Boston Globe: Biden should apologize for “back in chains” remark

Boston Globe ^ | August 17, 2012 | Staff Editorial

[Cincinatus' Wife]

When Vice President Joe Biden warned a Virginia rally of hundreds of African Americans that Republican efforts to loosen bank regulations meant “They’re going to put y’all back in chains,” Stephanie Cutter, Team Obama’s deputy campaign manager, said the president would have “no problem with those comments.”

But imagine if Republican Paul Ryan uttered comments like that. Mitt Romney’s pick for vice president would be pilloried for racial insensitivity — and so would Romney. In the fight for civility and substance over pointless hyperbole, Biden may not be the worst offender. But he’s an offender nonetheless, and he should apologize.

[SNIP]

Liberals routinely dismiss Biden’s gaffes as the rhetorical excesses of an overly exuberant speaker — it’s “Joe being Joe.” And there can be something appealing about a politician who throws caution and the script that goes with it to the winds. Yet when conservative speakers get overly exuberant and cross a rhetorical line, they are presumed racist or culturally insensitive, rather than refreshingly free-spirited. One standard should apply.

[ComputerGuy]

Come to think of it, Holder would look good in chains.
To me, this is much ado about nothing. It's just another example of how American blacks are the world's biggest crybabies.

[EBH]

I think this article hits on something...something democrats have used for decades to the point some people miss that what comes out of their mouths is ...hyperbole.

The deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect.

But, what happens when people apply political correctness to a hyperbole? You get Joe Biden moments. Is Biden a hidden racist? Maybe or maybe not, but to the politically correct observers...his use of hyperbole is a betrayal of some deep inner truth of the man's soul.

It is this inappropriate application of political correctness to hyperbole that allows democrats/liberals to pillory their opposition with outrageous accusations.

Should Biden apologize? No, I don't think he should as it was clearly hyperbole. It was not a gaffe. The gaffe is in the folks who are failing to grasp the concept of hyperbole or are trying to force the imposition of political correctness on the use of hyperbole.

So if political correctness cannot be applied to obvious hyperbole...how can we use that idea to insulate ourselves from the PC argument?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Biden is white — but like all the “victims groups” he nurtures, first foremost and always, he’s progressive.

[muir_redwoods]

Truth has a factual limit. A lie has no limits so a liar may as well stretch it as far as he likes. Hence, Biden and hyperbole.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

......So if political correctness cannot be applied to obvious hyperbole...how can we use that idea to insulate ourselves from the PC argument?

It's the blatant reality of a double standard (not PC). It's so ugly (and they're expecting a lot more of this from the Obama-Biden camp) that they wanted to go on record (now that they've indemnified themselves, they will skirt the issue leading up to the election).

[zbogwan2]

I’d love to see old Joe go out,unscripted, and try to apologize for this chains statement.Joe would probably stick his foot in his mouth Big Time?

[SueRae]

And yet, Sarah Palin is still called a bad choice for VP (mostly from the Left but plenty “R”s as well.)

[Vaquero]

When will (the majority of) American Blacks realize that it is the Dhimmicrat Party that has them ON THE PLANTATION.

free cheese, food stamps, and welfare is NOT FREEDOM.

LBJ and his ilk knew how to get the slaves back on the plantation....

[JPG]

One standard should apply.

It already does. The media ALWAYS excuses and protects rats and torments and brutalizes conservatives.

[Daffynition]

[bert]

You are of course correct and right on.

Hyperbole sells weight loss pills and Oil of Olay.

Extrapolating your thought, political correctness, all political correctness should be disregarded. Those who insist on the application should be shamed to their face and ostracized.

[Mr. C]

Well all I can say is that unfortunately in this country we seem to have no shortage of idiots....

[StAnDeliver]

I agree he should apologize, because we can get two news cycles out of it...

[workerbee]

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

What is this “Boston Globe” of which you speak? I’m sure I’ve heard of it. Is it some kind of right wing political rag? The name seems vaguely evocative, reminding me of childhood and Peanuts cartoons on Sunday mornings, but nothing I can firmly place. Where would one go to find such a thing?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Note: Not Biden, but “Y’all!!!!”

[Cincinatus' Wife]

...Where would one go to find such a thing?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

There is no one rule that can be applied to all situations. If we apply a “smell” test to this Biden flight of verbal fancy, it stinks on ice. Something about it just makes normal people go - “awwww sh*t”. It would be like making oven jokes to a Jewish crowd - or something of that ilk.

I don’t think you can paint a line and say you can go up to this line and not beyond it - but you damn well know when someone has crossed the line and this is one of those cases.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]