Reid Should Not Resign

[louis c]

First of all, we don't need the Republicans to protect the President from criticism. How duplicitous and condescending can a group be?

Leader Reid was evaluating Senator Obama's chances in a Democratic Presidential Primary, and Reid supported Obama. Those of us who worked on the Obama campaign, even if it was just in the General Election know that race was a factor to a certain percentage of voters. Reid was expressing his opinion in a PRIVATE CONVERSATION. Reid used the outdated term "Negro" in describing Senator Obama, pointing out that Obama's eloquence THE major factor in an Obama win. The term "Negro", when used by an older person who works his butt off for equal rights, is not a racist statement. It's a poor choice of words.

Could leader Reid have chosen his words more carefully? Absolutely. But he did not use the ultimate "N" word in describing Obama and the conversation was about helping him become President. How in that racist? A powerful Senator, maybe the most powerful Senator at the time, works behind the scenes to elect Obama, and in the process tries to convince others in a PRIVATE CONVERSATION, and he's vilified?

Give me a break and give Senator Reid a break. It will help our first African-American President a great deal. Unless you think the Republicans are looking out for President Obama and our best interest.

[ShortnFiery]

1. No, if not for this, then for the cumulative effect: Resign Harry RESIGN! eom

[Deep13]

3. From the majority leadership, not from the Senate.

Lott didn't resign when he advocated segregation.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Agreed. Please just relieve him of the Democratic "leadership" in the Senate? eom

[OI812]

12. The Republicans are just mad because he said something they would have, if only

they'd just thought of it first...

[TwilightGardener]

2. I think Reid should resign when Ensign and "Pay Her Off" Coburn resign.

[louis c]

5. Good point.

Reid is the cleanest of the two Nevada Senators

[Romulox]

4. Reid should lose his leadership position for being entirely ineffective. nt

[louis c]

7. That's a different story (NT)

[tonysam]

8. He isn't going to resign

This is a rotten ploy by the Republicans in order to steal a Senate seat.

[Egalitariat]

9. His words aren't the reason he should resign. It's that he finds it remarkable that a black man can

"talk right" and that he thinks the President's "light skinned" nature would help solicit votes for him.

He'll survive politically because, thankfully, we are on the right side of a double standard. But that doesn't make me happy about it.

[louis c]

10. Reid was thinking and talking like a strategist

Just Like Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to break any color barrier has to be special.

What Harry was telling politicians in confidence was not to be scared of having an African-American heading up the Democratic ticket. And then he listed Obama's advantages. You may not like it, but everything Harry said was true. As a result we have a Democratic President who happens to be African-American. And I respect and admire him.

What Harry said was just like telling a candidate to shave his beard. Or to say that a 5'4" man (of which I'm one) may have a disadvantage in an election. Or a deep Southern accent can be a hindrance in the North East. Or being Jewish, or Catholic, or Italian can have disadvantages in the South in a national election or in other parts of the country.

Politics ain't bean bag. There's a lot at stake and during the process everyone has to be realistic.

[Bitwit1234]

11. Who in the Hell are the republicans

(with their lousy record of everything) think they can tell Democrats what to do. But then don't worry when they speak the democrats quake like jello.