What Reid said

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Like Steve Benen, I find Harry Reid's 2008 comments about Obama -- "light-skinned," "no Negro dialect" -- "disappointing," but that's about it. Reid has apologized, and I take his apology to be sincere:

I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans, for my improper comments.

And, to quote Steve:

Reid also reached out directly to a variety of leaders from the African-American community, and the initial reports suggest the senator's apologies were well received. Al Sharpton, for example, called the comments "unfortunate," but emphasized the "unquestionable leadership role" Reid has played on a variety of issues, including civil rights. Sharpton added, "Senator Reid's door has always been open on hearing from the civil rights community on these issues and I look forward to continue to work with Senator Reid wherever possible to improve the lives of Americans everywhere."

And it's that context that keeps me from pouncing. Reid's comments clearly warranted an apology, but his record and credibility on racial issues helps mitigate his genuinely dumb choice of words. I don't think Reid is a racist -- if anything, his comments seem to be an assessment of white people and their voting attitudes, not black people -- but the fact that his race-related rhetoric is decades out of date is discouraging, to put it mildly.

There you go: disappointing and discouraging. So let's be done with it.

Ah, if only it were that easy. Republicans, predictably, have jumped all over Reid, with embattled RNC Chair Michael Steele calling for his resignation, as if Democrats should ever take Steele's advice or suggestions at all seriously, as they are never given in good faith. (So what if Steele thinks Reid should resign? What business is it of his?)

Republicans are also pointing to a supposed double standard here. Back in 2002, then Majority Leader Trent Lott, a Republican, was forced out after saying that Strom Thurmond, a fellow Republican and segregationist, should have been elected president in 1948, indeed, that the country would have been better off for it. Why is Reid allowed to keep his position, they ask, if Lott wasn't?

Steve is right that "there's really no comparison here." Reid's choice of words was unfortunate, and stupid, but his comments weren't racist. He was actually one of Obama's more prominent supporters for president. When this story broke, he called the president and apologized personally. And Obama accepted his apology:

I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.

Again, there you go. It's all much ado about very little, and that very little has been taken care of. Just don't expect Republicans to let it go anytime soon. Without any policy alternatives to stand out, and without much of a vision, all they can do it try to score political points off manufactured scandals, and here, as ever, they're doing with all the desperate gusto they can muster.

Trent. Lott. Larry. Flynt. Ron. Paul.

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Trent Lott announced his resignation yesterday. "It's time for us to do something else," he said, referring to himself and his wife.

The surprise announcement caught "the political world off-guard," according to Steve Benen. "[I]t's a bizarre time for Lott to end his career." In a subsequent post, Steve offered a few possible explanations. The likeliest one: "He's cashing in," headed for the riches of K Street.

Perhaps.

But what if...

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In what may or may not be an unrelated story, Big Head DC is reporting this (via Atrios -- and with thanks to TL, who brought this to my attention earlier today):

Larry Flynt, editor and publisher of Hustler magazine, just told FOX Business Network's Neil Cavuto that he's "hoping to expose a bombshell" that will stand "Washington and the country on its head." Within the next week or two, he says his magazine will expose a sex scandal of huge proportions involving a prominent United States Senator. Flynt refused to comment on the Senator's political affiliation, but alluded that he or she is a Republican.

Cough. Cough. Ahem.

What exactly is the "something else" to which Lott was referring?

Well...

Big Head DC (via Melissa McEwan) is also reporting that Lott may be connected to a prominent male escort named Benjamin Nicholas (photo below):

Nicholas told Big Head DC today via e-mail that he didn't want to go on the record to talk about his dealings with Lott, because, said Nicholas, "Trent is going through his fair share of scrutiny right now and I don't want to add to it." However, e-mail and other records confirm that the two have met on at least two occasions.

"All I can say at this point is no comment," Nicholas told us. "It's the professional thing for me to do.'

In a subsequent e-mail message, Nicholas confirmed that another publication is working on a story about a "possible relationship" between Lott and himself, but Nicholas also "politely declined" an interview for that story.

"As I said before, Lott has quite a bit on his plate right now and I don't really want to add fuel to the embers," Nicholas told Big Head DC.

Quite the respectful professional, this "twentysomething boy-next-door type with reddish blond hair and a brilliantly white smile," no? Hmmm.

Anyway, what does it all mean? From here, I'll let you speculate on your own.

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Meanwhile, in what is somewhat related news, libertarian extremist Ron Paul has been endorsed by one of Nevada's leading pimps, the owner of the Moonlite BunnyRanch, Dennis Hof:

"I'll get all the (working girls) together, and we can raise him some money," Hof told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I'll put up a collection box outside the door. They can drop in $1, $5 contributions."

Hof and two of his prostitutes, Brooke Taylor and a woman who goes by Air Force Amy, attended a Paul news conference.

The women said they liked Paul's message, but wanted to learn more about other candidates before making a decision.

It's nice to such civic engagement in action, isn't it? (Take that, Robert Putnam! Americans may be bowling alone, but, in Nevada at least, they don't need to sleep alone... for a price.)

And here's an invitation to Ms. Brooke and Ms. Amy to contact us here at The Reaction as they are learning about the other candidates and when they eventually reach a decision. We'll talk politics and make you feel right at home. Seriously.

By the way, I'm pretty much all for the decriminalization (and regulation) of prostitution, and I can understand why Hof has endorsed Paul

You know, 'cause pimpin' ain't easy, no it ain't, and it must be hard out there for a pimp like Dennis Hof.

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