"When Barak Obama was still mowing lawns in Illinois"

[Neecy]

Joe Scarborough tonight, discussing the Iraq War Resolution: "The Senate voted on this when Barak Obama was still mowing lawns in Illinois."

Wtf? Did he have a second career as a gardener while serving in the Illinois State Legislature? It seemed like an odd and racist thing to say.

[malaise]

1. I heard him

Indeed Barak was Editor of the Harvard Law Journal before he was in the state legislature while Joe had a dead intern in his office. Fugg Joe

[davidwparker]

2. Oh, Snap!

[AlCzervik]

3. when Joe Scarborough didn't sign up to go to desert storm.....

i'm pretty sure he was the right age back then.

[Radical Activist]

4. Actually, Obama was speaking at a rally against the war

around that time. He was a member of the Illinois State Senate.

[illinoisprogressive]

5. He also says the state senate only does stuff like potholes. Sure, Joe.

[Clark2008]

6. Better to be mowing lawns than voting to send troops to die

in a bogus war...

It's much more noble.

[Katherine Brengle]

7. Um, ya think?

It might have been funny if he had said, "When Barack Obama was still in diapers..." or something, but this came out all wrong, even if it wasn't meant to be racist.

[Crunchy Frog]

8. Yes, and Joe Scabrous was still murdering interns.

:eyes:

[OHdem10]

9. Could he possibly have been referring

to only Obama's age? Not too many years ago young boys white
and black cut neighbor's grass to earn some extra money.

I sm s liberal but I do not think Scarborough would say anything
racist.

Obama does look very youthful which can be an asset or can
be at times a disadvantage.

[Neecy]

10. He's not THAT young...

The IWR took place in 2002, and he hardly looks young enough to have been a wee lad at the time, mowing lawns to save for his first car.

[Stephanie]

12. In 2002 when the IWR was voted on Barack Obama was 42 years old.

Racist. Scarborough would never insinuate that Jim Webb or Jon Tester were employed mowing lawns four years ago. It's a patronizing, and yes, racist remark.

[Garbo 2004]

13. Obama was 41 in 2002 (IWR vote) & in Illinois Senate. He's 2 yrs older than Scarborough.

Scarborough blew it on this one, whatever his intent. Condescending and patronizing at the very least IMO.

[Flying Dream Blues]

11. Sorry, but no way you can spin this as NOT racist, IMO. nt

[Eric J in MN]

17. White kids mow lawns, too.

I don't think this was racist. Just strange.

[Catherine Vincent]

14. Oh come on!

Obama isn't that young!

[rosesaylavee]

15. Racist.

No doubt. The Senator is older than this punk by two years. Where was Joe mowing lawns in 2002-03? Was this before or after he killed his intern? Or after he stopped beating his wife?

Joe is 43 having been born in April 1963 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Scarborough)

Senator Obama is 45 having been born in August 1961. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama)

[Eric J in MN]

16. I didn't watch "Scarborough Country" tonight, but I just sent this...

...as a tip to "Media Matters."

Hopefully, they will post video.