Posted on 11/11/2006 10:55:49 AM PST by Dane
Rep. Charles Rangel got Mississippi burning by asking "who in the hell" would live there, and then offered a New York-centric defense yesterday:
"I just love New York so much that I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want to live here," the Harlem congressman said.
But a Mississippi politician said that wasn't good enough and demanded a formal apology.
"I hope his remarks are not the kind of insults, slander and defamation that Mississippians will come to expect from the Democrat leadership in Washington, D.C.," fumed Rep. Charles (Chip) Pickering (R-Miss.).
In an interview Thursday, Rangel said, "Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who in the hell wants to live in Mississippi?"
Rangel, who is taking over as chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, also told The New York Times that his hometown deserves a bigger piece of the federal pie.
"I didn't mean to offend anyone," Rangel said yesterday in an e-mail to The Associated Press. Rangel was traveling in Panama and could not be reached to find out if he plans to apologize.
Another Mississippi congressman, Gene Taylor, said Rangel was engaging in Big Apple blather and laughed off Pickering's kvetching. "That's Chip," he said
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
And some on FR say these conservative democrats are going to make a difference. If they think that, I have some oceanfront real estate to sell them in Kansas.
Charlie Rangel: "Who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?" (..Said the Man From Harlem!!)
Ahh for the old days! When slurs like that would be dealt with by a knuckle sandwich on the house floor or a duel of honor.
"RANK" Rangel can say what he wants,HE's a dem......They can write porno books and have shady land deals....Even 100,000 in "cold Cash" in the freezer. Put a "D" by your name and its OK.
You're just a few tens of millions of years too late. Back in the Cretaceous, Kansas did have ocean front real estate all along its west coast.
Perhaps the Dems won't be able to get away with what they have gotten away with so easily in the past. Here's to hoping.
Strange, I haven't heard Rangel's sound bite replayed over and over on the news...
But who would want to live in Green Bay?
Going to draft Mississippi boys, Charlie?
For the first time, Rangel is now perceived as a Congressman, not a guest on Hannity and Colmes.
The phrase "I didn't mean to offend anyone," is not an apology.
I live in Green Bay. Got a problem with it? :-)
But he will have to be MUCH more careful about what he says now, as will all the other asylum inmates in Congress.
They will be on their best behavior for awhile, until the pressure hits then we can watch the sparks fly.
Worth the read.
Thats why Brett lives in Mississippi. :)
Was it a botched joke? So are we allowed to say anything we want to then just say "oh sorry it was a botched joke"?
From this link...
Elbert Garcia, Rangel's press secretary in New York, said the congressman had received calls Thursday about his Mississippi comments. She e-mailed a response to The Associated Press.
"I certainly don't mean to offend anyone," Rangel said in his statement. "I just love New York so much that I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want to live here."
Gutless wonder.
Red Barber sportscaster, Columbus
Lance Bass singer, Laurel
Theodore Bilbo public official, Poplarville
Jimmy Buffett singer, songwriter, Pascagoula
Craig Claiborne columnist, restaurant critic, Sunflower
Bo Diddley guitarist, McCombs
Charles Evers civil rights leader, Decatur
Medgar Evers civil rights leader, Decatur
Brett Farve football, Kiln
William Cuthbert Faulkner author, New Albany
Shelby Foote historian, Greenville
Richard Ford author, Jackson
Barry Hannah author, Clinton
Elizabeth Lee Hazen inventor,
Beth Henley playwright, actress, Jackson
Jim Henson puppeteer, Greenville
Faith Hill singer, Jackson
James Earl Jones entertainer, Arkabutla
Simbi Khali actress, Jackson
B. B. King guitarist, Itta Bena
Willie Morris writer, Jackson
Brandy Norwood singer,actress, McComb
Walter Payton football player, Columbia
Elvis Presley singer, actor, Tupelo
Charley Pride country singer, Sledge
Leontyne Price soprano, Laurel
William Raspberry columnist, Oklaona
Jerry Rice football player, Starkville
LeAnn Rimes country music, Jackson
William Grant Still composer, Woodville
Conway Twitty country music, Friars Point
Sela Ward actress, Meridian
Muddy Waters singer, guitarist, Rolling Fork
Eudora Welty author, Jackson
Tennessee Williams playwright, Columbus
Oprah Winfrey talk-show host, Kosciusko
Richard Wright author, Natchez
Tammy Wynette country music star, Tupulo
OH, and MY Father was born in Mississippi...
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