Of Harry Reid and race

The political world has gone gaga for the discussion of race and Harry Reid. We have President Obama forgiving him, we have Attorney General quoting his longtime dedication to social justice. Social Justice seems to be the phrase that must have been in the talking points because most of the outpouring of support for Reid includes the phrase.

In case you have been on the moon and missed it during the campaign last year Senator Reid is said to have said that then Senator Obama could win because he is light skinned and doesn't speak with a Negro dialect unless he wants to. This exchange is quoted in the upcoming book
Game Change by Mark Halperin.

My particular opinion is that it is not racist in any way (other than a stupid choice of using the word negro). Actually I believe that it is remarkably consistent to what I have observed of Harry Reid and a good portion of the leftists in our country. To me it shows complete contempt not for President Obama but for the American voters. In the world of Harry Reid the reason we haven't had a black president before 2008 is because we are racist and only now can tolerate a black man as long as he isn't too black. The man is a condescending boob. The only candidates we have had previously were race hucksters who have made a living cashing in on a history of race offenses that while the history is real and detestable, Sharpton and Jackson's actions do nothing to help the lives of real black people today.

He also shows me that he thinks of blacks the same way he thinks of women, Hispanics and union workers. They are all mascots to be used to sell his big government collectivist view of the world. You need to sell health care? Bring out some pathetic examples of people without insurance and if they are minority all the better. The American people are compassionate. We will buy central control if you just show us starving, unhealthy people that you can blame on some group they already hate (like insurance companies, drug companies or just rich people). Need to sell union control, just show how minorities are discriminated against in the job market. It doesn't even have to be true, it just has to lead people to think they are.

Harry Reid is one of the people destroying the country, but I don't think racism is one of his ills. Demagoguery, bigotry of low expectations, nakedly pursuing power? Yes, but not racism.