A pass for what? What should he not be “given a pass” for? What should the Dems be doing?
Reid’s comments are no different then Vice President Biden’s. It appears that the Democratic party has officially verified the President is an African American who can speak English. It’s not like he called Obama a white nigger. That would have been embarrassing.
For what he subsequently apologized for. If it was nothing, he wouldn’t have had to apologize.
According to some on the right, they should be asking him to step down. Although I don’t agree with that, it’s not so hard to understand.
In the article I linked to above, McWhorter contrasts the two. The insulting implication in Biden’s statement was that an African American would not be expected to be articulate. The implication in Reid’s statement is that an African American would be expected to speak with a “negro dialect,” which would be a political detriment. While the term used brings up some ugly associations, this is basically true. There are indeed speech patterns associated with black Americans, and both blacks and whites see them as inferior to standard English.
Not unacceptable, just archaic. What’s next? Will we start referring to Jackie Chan as Mongoloid? Europeans as Caucasoids?
I’m amused you guys think Obama is light-skinned. Will Smith is light-skinned. Jada Pinket is light-skinned. Left Eye from “T.L.C” is light-skinned. Shemar Moore is light-skinned. Obama’s skin is brown and really isn’t that much lighter than your average African-American.
It was nothing. People apologize for nothing all the time. Apologies do not confer substance.
It certainly isn’t. It’s completely empty partisanship and phony offense.
Incidentally, how can you simultaneously say that Reid is being “given a pass,” and that you disagree that he should have to step down. If you agree that the Dems should not force him to step down, then how can you complain that they are “giving him a pass?”
I assume you are referring to former Klan recruiter Robert Byrd’s use of that endearing term.
Of course, Democrats didn’t mind that either. Yes, Reid should have to live by his own so called “principles” and resign.
You don’t get it. The outrage is over the double-standard that the pols on the Right are held to. Hell, everyone “mispeaks” once in a while. Appoligies are only accepted when given by the Left. Now, the Right is going for a little payback, and they are justified in it.
Harry Reid is an elitist prick. The comment that sealed the deal for me, was when Harry Reid said,
But that, too, was evidently acceptable for the Left.
There was nothing racist in what Harry Reid said nor for that matter Bill Clinton. Feigned Republican outrage is playing to smokescreen Obama’s continuing dip in the polls because of his general incompetence. If it gains further currency, people will again be talking about race - and we all know how great the Obama camp is at race-baiting.
CNN headline: GOP Senator, Chair, call for Reid to step down.
Yep. Steele and Cornyn (R-TX). Well, shit, how’s Harry going to control his party when the Republicans keep calling for him to step down? He’s lost whatever control of the Republicans in his party that he had!
There is no outrage at all. It’s compltely pretended and phony.
There is also no double standard.
In what way is it elitist to state that large numbers of sweaty people entering an enclosed building can add an odor?
Cite for Obama engaging in race baiting?
What would have the more appropriate term for him to use? “African-American dialect?” “Black dialect?” “Ebonics?”
Linguists call it African American Vernacular English. "African American English or “Black English” are reasonable shortenings.
The point for me is that Reid has apologized for saying something that’s essentially true: that Americans would not likely vote for a candidate who is too dark, or who speaks non-standard English. He didn’t say that there was anything fundamentally wrong with dark skin or with non-standard English. That he felt compelled to apologize is a sad commentary on the loss of respect for people standing up for what they believe, and the craven pandering to campaign contributors. Reid is apparently unable to say, Yes, that’s what I said and I stand by the point I made. He doesn’t have the courage of his convictions and he doesn’t want to lose support from ANYone who might contribute to his re-election campaign. Politicians today would make our founding fathers cry.
Seriously, if we give into that kind of PC whining, we’re letting the tourists win.
Reid is not apologizing for saying that Obama’s dialect and skin color made him more electable than other African American politicians. He’s apologizing for his choice of words. He’s been very clear about that.
JFTR, John Mace didn’t complain about Reid being given a pass; he simply clarified that as the object of the people who are complaning.
Correctly identifying the object does not equate to stating that it has any basis in reality.