Bill Clinton told Ted Kennedy that Obama'would be getting us coffee'a few years ago: 'Game Change'

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Presumably a Democrat can get away with racist commentary, whereas a Republican

would have been branded a racist and forced out of his job.

As WELL he should be! Racism is the realm of Democrats. Big surprise. Republicans freed the slaves, Republicans passed the equal rights act, Democrats fought both. Democrats support the programs that keep people enslaved to the government to this day. I am more than pleased to allow the Democrats to run off at the mouth with their racist comments. Give those guys a microphone!!!!!!!! DO NOT take them out of office, leave them right there until the VOTERS take them out of office, preferably en mass.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Gary, I love how you start out as if you read my post and then go on to show that you really didn't.

There's no springboard from what I wrote to "yeah, unless you are a Republican".

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary, I love how you start out as if you read my post and then go on to show that you really didn't.

There's no springboard from what I wrote to "yeah, unless you are a Republican".

And what? I agree with you Gene. We are making to much of this. It isn't like Republicans were asying it or something. It is DEMOCRATS saying this racist stuff, why would Republicans care about Democrats making racist comments? They are racists, what does anyone expect? Let the Democrats have them, let the Democrats defend them. I mean what kind of dumb@ss would want to remove a big mouthed racist from the opposing team? Life is so much easier when your opponent is a dumb@ss

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Try as I might I have a very hard time believing that its only Democratic politicians who make questionable, racist or otherwise off color remarks either in public or behind closed doors.

What's more, I have a very hard time believing that you believe it.

I don't know why you'd want to promote such an opinion, it is foolish.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Of course, because double standards are mythological, like unicorns.

You rule.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Try as I might I have a very hard time believing that its only Democratic politicians who make questionable, racist or otherwise off color remarks either in public or behind closed doors.

What's more, I have a very hard time believing that you believe it.

I don't know why you'd want to promote such an opinion, it is foolish.

I never said that. Trent Lott, a Republican, made very stupid and vary racist remarks about Strom Thurmond, who had been very racist when he was a Democrat. After swtiching to the Republican party, Thurmond apologized for his previous support (as a Democrat) of segregation and oppression of blacks. Trent Lott was ousted by the Republicans as majority leader (Democrats complaied, of course, but it was omnly the Republicans that could vote him out).

So while it is clear that people of both parties make racist remarks, from time to time. the Republicnas take action to remove the offensive moron. Democrats defend them, and this is just fine with me.

It is like this Gene. The Republicans and Democrats are playing a game of football. There is a big pile on and the ball pops out of the pile. Harry Reid picks up the ball and runs the WRONG WAY with it!!!!!!! Should the Republicans stop him?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Basing your entire argument on a single example and extrapolating it across the entire political landscape is similarly foolish.

Tell you what - lets see what happens to Mike Parry, a Republican senatorial candidate from Minnesota for referring to Barack Obama as a "Power Hungry Arrogant Black Man"

If we're applying the standard that anyone who makes racially charged comments must be fired, then Parry will not be allowed to represent the GOP - not by the voting public, but by his own party. Election is January 26th. Lets see what happens.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Gene Hunt

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Bill Clinton may have a brilliant mind and was a good President, but he has a real jacka$ side to him. He made similar comments in public during Hillary's campaign that IMO, led to her defeat in the Primaries.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Galt's gallstones

[Danno 1,228]

Merely saying it, doesn't mean that it is present.

What is evident to me is that:

1. Politicians say a lot of dodgy things in private. They aren't nice people - ambitious people in cutthroat careers usually aren't.

2. Racist policy is infinitely more important than racist rhetoric.

3. More attention is given to rhetoric than policy (ie. the thing that actually affects peoples lives).

4. The reason that more attention is given to these things is because a lot of people are whores to the machinery of partisanship, are told what is important by the mass media - and because they can't, or simply refuse to see the wood for the trees.

Ahh GH, your hypocritical nature reveals it's self once again.

If I recall correct, it was YOU who claimed someone who forwarded a insensitive email joke should be rightly fired!

Didn't matter that that it was sent on his time and on his computer... you claimed it was inexcusable!

But when people in real power.... who say heartfelt opinions which can have no other context than Racist, you give em a pass.

You are a Left-wing shrill my friend, sorry but it's true.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Ahh GH, your hypocritical nature reveals it's self once again.

If I recall correct, it was YOU who claimed someone who forwarded a insensitive email joke should be rightly fired!

Didn't matter that that it was sent on his time and on his computer... you claimed it was inexcusable!

But when people in real power.... who say heartfelt opinions which can have no other context than Racist, you give em a pass.

You are a Left-wing shrill my friend, sorry but it's true.

Once again Danno - you seem to be under the opinion that all racist statements are equal, they aren't. And it has nothing to do with who says them.

You are unable to accept that because you are simply unable to think outside your own blatant partisan bias.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Gene Hunt

[Danno 1,228]

Once again Danno - you seem to be under the opinion that all racist statements are equal, they aren't. And it has nothing to do with who says them.

You are unable to accept that because you are simply unable to think outside your own blatant partisan bias.

THat was a lame attempt.

I expect you to be consistent that all.

I'm not the one with a partisan bias on this issue you are, you would have the City dog catcher punished for a joke ... while excusing people of real responsibility... for serious remarks.

At least I am consistent in both cases.

[scandal 951]

I like my men like my brand of coffee....Choc Full o' Nuts. 'Tis the heavenly coffee.

Republicans passed the equal rights act,

And just which "equal rights act" would that be, perchance? There is no such Act in US legislative history.

Perhaps you refer to the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Oh, but of course that was championed and passed by LBJ, (southern) Democrat.

The votes were not split along party lines, but rather along party/regional lines:

Note: "Southern", as used in this section, refers to members of Congress from the eleven states that made up the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. "Northern" refers to members from the other 39 states, regardless of the geographic location of those states.

* Southern Democrats: 1-20 (5%-95%) (only Senator Ralph Yarborough of Texas voted in favor)

* Southern Republicans: 0-1 (0%-100%) (this was Senator John Tower of Texas)

* Northern Democrats: 45-1 (98%-2%) (only Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia opposed the measure)

* Northern Republicans: 27-5 (84%-16%) (Senators Barry Goldwater of Arizona, Bourke Hickenlooper of Iowa, Edwin L. Mechem of New Mexico, Milward L. Simpson of Wyoming, and Norris H. Cotton of New Hampshire opposed the measure)

Or maybe you mean the Equal Rights Amendment?

Originally introduced in Congress by Republicans in the 1920s, opposed at the time by Democrats (including staunch feminist New Dealers such as Eleanor Roosevelt herself) as retarding the cause of women, and only to have the roles flipped such that by the 1970s the ERA was supported by Democrats and opposed by conservative Republicans such as Phyllis Schlafly, and then finally died never ratified. The best thing that can be said about the ERA, perhaps, is that after half a century of wandering in the wilderness, it never did see the light of day. It most certainly was not "passed" by Republicans, since it never became law at all.

I never said that. Trent Lott, a Republican, made very stupid and vary racist remarks about Strom Thurmond, who had been very racist when he was a Democrat.

No, Lott was praising Thurmond's run for the Presidency in 1948 as a Dixiecrat (States Rights Democratic Party), a distinct breakaway party that abandoned the national Democratic Party under Harry Truman, who was pressing for increased racial integration in the federal civil service and the US military.

Gary -- you've got a certain basic tenet correct: during much of the 19th century and up until the Reagan era, the SOUTHERN wing of the Democratic party was obstinately attached to white supremacy attitudes. That's the only part you have (partially) right.

The Republican Party (never a factor in the South during that era) and northern Democrats both had always had a strong traditions of progressive views dating to before the Civil War.

The key switch in this long term alignment occurred in the 80s when southern Democrats switched to the GOP, and brought their ideas with them. Thurmond's switch to the GOP was part of this very realignment. The GOP is suffering under that burden to this very day.

[alienlovechild 75]

Tell you what - lets see what happens to Mike Parry, a Republican senatorial candidate from Minnesota for referring to Barack Obama as a "Power Hungry Arrogant Black Man"

I see your point. It's not polite to point out that Obama is a light-skinned black guy who doesn't speak with a Negro dialect but the rest is debatable as most people in DC fit that description.

I wouldn't compare a candidate to the Senate Majority Leader. Anyone can be a candidate and the system is supposed to weed out the idiots who don't know have to manipulate the media or raise enough cash to run a winning campaign.

Edited January 13, 2010 by alienlovechild

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Wheres my sparkly Bill Clinton pics?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

THat was a lame attempt.

I expect you to be consistent that all.

I'm not the one with a partisan bias on this issue you are, you would have the City dog catcher punished for a joke ... while excusing people of real responsibility... for serious remarks.

At least I am consistent in both cases.

...Which proves that you assume that all racist comments are equal and that context is irrelevant.