"I forgot he was black tonight for an hour." - Chris Matthews

[FrenchieCat]

What he said:

"I was trying to think about who he was tonight. It’s interesting; he is post-racial, by all appearances. I forgot he was black tonight for an hour. He’s gone a long way to become a leader of this country and past so much history in just a year or two. I mean it’s something we don’t even think about. I was watching and I said, wait a minute, he’s an African-American guy in front of a bunch of other white people and there he is, president of the United States, and we’ve completely forgotten that tonight — completely forgotten it. I think it was in the scope of the discussion, it was so broad ranging, so in tune with so many problems and aspects and aspects of American life. That you don’t think in terms of the old tribalism and the old ethnicity. It was astounding in that regard, a very subtle fact. It’s so hard to even talk about it. Maybe I shouldn’t talk about it."
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/msnbcs-matthews-i-forgot-he-was-black/


Only for an hour, mind you.

[Number23]

1. Boppers had an excellent post on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x156681#157633

As did RoyGBiv http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7590020#7590671

And NOLAdy - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=388x15196#15258

But of course, half of DU is saying "what did he say that was so bad????" I feel like Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon sometimes around here: "I'm just too old for this isht."

[RoyGBiv]

4. Did you see the OPs reply to me?

Like you said, I don't know why it surprises me, but it still does ... people can be so incredibly thick.

I'm starting to think a lot of people have a vampire gene. They just can't see their own reflection.

[Number23]

6. Yep. Love how it turns into "well since sexism is still alive and kicking,

why should we expect anything to happen with racism?" Basically, because the same thing would happen to a woman, that somehow LESSENS what's happening to a person of color.

And your comment was spot on -- just because Matthews may have INTENDED for his comment to be a compliment, doesn't make it so. That's why I thought NOLAdy's post was so good. She explained that every time a white person has said to her "oh you don't sound black" as though that's the highest compliment in the world, she quickly lets them know that it is not.

[Raineyb]

7. I saw that comment it was only a matter of time until someone said it.

It's rather tiresome.

[NOLALady]

11. You know,

"You don't sound black" is bad enough.
But, when someone says "You are not like the rest of them", it makes me crazy. I am who I am because of "the rest of them". The rest of them are my loved ones, my family, friends, neighbors. Jeezzzz!!!

[Brewman_Jax]

2. When does it end?

and the fact that the apologists and closet racists are out in force shows that it won't end anytime soon.

As long as white is the default majority and the vast majority of faces on TV and everywhere else in American society, being not-white will never be considered truly equal.

[Fire1]

9. And sadly, they (especially republicans) are going to show

"us" and President Obama exactly THAT. I honestly believe they are going to do to him what they did to Jimmy Carter.:(

edit to add: That's why after President Obama's term or terms, I'm done with politics and voting.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

3. The people making excuses for him must have completely missed his love fest with Pat Buchanan

during Sotomayor's confirmation.

[firedupdem]

8. That was disgusting as well. nt

[Blue_Tires]

5. .....

:banghead:

[jmm]

10. "Post racial" is the new "some of my best friends are..."

I'm sure if I posted this-

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/preckwinkle-flier-82831277.html

people who believe America is post racial would scream about how they love pancakes.