If Harry Reid Insulted Anyone, It Wasn’t Barack Obama

January 12, 2010 RSS Feed Print

By John A. Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

In the gummy bear land of news and commentary (Hellllllo, Sarah!), today's high-calorie-low-nutrition novelty is the debate over poor Harry Reid.

Back during the 2008 presidential campaign, Reid told inquiring reporters that Obama was a successful candidate because his Ivy League smarts and reasoned speeches made him more acceptable to voters then, say, a rabble-rousing politician like Al Sharpton. Reid apparently said this about the time that Joe Biden was voicing the same sentiments. Since Biden is now vice president, this particular line of thought has apparently not bothered Mr. Obama. Why should it? If Reid insulted anyone, it was not Obama.

Here is the essence of what Reid said: "The white people of this country are so superficial and ignorant that they will vote against their own interests, and the future of their families and their country, if a candidate says 'axed' instead of 'asked.'"

There is a little truth to that. We tend to favor candidates who act like we do. But it is a pretty elitist view, nonetheless, and demeaning to the rest of us, if you take the time to think about it.

Having spent an hour-and-a-half with my fellow Americans waiting to be called at the department of motor vehicles yesterday, I can testify that there is a considerable level of shallowness and stupidity in folks of all race and gender: including yours truly, who almost flunked the eye test because he didn't comprehend the directions.

But, looking back at the 2008 election results, those same dumb Americans aptly concluded that their country was on the wrong track, nominated two reformers, and picked the black Democrat over the white Republican as a perfectly sound and reasonable choice to bring change to Washington.

And if, in three years, our lives are not better, and our government still seems clueless, ineffective, and in the grip of special interests, we will dump Mr. Obama and give another candidate the broom. And we will keep doing this until somebody gets it right. And his or her diction will have little to do with it.

You betcha.

Tags:
Harry Reid,
Senate,
Congress

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While I am sure that Harry Reid meant no harm in his old school cracker-ignorant way, I'm a little astonished that our first African American President, the NAACP, and the Democratic Party all regard the meessage, "If you yellow, you mellow. If you brown, stick aroun'. If you black, git back." as an appropriate message to send to contemporary African American youth. Of course, that's just my opinion.

Melitota of MD 9:41AM January 16, 2010

Your a liar!! a leftist reporter, no conscience or class. typical liberal loser!

Go Green Up ur azz 4:34PM January 15, 2010

Harry Reid is an excellent example of why we should have TERM LIMITS for all politicians regardless of what party they belong to. The man has been in office for more than 30 years and has more power than even the President. And because he has been in office for so long he thinks he can say or do anything without regards to consequences. As I heard his remarks about Obama (who is not one of my favorite people) I flashed back to the 1950's and 60's when racism was rampant and accepted by the majority of white people. Perhaps Harry who has been in politics too long forgot about the Civil Rights Movement and the passing of the laws that now protects every race in America regardless of color. But of course belonging to the Socialist Democratic party any remarks made by one of their own about color, race or origin is swept under the rug. And even a SCAMMER like Al Gore who should not even be involved is allowed to speak in defense of Reid and cuddle to his racists remarks. And yet when one is of the opposing political party, he is condemned because he has been a friend for more than 30 years to a man who had made racist remarks more than 50 years ago. In the 1960's representatives of the Democratic as well as the Republican parties with clenched fists yelled racial epithets and objected to the Civil Rights Movement and called out the Army Reserves to disperse the marchers. TALK ABOUT DOUBLE STANDARD!! And yet the black Democratic caucus who always protest against any remarks that may have the slightest hint of racism have yet to demand the resignation of Harry Reid. Do these representatives of the black people who seem to be led by Jessee Jackson and Al Sharpton really believe that the Democratic party that they have been voting for, for close to 70 years really cares for them and the welfare of their people? The black American people have to learn to stand on their own and not depend on a political party as a crutch if they want to be competative with other races in the work force and to not be forced into gangs or intimited when called names by friends or family. If they want to improve their lives and become competative with other races they must question their political leaders and then decide on their own as to which candidate shows interest in their problems and then vote for that person whether they are black or white. And to learn to become independent in their choice of candidates by breaking the chains that have binded them and their families to a political party and leaders whose only interests are to exude a sense of importance and to wheel and deal in order to stay in office for as long as possible. If Obama had any pride he would demand the resignation of Harry Reid who still carries the poison of racism inside of him. And because the insult was not only directed at Obama, but also at the office of the President Of The United States and at all citizens of all colors throughout America.

Born American of CA 5:39PM January 14, 2010

John A. Farrell

John A. Farrell

John Aloysius Farrell is a contributing editor at U.S. News & World Report. An award-winning Washington reporter, he has written for The Boston Globe and The Denver Post and is the author of Tip O’Neill and the Democratic Century and an upcoming biography of the great American defense attorney, Clarence Darrow.

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