threat to their advancement is liberal whites.
Posted by: RCK | January 11, 2010 1:11 PM
Antiacid,
... and here I thought I had asked you a direct question, in my last post !!? As a matter of fact, it may have been two direct questions, but who's counting !! I guess we both get the booby-prize !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 1:24 PM
No comparison? Really? Tell that to Trent Lott -- then apologize profusely to him.
Posted by: Thoreau | January 11, 2010 1:42 PM
Rev. Sharpton, familiar with racist comments himself, is correct -- sort of.
In Trent Lott's case, he just said some throwaway comment at a guy's 100th birthday celebration.
In Reid's case, he made a totally racist comment. Does Reid's comment also mean that a dark-skinned black man who does speak with a Negro dialect would not get elected?
Also, Clinton's comment is just as bad. Obama would have been getting he and Kennedy coffee at one time?
Again, the true racists in this world are the liberals and the left. They see blacks as incapable people who need the mercy of the white liberal. They see blacks as their political servants.
They see blacks as a lesser person that needs the mighty and caring white liberal in order to survive.
Posted by: John D | January 11, 2010 2:35 PM
Right you are, Reverend Al. There is no comparison. Reid's comment is indescribably worse than Lott's. Lott was just trying to pay a compliment to a friend on his birthday. Too bad that friend happened to have a checkered past on race relations -- over four decades earlier! So Lott was crucified by association.
Quite the contrary, instead of subjecting Reid to comparable pillorying, Sharpton and Jackson and all the Dems who howled over Lott's non-comment are going to ignore Reid's overt racism and circle the wagons as they always do when it's one of their own who puts his foot in his mouth.
Utterly shameful. But then, I expect nothing less (or should say "nothing more") from the Left.
Posted by: Seriously? | January 11, 2010 2:58 PM
... and here I thought I had asked you a direct question, in my last post !!? As a matter of fact, it may have been two direct questions, but who's counting !! I guess we both get the booby-prize !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 1:24 PM
You posted a few words strung together, that while they ended in a question mark, actually shouldn't require an answer.
But to indulge you - I have answered your "questions".. I will wait patiently while you find some left wing blog to feed you an answer to mine..
Q1. Why play so cute !!?
Answer-To fulfill my lifelong dream of figuring out if you actually believe what you post- or if you have some random post generating software that is designed to spit out delusonal, partisan nonsense with limited human input.
Q2.You're smarter than that, aren't you ??
Answer - Yes.
Posted by: heartburn | January 11, 2010 5:06 PM
Utterly shameful. But then, I expect nothing less (or should say "nothing more") from the Left.
Posted by: Seriously? | January 11, 2010 2:58 PM
The African Americans certainly appreciate white folks telling them what offends them or not. As a white guy...how do you think they should feel about the "magic negro" song?
Posted by: bill r. | January 11, 2010 6:32 PM
AntiAcid,
We are still the winners of the booby-prize. Unlike you, I don't answer what I consider questions that have no merit, such as the ones you concocted, to support your incorrect position. It really is that simple. Maybe next time, if you have serious questions, meriting an answer, I will oblige you. I regret if you have difficulty with my position.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 8:15 PM
Well If Rev Al "Tawana Brawley Racist Scam" Sharpton says so, I guess it must be right.
BillyR,
Why don't you ask L.A. Times writer David Ehrenstein about Barack the Magic Negro. After all, the saying is his creation.
Posted by: Terry | January 11, 2010 8:59 PM
Don, Heartburn asked you to clarify your post, and you responded that his question had no merit. Do you understand why that is funny?
------
What exactly was "distorted"? Reid's words? No one, including Reid, is claiming that. I think the liberal talking point de jour is that it was a boneheaded statement, but given his track record, it should be forgiven without much of a fuss. Then throw up a smoke screen or two (e.g., Trent Lott), as if that somehow excuses (mitigates?) what Reid said. Then conclude that the GOP is exaggerating the significance of the comments, is trying to make cheap political hay, and that they have no right to point fingers. Man, you need to get your talking points straight. If I know the canned liberal rhetoric for this situation already, you should too.
Posted by: Herbie H. | January 11, 2010 9:07 PM
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 11, 2010 8:15 PM
Absolutely Don. Asking a disingenuous question that truly 90% of America knows the answer to.
Posted by: bill r. | January 12, 2010 10:02 AM
"As a white guy...how do you think they should feel about the "magic negro" song?"
I don't know. Why don't you ask Al Sharpton and David Ehrenstein? The song is just a parody of their comments.
Posted by: Dan-O | January 12, 2010 10:59 AM
As everyone can see with Harry Reid, charges of "racism" in politics are treated as a game, and here's the way the game's currently played:
1) A politician or well known personality makes a statement that may be interpreted by some people as racist.
2) That media then runs to a bevy of prominent, liberal black Americans asking whether the politician should be forgiven.
3) If that person is a Liberal Democrat, forgiveness is given and the media declares the scandal ended.
4) If that person is a Republican, forgiveness isn't given and a scalp is demanded.
Posted by: Al Sharpton as Moral Guide? | January 12, 2010 11:28 AM
Why don't you ask Al Sharpton and David Ehrenstein? The song is just a parody of their comments.
Posted by: Dan-O | January 12, 2010 10:59 AM
Please let us know the date Sharpton and Ehrenstein released that CD? You just don't get it...do you?
Posted by: bill r. | January 12, 2010 12:16 PM
One of us definitely doesn't get it, Bill, but I seriously doubt I'm the one with the problem. You can do the math from there. I hope.
Posted by: Dan-O | January 12, 2010 4:23 PM