How is Reid's comment any different from Biden's?

[cali]

It's not. They're both offensive. They're both reflective of a mentality that says the white American voter won't vote for African-Americans that are "too black".

I don't think either Reid or Biden should be excused for their respective comments but I do think that Obama's reaction is not only the only practical one, but the right one.

[elocs]

1. I don't know, but judging by the number of threads this must be the DU obsession for the day.

I think it's time to just let this one sink.

[Kahuna]

2. It isn't. And honestly, that's just the way a lot of people speak when

they don't think their words will be made public.

[Babel_17]

3. Are we talking about "clean"?

Because if we are I remain convinced Biden was telling the truth when he said he was referring to Obama having a clean record.

Other explanations were absurd imo.

[Babel_17]

4. I'm wrong

I just read his quote in full.

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,"
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1835478,00.html

My memory is faulty in that I only remembered him taking heat over the "clean" part.

Sorry about that.

[AspenRose]

5. It's not

And I remember calling Biden's office when it happened.

[Enrique]

6. Reid is less popular than Biden n/t

[Odin2005]

7. Biden has a history of saying stupid things without malicious intent.

Biden just blurted out what he said and was clearly not trying to be offensive. What Reid said, however, was clearly offensive.

[Fuzz]

8. There are no bad words, just bad intentions behind the words.

That being said, they are old and ignorant as to what counts as 'not appropriate' anymore.