Obama appearantly can also speak "Negro" when necessary

[Devastatin Dave]

Words or wording mean nothing; intent means everything.

I call my sisters bf all the racial slurs I know, and try to come up with a new one every time I see him. Does he mind? No, because he knows that I'm joking and that I mean no harm, so why should he care? On the other hand, if someone he didn't know made the same comments I do, of course he would be insulted and angry.

Let me guess, some of your best friends are black also, right?

[Ser Clegane]

Without knowing more about the context this looks like a very pathetic and patronizing thing to say by Reid.

The racism here might not be based on malevolence but rather silly ignorance (not that this is particularly great either)

Perhaps this guy did not realize that things changed a tiny bit during the last 50 - 100 years?

[rvg]

Don't know what's more pathetic: Reid saying what he said or the Liberal wing sweeping it under the rug and pretending that nothing has happened.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

There's a certain logic to his words though, isn't there, Obama is about as racial neutral as you can get. He's neither "Black" nor "White" but it a genuinely ballanced mix of the two.

The wording was clearly sledgehammer-subtle, but the point is well made.

[aimlesswanderer]

Our news here played something from a US news channel about the issue, and they talked to a few black professors/experts, and the general opinion was that while it was rather stupid thing to say, there was, unfortunately, more than a grain of truth to it. There have, apparently, been studies which suggest that people with darker skin (and who speak more like they're from the ghetto or MTV) are not treated as well as those with lighter skin. We're talking electability, job prospects, even greater levels of fear and uncertainty. Sad but true it seems.

[HoreTore]

Let me guess, some of your best friends are black also, right?

Nah, I don't know any Africans. Only arabs, indians, turks and pakistanis I'm afraid....

yes, I know what you're getting at, and I have to say that it's quite misplaced...