Blinded by Race
Harry Reid’s defenders argue that the Majority Leader merely used inartful language.
But Reid’s praise for Obama’s skin tone and accent revealed his own background assumptions about the rest of black America: that most black Americans aren’t as educated, intelligent and well-spoken as then candidate Obama.
Reid needs to live in the present. Educated, intelligent, and well-spoken black Americans of every skin tone are everywhere – and have been for decades. They didn’t run for president, but at least one, Colin Powell, very likely would have won if he had.
The Senate Majority leader’s comment that Obama’s light skin color was also an asset in his quest for president was equally disturbing. According to Reid, Americans would “embrace” a light-skinned black for president over a dark-skinned one. (Does he include himself?) This comment also insults many non-black Americans who weren’t consumed with the exact shade of Obama’s black skin color but rather enthralled by his platform. In hindsight, Reid’s remarks reveal he was blinded by Obama’s race and didn’t bother to see him as a candidate with ideas.
As RNC Chairman Michael Steele reminded us this weekend in his talk show appearances on the subject, if a Republican had said those things, he would have immediately been called on it. But not only Reid, but also Chris Dodd, Robert Byrd, and Joe Biden drop ethnic remarks with impunity.
Reid has apologized to the president and black Americans. But he cannot apologize for the assumptions that shape his outlook. It is disappointing and most of all insulting to blacks for Reid to view Obama as a novelty among the rest of us.