Shot In The Dark: Pandering

February 17, 2005

Pandering

La Shawn Barber, it should surprise nobody, wasn't impressed with Mad How's outreach to blacks:

I wished I'd bet money on the color of the new Democratic National Committee chair, but I wouldn't have found any takers. We all knew heârd be a white male. So much for sacred "diversity." But I don't think anyone guessed they'd pick Howard "Screaming" Dean. Be careful what you wish for. Check this out:
During a meeting Friday with the Democratic black caucus, Dean praised black Democrats for their work for the party, then questioned Republicans' ability to rally support from minorities.

"You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room?," Dean asked to laughter. "Only if they had the hotel staff in here."
I’ll bet those Black Caucus Negroes just sat there and laughed, totally unaware that their new white chairman had just insulted them (on so many levels). But they’d probably lynch me for publicly referring to them as “Negroes.”

Indeed.

Posted by Mitch at February 17, 2005 07:19 AM | TrackBack

Comments

Mitch,

I'll let Ramesh Ponnuru in the Weekly Standard handle this one:

Give me a break. Dean is saying, hyperbolically, that there aren't many blacks or other nonwhites in the Republican party. He's right. I've been to many, many Republican dinners where most nonwhites present have been serving the food. (Or giving the keynote.) If Republicans are bothered when people make that observation, they should try to make it less true.

http://www.nationalreview.com/thecorner/05_02_13_corner-archive.asp#056397

http://snipurl.com/cuv0

And *not* picking a DNC chair on the basis of his race is somehow racist to you?
/jc

Posted by: Slashjc at February 17, 2005 10:48 AM

"If Republicans are bothered when people make that observation, they should try to make it less true."

LaShawn - and, incidentally, me - are.

Posted by: mitch at February 17, 2005 11:34 AM