This latest ‘scandal’ is a real hoot:
Robert Novak, nationally known political commentator, has drawn criticism from all corners of South Dakota for racially charged remarks he made Tuesday on CNN’s nationally broadcast program, “Crossfire.”
“In 2002, (Republican candidate John) Thune would have been elected to the state’s other Senate seat, but the election was stolen by stuffing ballot boxes on Indian reservations. Now, Tom Daschle may have to pay for that theft,” Novak said in an exchange with Democratic operative James Carville.
Carville called the statement “really out there” and said American Indians are “very patriotic Americans.”
“Has Thune said that the Native Americans are election thieves?” Carville asked.
Novak replied, “No, I said it.”
On Thursday, three people demanded Novak apologize. They are state Democratic Party chairwoman Judy Olson Duhamel of Rapid City, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Chairman Mike Jandreau and Frank LaMere, treasurer of a political action committee.
Maybe he shoujld have just called them gas station attendants– then no one would care. Whoops. Wrong Indians. More importantly, though- is Novak is a Republican and a white male.
Speaking of Hillary and her gas attendant flap- did you see her apology. Reminded me what I hated about the Clintons:
“It was a lame attempt at humor and I am very sorry that it might have been interpreted in a way that causes stress to anyone.”
She’s not sorry she said something patently racist. She’s just sorry that you are so blockheaded that you didn’t see it as a joke. How dare you interpret it that way!
jack
Funny, but after reading the whole I notice that Novak never said that INDIANS were ballot-stuffing. Merely that ballots were stuufed on Indian reservations.
The same reservations that were flooded by Democrat activists. Democrat activists who were charged with various types of vote fraud.
How quickly the Democrats leapt to the race card. I wonder why?
greg
Carville’s point that Indians are “very patriotic Americans” is pretty stupid too.
Most South Philly Italians and Irish are patriotic Americans, but that doesn’t mean SOME of them haven’t been engaging in election day shenanigans for years and years.
And Jack’s right, it doesn’t say that Novak accused Indians themselves of it, just that it happened on reservations.
Andrew Lazarus
Hey, Jack: how about a LINK when you accuse Democratic activists of vote fraud? These accusations were from one Republican crank and were dismissed by SD’s AG—who is a REPUBLICAN. No one was ever charged, in the arrest sense, with anything, AFAIK.
(If you provide evidence, my own apology is forthcoming.)
Rob
“Republicans can’t cleanse themselves of their constant exploitation of race. They just had two senators who were elected in the South on the Confederate Flag.” – The racially tolerant Hillary Clinton on Trent Lott
Kimmitt
This is psychotic. There is simply no equivalency for a stupid comment which was promptly apologized for (which part of “lame attempt at humor” was not effacing enough for you?) and the systemic antiminority bias of the Dixiecrats-turned-Republicans.
Mike
Well, you read the post without understanding that Novak admitted to calling Indians election thieves explicitly.
Your inability to catch that admission after claiming to look for it demonstrates the lengths a bunch white males (John’s words, not mine — for all I know you could be one of the laughably small 9% of black voters who voted for Bush) will go to misunderstand a status quo that enables racism.
Yes, quite psychotic.
ChrisL
Hey John, do you get upset when you see Apu on the Simpsons?
bittern
State GOP Chairman Randy Frederick had stronger words, calling Novak’s statements “appalling” and “insane.”
“There were problems, but they were attributable to one individual. To attempt to tag an entire race is totally out of bounds, uncalled for, discriminatory and shows prejudice,” Frederick said.
“Has Thune said that the Native Americans are election thieves?” Carville asked.
Novak replied, “No, I said it.”
You people are a bit strange if you think calling one nationality “thieves” is the same as quote jokingly calling another gas-station attendants. Okay, two stupid stereotypes, but the first is a serious accusation while last I knew gas pumpers aren’t always considered beyond the pale. I feel pedantic. Did you want to hold Mrs. Clinton to a higher standard than Novak? That wasn’t clear.
HH
Then there was the part of Hillary’s apology which implied that working at a gas station was the worst thing on earth…
Mike
What’s most appalling is the lengths guys with confederate flags on their trucks will go to to maintain a status quo that’s harvesting their own lower- to middle-class savings, by cutting taxes for the wealthy and their corporations and breaking deficit-spending records.
It’s like the prostitute that sticks a knife in your leg when you try to stop her pimp from beating her. At least a feminist has the decency to hate all men.
Kimmitt
Okay, that was an unpleasant metaphor at best.