GOP jumps on Kanjorski comments

The Washington Times ^ | June 24, 2010 | Joseph Weber

[jazusamo]

Already locked in a tight re-election race, Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski did not help his chances with comments Wednesday implying minorities are not "good American people."

"We're giving relief to people that I deal with in my office every day now, unfortunately," Mr. Kanjorski said during deliberations Wednesday between House and Senate negotiators over the pending financial reform bill.

"Because of the longevity of this recession, these are people — and they're not minorities and they're not defective and they're not all the things you'd like to insinuate that these programs are about — these are average, good American people," he added.

[jazusamo]

Ping!

[kingu]

I'm sure that by noon, the New York Times will have photos of him (fake, but accurate) at a Tea Party rally, and thus use it to paint Tea Party members as being racist.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

It made the Wash Times. Now lets see if WAPO sees these comments as illustrative of a neo-nazi, clansman mentality like they did with the word MACACA when spoken by George Allen. Can the WAPO wash this one away? Lets see?

[rwfromkansas]

Don’t like the guy, but I think the GOP is reading his comments wrong.

He was saying the insinuation is that the programs are for minorities and scum basically, but what he has seen is “good American people”....the down and out from all backgrounds etc.

That’s the way I read it anyway.

He’s actually trying to say the opposite of what he’s being accused of saying.

[Beagle8U]

Please tell me it is too late for the RATS to run someone else for that seat. This guy is toast.

[downtownconservative]

Gives you a warm-fuzzie, doesn't it? We small people are getting the payouts too. You know, those of us who don't pander for handouts and shake down banks and spend our welfare on drugs and booze and etc., etc. Oh yeah? Well where is it then. This guy is trying to connect with people who are NOT his base and failing miserably at it.

[jazusamo]

You could be right but if he’s saying that it sure came out wrong.

[Beagle8U]

Sorry, you are reading it wrong.

He said they weren’t minorities or defective people, there is no way to read that as anything but minorities are defectives.

[MrB]

Very poorly worded,

but he was acknowledging that all of their current policies disproportionately favor minorities.

[cripplecreek]

Interestingly enough Glenn Beck’s show about the history of unions showed just how racist they were and still are. Granted the methods are more sophisticated today but the racism still exists.

The workingman’s party is definitely worthy of further historical investigation. Their slogan was “The Chinese must go”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workingman’s_Party

[italianquaker]

Nevertheless I expect the media to give this as much coverage as the Paul comments

[fatboy]

PA primary is over, too late to replace him. However, he runs strong in this district. Proably will not hurt him too much.

[Beagle8U]

Correction...He USED to run strong in that district. I rather doubt he will get defective minorities’ to the polls in Nov.

[NonValueAdded]

He’s actually trying to say the opposite of what he’s being accused of saying.

Concur. This is a tempest in a teapot and could backfire.

[qwertypie]

Backfire? Some liberals on other message boards are conceding that he flubbed badly. It’s about having a tin-ear and looking addled.

[Maelstorm]

"and they're not minorities and they're not defective and they're not all the things you'd like to insinuate that these programs are about" Sounds pretty clear he was making a distinction between the people he was "helping" and minorities. I don't know how else to read it. He was clearly operating under the perspective that some people may think that most of those he was "helping" were minorities and he was trying to make a distinction between that and the fact that he was also helping "good people" who weren't minorities. I believe he was just talking like a liberal. Assuming his subjects were racists and wanting to point out he was helping them too.

[ExTxMarine]

This no different than what Rep. Barton did when he apologized to the CEO of BP. He NEVER said that BP was not guilty of creating the crisis; he was apologizing for the US Government becoming a Banana Republic that shook down an international company for a slush fund/PR move!

He was not saying that BP wasn’t guilty, he was saying that Obamao WAS guilty of Chicago-style thuggery!

However, the libs and many more jumped on his misstated words.

[jazusamo]

Updated with video.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/24/gop-jumps-kanjorski-comments/

[Chi-townChief]

Classic!