posty Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 GB Dan Rather... http://newsbusters.org/blogs/geoffrey-dick...ell-watermelons HDNet's Dan Rather stepped on one mine after another in the racial minefield that exists when talking about the nation's first black President as the former CBS anchor, on the syndicated Chris Matthews Show over the weekend, uttered the following take on the President's ability to get health care passed and how the GOP and independents would view it. DAN RATHER: Part of the undertow in the coming election is going to be President Obama's leadership. And the Republicans will make a case and a lot of independents will buy this argument. "Listen he just hasn't been, look at the health care bill. It was his number one priority. It took him forever to get it through and he had to compromise it to death." And a version of, "Listen he's a nice person, he's very articulate" this is what's been used against him, "but he couldn't sell watermelons if it, you gave him the state troopers to flag down the traffic." While Rather may not have been being intentionally racist one has to wonder what the reaction would be if a conservative had used similar language on the show. (Thanks to the MRC's Bob Parks for alerting us to the remark and creating the video.) Earlier Rather called the current legislation a "Republican health care bill" as seen in the following exchange as it was aired on the March 8th Chris Matthews Show: Story Continues Below Ad ↓ CHRIS MATTHEWS: Will health care, the health care bill of Barack Obama, the one he roughly is for now, coming out of the Senate and coming out of the House. Will it become law? Will he win? DAN RATHER: Yes because what we have now is basically a Republican health care bill, if it gets through. It's, it's got a lot...but I think the President finally putting his whole sack in on it, yes he wins but it's not a certain thing. MATTHEWS: Andrea? ANDREA MITCHELL: I think close call it has to win or else this presidency is in serious... MATTHEWS: So in other words they'll make it happen. MITCHELL: They've got to make it happen. MATTHEWS: Joe Klein? JOE KLEIN, TIME: Congressional Democrats are dreadful but they're not entirely stupid. They have to pass it. MATTHEWS: And Nancy Pelosi will have her greatest triumph. KLEIN: Sort of. RATHER: When you talk about a triumph though. One, part of the undertow in the coming election is going to be President Obama's leadership. And the Republicans will make a case and a lot of independents will buy this argument. "Listen he just hasn't been, look at the health care bill. It was his number one priority. It took him forever to get it through and he had to compromise it to death." And a version of, "Listen he's a nice person, he's very articulate" this is what's been used against him, "but he couldn't sell watermelons if it, you gave him the state troopers to flag down the traffic." Before that exchange Rather and Andrea Mitchell, as noted by NB's Noel Sheppard, agreed that Obama made a big mistake by pushing health care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Saw that Sunday morning... pretty funny. Rather has relegated himself to comedic relief at this point in his career. HDNET correspondent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Jack Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 did I miss something? are blacks supposed to be exceptionally good or bad at selling watermelons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt770 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 The key question is whether he intended "watermelon" in the way everyone is assuming. From reading the context, I think not, but it was a poor choice of words. He might want to consider retiring completely, he's only going to get more and more senile and this sort of thing is bound to happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driveby Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 did I miss something? are blacks supposed to be exceptionally good or bad at selling watermelons? How would this have played if Rush or Dick Cheney would have said it I wonder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Fruit is racist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 The intent does not appear to be malicious on the face of it, but I'm sure he wishes he could have it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 How would this have played if Rush or Dick Cheney would have said it I wonder? How silly . . . Rush would have pontificated on how Obama only got elected because of affirmative action! TOTALLY different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 How silly . . . Rush would have pontificated on how Obama only got elected because of affirmative action! TOTALLY different! If Obama can sell those melons, Rush is gonna flee the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 If Obama can sell those melons, Rush is gonna flee the country. That is the best argumnet I have heard to date about why health care reform needs to get passed. It would rid us of Rush . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
posty Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 It would rid us of Rush . . No it wouldn't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 No it wouldn't... A guy can hope . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 did I miss something? are blacks supposed to be exceptionally good or bad at selling watermelons? if I go by the watermelon-selling demographic in south Texas, I would say the Mexican-Americans have the market cornered. It could just be that the Sandia cartel is oppressing the minorities again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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