Making the rounds today is revelations from a new book called “Game Change” by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. One of the revelations is about Harry Reid:
On page 37, a remark, said “privately” by Sen. Harry Reid, about Barack Obama’s racial appeal. Though Reid would later say that he was neutral in the presidential race, the truth, the authors write, was that his ”
encouragement of Obama was unequivocal. He was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama — a “light-skinned” African American “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,” as he said privately. Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama’s race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination.
So what do you think? Racism or just clueless insensitivity? I’m not sure how much I trust Mark “Drudge rules our world” Halperin but it must be true because Harry Reid apologized to Obama.
The White House has just put out this statement:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2010
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
“Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today. I accepted Harry’s apology without question because I’ve known him for years, I’ve seen the passionate leadership he’s shown on issues of social justice and I know what’s in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.”
Do you think this will calm things down or add more fuel to the fire?