Obama rebukes senator's critics in race controversy

[struggle4progress]

In an interview with TVOne, a cable network aimed primarily at African Americans, Obama said the story was distracting from more important issues, such as efforts to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system and tackle double-digit unemployment.

"I guarantee you that the average person, white or black, right now is less concerned about what Harry Reid said in a quote in a book a couple of years ago than how we are going to move the country forward," he said.

Obama also offered unqualified support for Reid, 70, who faces a difficult re-election battle in Nevada this November.

"Harry Reid is a friend of mine. He has been a stalwart champion of voting rights, civil rights. This is a good man who has always been on the right side of history," he said ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B03320100112?type=politicsNews

[struggle4progress]

1. ... "He's spending a lot of his political capital in the middle of an election to provide health

care to every American," Mr. Obama said of Reid, "and that's going to have a great impact on African Americans, Latinos, around the country." He added, "I guarantee you the average person, white or black, is less concerned in what Harry Reid said in a quote in a book a couple years ago than they are about how we are going to move the country forward."
January 11, 2010 6:22 PM
Obama: Harry Reid's "Inartful" Words Don't Matter
Posted by Stephanie Condo
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/11/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6084881.shtml

[elleng]

2. Heard O'Donnell say Reps. want to get rid of Reid,

but I really think Reps want the Reid thing to be what it has become, a DISTRACTION, a NEWS ITEM, EVERY DAY!

SO, I'll be a Law and Order!

[struggle4progress]

3. On Reid and Racism (The Notion | The Nation)

posted by Melissa Harris-Lacewell on 01/11/2010 @ 2:32pm

Joe Biden once remarked that Barack Obama was "clean" and "articulate." He is now Vice President. During the Democratic primaries Hillary Clinton invoked Robert Kennedy in a way that implied Barack Obama's assassination was imminent. She is now the Secretary of State ... If President Obama has demonstrated anything at all, it is that he is unperturbed by the racially awkward outbursts of his fellow Democrats ...

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/515371/on_reid_and_racism_

[Skittles]

4. good for Obama

:thumbsup:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. The GOP are 'grasping at straws' they don't have any policies

except privatization of all services