Reid: Obama Has No “Negro Dialect”

WASHINGTON, D.C. (YBH.ME) – Today powerful Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued an apology for previously undisclosed remarks he made about candidate Obama in 2008 where he referred to the President as “light-skinned” with no “negro dialect.”

Reid: Obama has no "negro dialect."

In Mr. Reid’s statement released today he said, “I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African-Americans for my improper comments.”

Reid’s comments are to be published in Mark Halperin and John Heilemann’s new book “Game Change.” The remarks appeared in published excerpts on The Atlantic’s website.

John Romano is the publisher and editor of Yes, But However!, a musician, a former political correspondent for BBC Radio London, and a serial web entrepreneur. Follow him on twitter: twitter.com/yesbuthowever or John Romano on Google+

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Post Published: 09 January 2010
Found in section: News and Analysis

wow
Wow…That is quite a statement. I wonder what would happen if he was a Republican. It is so unfortunate that over 85% of African Americans vote for this party. He is the Majority Leader Folks
mrk1117
It is always interesting (and sometimes shocking) to read of politicians speaking their real beliefs and then they find out it has been reported, which inevitably leads to a backtracking statement to avoid political suicide. Mr. Reid's retraction indicates the kind of cynical stance that breaches the publicly- presented-facade every once in a while. This, of course, is something that happens with both major parties, but it is doubly pointed in this case as Mr. Obama is a member of Mr. Reids own party…….nice.
It wasn't a "poor choice of words" if that is what he really believes. I don't think that describing Barack Obama during the presidential election as a "black candidate who would benefit from his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one" could be spoken with ANY words that could be considered "well chosen". PART I
mrk1117
PART II – As to "improper", does he mean improper that it got out into the public who would obviously see the impropriety, or, improper because it reflects a massive character flaw in Mr. Reid that he would characterize a very well spoken (much more so than Harry Reid in my opinion) African American man as being without a "Negro dialect" (is this guy in the same century as the rest of the country?).
All of this begs an important question. When he says, "I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama's legislative agenda, “ was it because he considered Barak Obama to be "a black candidate who would benefit from his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one"?
GW Parks
What's the problem to begin with? This type of senseless senstivity is killing the American Negro!
Billy Clinten
From ABC The All Barrack channel:
Political Punch Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper
Title: To Err Is Human, to Forgive Divine
January 09, 2010 6:57 PM
My, my how generous libs are with each other. Well, maybe. Me thinks the Chicago dealers in the back room are sure to extract something from this. It does make one wonder though how devine libs would have acted if it had been released that Dubya or say M. McConnell had made those racially charged statements. Can you say “two faced?” How about “five faced?” Like all politicians, we hear what they really think when they mumble in the parking lot.
BTW: Where'd you find that photo of HR? Hi larious! I saw one of a lil kid that looked just like that. He was taking a dump. Hey, come to think of it….
Michelle B.
SHOCKING!!!, even though I believe Mr. Reid said what's on the minds of many Americans, the problem is the medium that he chose to do so. Racism needs to be dealt with effectively so we all can heal, learn and move on. I am dying for authentic dialogue on race-relations in this country.

Mike B.
Let me guess the kind of "authentic" dialogue you want to have. "Blacks are always right, whites always wrong."

Reid: Obama Has No “Negro Dialect”

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