How DARE they compare Reid's comment to Lott's!

[jenmito]

Repubs. from Michael Steele to Joe Scarborough and John Cornyn have said it's a "double standard" that Trent Lott resigned for HIS comments but the Dems. don't think Reid should resign for HIS comments. Cornyn even called Lott's comment "innocuous compared to Reid's."

Just to remind everyone, Trent Lott, at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration, said, "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." Thurmond was a segregationist who ran as a Dixiecrat. On the other hand, Harry Ried said that then-candidate Barack Obama could win the White House because Obama is a "light skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect," something ignorant but meant as a COMPLIMENT to Obama.

I think that saying the country would've been better off without Black people being afforded the same rights as white people is way worse than in-artfully COMPLIMENTING a Black person, saying he could be president (while unintentionally insulting other Black people in the process). It's about intent IMO.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. It's only payback for Lott having to resign (it was the republicans' idea).

Not to mention the slight at Strom when Lott resigned.

[jenmito]

3. It's also to try to derail the health care bill.

[roguevalley]

21. the pugs should shut up. there isn't one black repug senator. enough said.

[bdamomma]

2. they have this vote going on at MSNBC

http://politics.polls.newsvine.com/_question/2010/01/11/3739852-should-sen-harry-reid-step-down-as-majority-leader-after-the-disclosure-of-his-comments-about-then-sen-barack-obamas-good-prospects-as-a-presidential-candidate-because-he-was-light-skinned-with-no-negro-dialect?chromedomain=world-news

[jenmito]

4. Jeez-they're really playing into the Repubs.' hands...

thanks for the link. I voted. I wonder how many of those who voted that he should resign are Dems.

[Nancy Waterman]

11. Another example of GOP manipulative hysteria over nothing

They froth at the mouth over nothing just to put Dems on the defensive.
It is another overamped reaction to a minuscule thing. Dems need to call them on it instead of reacting and defending everything. Dems are like an abused spouse in the face of constant criticism and bullying. As soon as they respond to one spurious attack, another comes out of left field and puts them back on the defensive.

[jenmito]

13. I agree. But Dems. ARE calling them on it. That doesn't stop the media/Repubs.

Even after Lawrence O'Donnell called out Joe Scarborough on this, saying that George Will is the only honest Conservative voice on this issue, "present company included" (meaning Scarborough), Joe asked O'Donnell to explain. He tried, saying that Lott condoned segregation in HIS comments while Reid did no such thing, but Joe replied by slamming him for "bringing up Lott instead of trying to defend Reid." That just showed O'Donnell to be right, since it was a REPUB. who brought up Lott in comparing him to Reid, and Joe was more than happy to go along with the comparison.

[goclark]

16. Just voted K

[jenmito]

19. 64.7% say he shouldn't resign.

[high density]

5. AP playing this as another R vs D issue

Republicans say this, Democrats respond with that. We parrot, you decide.

[jenmito]

7. Too bad they follow the Repub. narrative. n/t

[Born_A_Truman]

6. Got up really early this morning (3am)

and Joe Star$ucks was giddy over Reid's remarks; and it goes without saying that Buchanan was as well.

[jenmito]

9. I saw it, too (even though it was 6am my time). Of course, Scarborough claimed it

WAS racist what Reid said and that it WAS equivalent to Lott's remarks. :eyes:

[liberal N proud]

8. This outcry for the republicans is to Lott's resignation as

Bill Clinton's impeachment was to Nixon's resignation.

Tit for tat mentality of the GOP.

[GreenArrow]

10. Reid's comments are much ado about nothing

while Lott's were a winsome ode of longing to Jim Crow.

[jenmito]

14. I agree. But tell it to the media which is spending all its time comparing the two.

[zulchzulu]

12. K&R! Thurmond would have rejected Steele as leader if he was alive today

Even George Will said that what Reid said was finally something they could all agree on... the unfortunate comment did actually imply the obvious truth that light-skin blacks that didn't have a "black accent" could be good candidates that others would embrace. It's sad, but true.

Lott was basically wishing that Thurmond could have been President so he would have never allowed segregation or civil rights for blacks.

Anyone who thinks the two comments are "close" are either stupid, intellectually dishonest or both.

[jenmito]

17. Exactly...

And George Will was shooting down Liz Cheney who called Reid's comments "racist." The faux outrage is ridiculous.

[busymom]

15. Sorry, but Reid is a big boy...

and he should have thought twice about his words. I think he needs to go.

[jenmito]

18. Reid is a Mormon. His religion didn't even allow Black people in until '78.

Considering where he "comes from," it's obvious he MEANT it as a compliment. I don't think he needs to go over that.

[secondwind]

20. IMHO, Reid was speaking TO racism (in some Americans)...he was not derogatory at all.

In his opinion, Obama could pass muster (with MORE Americans) because of his appearance and eloquence.

NUFF SAID.

Let's move on!

[Stargazer99]

23. I thought your comment was as abvious as could be

only the ignorant would think Reid's comment was racist. Republicans are snaring in the stupid as usual

[Stargazer99]

22. Only the intellectually challanged would agree with

The Repubulican gas lighting job on Reid