Oh well. Looks like it's Biden's turn to get shredded today. But I guess I can't complain...

[Zenlitened]

... because, however good his intentions may have been, his words do seem to have been poorly chosen.

Another DUer described it well, IMO: "unconscious racism." I think that probably sums it up. Biden doesn't even realize what sort of sub-text people will hear. Just doesn't get it.

I'll bet he'll get it now, as this thing blossoms into the scandal du jour.

Sigh. I hate to see Dems getting shredded on DU. But it would be helpful if the candidates themselves didn't make the shredding so easy. :(

[Catchawave]

1. I give him points for being honest

not political. I like Joe, he does appeal to moderates in both parties, so am not ruling him out :)

[More Than A Feeling]

2. He ought to have learned from George Allen. and Trent Lott. and himself.

I have very little sympathy.

[redqueen]

3. Is it really such a big deal?

He's human, he either misspoke or said something based in ignorance... either way, it's no big deal really, IMO.

[Zenlitened]

6. That's my gut feeling, too, that it shouldn't be a big deal. But I also realize...

... that to others it might be a very big deal, in ways that I as a white person can't instantly, deeply understand. The words he used do have a sub-text, unfortunately.

Maybe I'm in an uncharacteristic Pollyanna-ish mood today, but I'm hoping this can be more of a learning experience than a flame-fest.

Oy. There's just SO MUCH about our country that's spiraling out of control right now...

But maybe that helps explain WHY we're already fighting the primary wars? :shrug: There's so much at stake, yet it's hard not to feel powerless, some days. So we latch on to something we can sum up in a few words, and run with it.

I mean, if every post had to mention all the things the republicans are doing to harm America, the DU servers would crash from the sheer volume of words. The list is just mind-boggling.

[redqueen]

7. I don't know...

but I think you're right about it being a learning experience... for everyone, Biden included.

:)

[murielm99]

4. Now we can quit

talking about houses.

[Zenlitened]

5. That's true! Gosh, I love it when DUers look on the bright side!

:hi:

It's going to be a looooooooong presidential campaign, huh? :D

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. ...

:nopity:

[Cameron27]

9. Yep, pretty much how I feel about it.

Biden should know better, whatever his intentions were.

[Cosmocat]

10. You don't get it ...

I know Biden is not real popular here ... But ...

I saw him on a C-Span thing last summer speaking to a fairly large group in a HS gym down in South Carolina, or something like that ... Pretty much all African Americans ... They were very receptive to him ...

He has the Clinton thing in that regard ... I seriously doubt that you will see many african americans who have a problem with what HE said ... It is like "gaydar" ... African Americans can sense who is real and who isn't, and again, as much as a lot of people here don't like him all that much, Biden can connect with African Americans ...

[Zenlitened]

13. I'm glad to hear that, that people connect with him regardless of ethnicity.

I'm trying to keep an open mind about ALL the Dem candidates at this point. What you've described is a side of Biden I admit I haven't seen, but I hope he gets a chance to cut through all the chatter (my own included!) and show it more often.

:)

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. What would our reaction be if a Republican had said this?

:shrug:

[Zenlitened]

12. Well, I imagine it would be *somewhat* similar to the DU reaction I've seen so far...

Some would flat-out call him/her a racist, some would see it as poorly-chosen words, some would see it as a matter of valid words being twisted.

Granted, the *ratio* of these views would be very different, with more piling-on than excusing. That's politics.

I'd probably be in the piling-on camp, myself, if it was an opportunity to throw a republican candidate off-balance and into defense mode. That's politics, too. Make him/her explain explain explain apologize apologize apologize for everything that he or she utters. I have no problem turning that technique back on the GOP.

Me = partisan. No hiding that. That's why, though I'm no fan of Biden (I have no favorite, at this early stage) I've been trying to bite my tongue when it comes to piling-on Democrats.

I kind of adopted that stance in December, when it just seemed to me there was SO MUCH vitriol being directed at Democrats, even before they'd taken formal control of Congress. It was a huge downer, like we couldn't even let ourselves celebrate for five minutes.

Since then I've tried to find a balance between joining every opportunity to tear down a Democratic candidate... and turning into a complete, "no-criticism-allowed-ever!" Pollyanna. Which means, most days, that I don't post at all! :D

I dunno. Hope I don't come across here as trying to control the discussion or tone of discussion on DU. For me, it's just a matter of reserving my best outrage for the GOP and all the fascist wanna-be's they attract and empower.

:hi: