Harry Reid apologizes for Negro dialect comment

[flarendep1]

Reid apologizes for 'no Negro dialect' comment

WASHINGTON – The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate apologized on Saturday for comments he made about Barack Obama's race during the 2008 presidential bid and are quoted in a yet-to-be-released book about the campaign.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada described in private then-Sen. Barack Obama as "light skinned" and "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." Obama is the nation's first African-American president.

"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 released after the excerpts were first reported on the Web site of The Atlantic.

"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 remained neutral during the bitter Democratic primary that became a marathon contest between Obama and then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Obama tapped as the United States' top diplomat after the election.

Reid's comments are included in the book, obtained Saturday by The Associated Press and set to be published on Monday. "Game Change" was written by Time Magazine's Mark Halperin and New York magazine's John Heilemann.

The book also says Reid urged Obama to run, perceiving the first-term senator's impatience.

"You're not going to go anyplace here," Reid told Obama of the Senate. "I know that you don't like it, doing what you're doing."

In another section, aides to Republican nominee John McCain described the difficulties they faced with their vice presidential pick, then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Steve Schmidt, a senior member of Sen. John McCain's presidential team, is quoted telling Palin's foreign policy tutors: "You guys have a lot of work to do. She doesn't know anything."

The authors also quote Obama's initial reaction to McCain's selection of a little-known governor: "Wow. Well, I guess she's change."

Vice presidential nominee Joe Biden was direct. "Who's Sarah Palin?" the book quotes the then-senator as asking as they left the nominating convention in Denver.

Reid, facing a tough 2010 re-election bid, needs the White House's help if he wants to keep his seat. Obama's administration has dispatched officials on dozens of trips to buoy his bid and Obama has raised money for his campaign.

Recognizing the threat, Reid's apologies also played to his home state: "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."

Even before his ill-considered remarks were reported, a new survey released Saturday by the Las Vegas Review Journal showed him continuing to earn poor polling numbers. In the poll, by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Reid trailed former state Republican party chairwoman Sue Lowden by a 10 percentage points, 50 percent to 40 percent, and also lagging behind two other opponents.

More than half of Nevadans had an unfavorable opinion of Reid. Just 33 percent of respondents held a favorable opinion



This crook needs to be booted out.

[harold_bush]

I'm sure race baiters, Al and Jesse, would have accepted an apology from a republican.



Extremely racist comment any way you look at it. Kaz, I'm waiting for you to explain this away........maybe Bush's fault?

[KazDog]

What's there to explain away????

1. It was a poor choice of words.
2. It was spoken in "PRIVATE", as the story says.
3. He came out and apologized, and yet Obama is still campaigning for him. If anyone has a problem with what he said, one would expect it to be Obama and he obviously doesn't.
4. He said he had a "Negro Dialect." 'Negro' is still a vernacular that is used today in certain circles. Just as "Latino/Spanish dialect" or "Asian dialect" is used to talk about a person of that nationality. Just as the United Negro College Fund still in existence. You guys are acting like he called him a word of much poorer taste.



Now....Why don't you explain away McCain's comments about your chosen one? Maybe Obama's fault she's so clueless?

[flarendep1]

What's there to explain away????

1. It was a poor choice of words.
2. It was spoken in "PRIVATE", as the story says.
3. He came out and apologized, and yet Obama is still campaigning for him. If anyone has a problem with what he said, one would expect it to be Obama and he obviously doesn't.
4. He said he had a "Negro Dialect." 'Negro' is still a vernacular that is used today in certain circles. Just as "Latino/Spanish dialect" or "Asian dialect" is used to talk about a person of that nationality. Just as the United Negro College Fund still in existence. You guys are acting like he called him a word of much poorer taste.





Now....Why don't you explain away McCain's comments about your chosen one? Maybe Obama's fault she's so clueless?

I think the point here is if a Republican said it, he would be forced out of office. The double standard is undeniable.

Reid's comment was more about Obama's ability to use the dialect when needed, not that he had one. This is typical politition work playing to the crowd they are addressing. I saw a clip of Hilary do this in an all black church on the campaingn trail. All of the sudden she had some soul in her voice. Just shows how phony all these people are.

[KazDog]

I think the point here is if a Republican said it, he would be forced out of office. The double standard is undeniable.

Reid's comment was more about Obama's ability to use the dialect when needed, not that he had one. This is typical politition work playing to the crowd they are addressing. I saw a clip of Hilary do this in an all black church on the campaingn trail. All of the sudden she had some soul in her voice. Just shows how phony all these people are.

Yeah. No shit. They're all phony. Just like they used to say Bush's drawl would be more noticeable when he spoke to certain people in the south. Still don't see the outrage. Obama obviously moved on, and he probably wouldn't if a Conservative had said it, who more than likely does not like him all too much. Still don't see the big deal.

[harold_bush]

What's there to explain away????

1. It was a poor choice of words.
2. It was spoken in "PRIVATE", as the story says.
3. He came out and apologized, and yet Obama is still campaigning for him. If anyone has a problem with what he said, one would expect it to be Obama and he obviously doesn't.
4. He said he had a "Negro Dialect." 'Negro' is still a vernacular that is used today in certain circles. Just as "Latino/Spanish dialect" or "Asian dialect" is used to talk about a person of that nationality. Just as the United Negro College Fund still in existence. You guys are acting like he called him a word of much poorer taste.



Now....Why don't you explain away McCain's comments about your chosen one? Maybe Obama's fault she's so clueless?

Holy shit Kaz, are you serious? Of all the posts you have put up this is easily the dumbest post I've ever seen from you.

1. It was a poor choice of words? Thanks for that pearl of wisdom. Trent Lott used a poor choice of words too, he was forced to step down.

2. It was spoken in PRIVATE, so that makes it alright? Seriously, read that again. That is beyond idiocy. So it is alright to make racist comments as long as they are in private?

3. Obama is fine w/ it so that makes it alright? Really, are you that naive? Do I really need to explain why he excuses it? My 8 year old daughter is brighter than that.

4. All the above statements are so idiotic it is hard to think anyone could write it, but your #4 takes the cake. If you don't think with "no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one" is horribly offensive then you are truly a moron. There is no possible way you can actually believe that. Your United Negro College Fund point is laughable moronic. Everything is in context, and this analogy is absurd.

[harold_bush]

and one more thing, Kaz. I DO NOT LIKE MCCAIN AND I DO NOT LIKE GEORGE BUSH, so you are NOT going to see me making excuses for either one.

[KazDog]

Holy shit Kaz, are you serious? Of all the posts you have put up this is easily the dumbest post I've ever seen from you.

1. It was a poor choice of words? Thanks for that pearl of wisdom. Trent Lott used a poor choice of words too, he was forced to step down.

2. It was spoken in PRIVATE, so that makes it alright? Seriously, read that again. That is beyond idiocy. So it is alright to make racist comments as long as they are in private?

3. Obama is fine w/ it so that makes it alright? Really, are you that naive? Do I really need to explain why he excuses it? My 8 year old daughter is brighter than that.

4. All the above statements are so idiotic it is hard to think anyone could write it, but your #4 takes the cake. If you don't think with "no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one" is horribly offensive then you are truly a moron. There is no possible way you can actually believe that. Your United Negro College Fund point is laughable moronic. Everything is in context, and this analogy is absurd.

Whatever Moron. There's no comparison to Lott and Reid's comment. I explained it exactly the way I saw it. Call it dumb all you want. I think your post is assinine because you're making such a big deal about it. No one is crying about it but you Conservatives. Negro Dialect is a vernacular that is still used today. He came out and publicly apologized for a statement he made in PRIVATE. Big fucking deal. Obama has forgiven him and it's widely known that Reid has a record of working for social causes for African Americans.

You want to explain why Negro is still used in many open circles today? By African American's???

More whining about the double standard. Keep that hate mongering campaign going buddy. Someone is surely going to listen or even give a shit. Unfortunately, it's only fellow Conservatives.

[flarendep1]

Yeah. No shit. They're all phony. Just like they used to say Bush's drawl would be more noticeable when he spoke to certain people in the south. Still don't see the outrage. Obama obviously moved on, and he probably wouldn't if a Conservative had said it, who more than likely does not like him all too much. Still don't see the big deal.

I dont see the big deal either and only posted it because I actually think it is funny how sensitive people are about this but less sensitive when Hip Hop music is loaded with offensive stuff.

[flarendep1]

Kaz, I took Fresno St tonight in hoops, am I a moron??? LOL

[KazDog]

Kaz, I took Fresno St tonight in hoops, am I a moron??? LOL

I hope not! They have a young team with some decent players. I don't know about the team much. They play hard for 40 minutes though. The coach definitely pushes them. I might have picked a better game, but I'll root for you.

KAZ

[harold_bush]

don't get me wrong, I HATE political correctness, and frankly think too much was made of Lott's comments and is being made of Reid's comments. My issue is w/ the CLEAR double standard. My ONLY issue was that Lott was forced to step down, and the same people aren't asking Reid to step down. That's it. I want BOTH sides to be held to the SAME standard, that's it.

[KazDog]

don't get me wrong, I HATE political correctness, and frankly think too much was made of Lott's comments and is being made of Reid's comments. My issue is w/ the CLEAR double standard. My ONLY issue was that Lott was forced to step down, and the same people aren't asking Reid to step down. That's it. I want BOTH sides to be held to the SAME standard, that's it.

There is a huge difference between an old white Conservative, who isn't exactly a champion of social causes, making comments to honor a person who ran on a platform of segregating this country, and a guy who has made many positive moves towards social causes and African American issues in the past, who made a comment in private about Obama not having a "negro dialect." You see this as a double standard and I don't.

[Jamaicanman]

who made a comment in private about Obama not having a "negro dialect." You see this as a double standard and I don't.

So what exactly is a "Negro dialect"?


You want to explain why Negro is still used in many open circles today? By African American's???


Who uses the word "Negro" in open circles?

[KazDog]

So what exactly is a "Negro dialect"?


You want to explain why Negro is still used in many open circles today? By African American's???


Who uses the word "Negro" in open circles?

What is an Asian dialect? What is a French dialect? What is an English dialect? What is a southern dialect? What is a Canadian dialect? What is a Spanish dialect? What is a Middle Eastern dialect?