Harkin: Southern senator described Obama as ‘exotic’

The Hill ^ | 08/07/13 02:55 PM ET | By Daniel Strauss

[onyx]

President Obama was described as “exotic” by one senator from a Southern state during a closed-door meeting, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) claimed Wednesday.

Harkin said the remark was made at a private event attended by nearly the entire Senate on filibuster reform.

“I'm not naming any names, but one senator got up from a Southern state and said, ‘Well, you've got to understand that to my people down here, Obama seems like he's exotic,’ ” Harkin told the Des Moines Register’s editorial board on Wednesday. “That he's just exotic, he doesn't share our values.”

Harkin spoke in response to a question about polarization in Congress. He said the Congress hadn’t been this polarized since the Civil War.

[autumnraine]

Graham Crackers? He imagines the exotic one while acting vulgarly. Or so it seems.

[Liberty Valance]

If “exotic” is a code word for lying commie then yes, he’s exotic.

[onedoug]

Closer.

[RightGeek]

Gosh, Southerners are so polite. My description of Obama would be unprintable.

[onyx]

LOLOLOL. This Southern demonic-rat is “exotic” herself or himself.
There should not be such a thing!

[Milton Miteybad]

The reason some might describe Obama as "exotic", Senator Harkin, is that he isn't really one of us. "Us" as in Americans, don'cha see, Tom? If he'd spent his formative years in Denver, Tulsa or Chattanooga, it might be different. But he spent his formative years in Indonesia. So he ain't really too much like us Americans, just by his upbringing.

I'm surprised that this stark reality has escaped your notice. Are you stupid or something?

[txrefugee]

How about just plain “weird”? There are millions of genuinely Black men who have the shared experiences of playing Little League ball with white boys, or playing in the school band with them, or working after school with them at a local fast food place. This weird individual was in Indonesia and at an exclusive private school in HI. He never has been one of us.

[Venturer]

A-hole suits him a lot better than exotic.

[onyx]

LOLOLOL.
You’re right.

[onyx]

Of course.

[CatherineofAragon]

As an off-topic aside, your FR name makes me literally LOL every time I see it. :)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Harkin will be signing copies of his Viet Nam era autobiography titled “Wings Over Hanoi,” at this year’s Iowa State Fair.

[Milton Miteybad]

I’m glad you like it. I’m thinking about adopting it as my real-world name. ;-)

[TLI]

President Obama was described as “exotic” by ... Sen. Tom Harkin..."

Exotic.

It that what we are calling it these days?

.

[ScottinVA]

Given that I'm in Mississsippi, I relate, "down here" to in the deep South and tend to think of y'all as being "up North"...lol.

Yep... Virginia indeed has of late acted like an "up North" state in the past two Presidential elections. I hope we can turn away from this folly sometime soon, but with the infestation into the northern part of the state, that's becoming more difficult with each passing year.

[ScottinVA]

Is that one of obongo’s numerous uncles or half-brothers?

[Altura Ct.]

Oh no! Not exotic!

Quick run around in circles...