Apology Monday

12 January 2010 |permalink | email article

Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, said yesterday that he “could have used a better choice of words” in discussing Barack Obama’s skin color. It all came to light in a new book “Game Change” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. Reid is quoted in a private conversation in 2008 saying that America is ready for a black president – particularly one like Obama who is “light-skinned” and lacks a “Negro dialect,” unless he wanted to have one.”

Following initial disclosure of the comments Saturday morning, Reid immediately apologized and phoned Obama directly and explained to African American leaders what he meant. He and his allies spent much of the weekend trying to ensure that Democrats don’t defect and ask him to step down.

Then there’s Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor awaiting federal trial who outdid himself in an interview with Esquire by saying “I’m blacker than Obama. I shined shoes.” Confronted with the impact of his quote Blago issued an elaborate apology yesterday.

Finally, there was the sobbing and sniffling apology by Mark McGuire after more than a decade of denials and evasion that he used steroids and human growth hormone that made him a home run king. “I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and a mistake.” Compared with the two politicians it was a more perfect act of contrition.

Quotable

“Politically speaking, there is a fundamental difference between Mr. Reid’s travails and those of Mr. Lott. While Mr. Reid was instantly forgiven and strongly supported by Mr. Obama, Mr. Lott was not by the Bush administration…it also helps that in this case, the president himself happens to be the potentially aggrieved party.” Mark Leibovich in the New York Times.

“It’s the equivalent of saying down is up and up is down.” Steve Schmidt, former McCain senior adviser, on Sarah Palin’s lack of institutional knowledge involving key 2008 campaign issues.

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