Democratic presidential candidate (for now, anyway) Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware got headlines for all the wrong reasons yesterday when he referred to Sen. Barack Obama, who's also running for president, as “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy" in an interview with the New York Observer.
"Biden Unwraps His Bid for '08 With an Oops!" read the headline over Adam Nagourney's Thursday story in the New York Times. Credit the Times for putting it on the front page, and to Nagourney for bringing up Biden's equally strange comment last summer that aired on C-Span: “You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.”
But as NewsBusters' Mark Finkelstein noted, the Times' headline does give Biden the benefit of the doubt that the remark was simply an "oops!," a gaffe, and not a reflection of Biden's real feelings toward blacks.
Back in 1995, when then-House Majority Leader Dick Armey, a conservative Republican, called gay Democratic congressman Barney Frank "Barney Fag" (Armey immediately corrected himself and later apologized to Frank) he didn't get the benefit of the doubt from Times' headline writers. The headline to a front-page story back on January 28, 1995 made it clear that Armey intended to "slur" his colleague, no "oops!" about it: "No. 2 House Leader Refers to Colleague With Anti-Gay Slur."
For more New York Times bias, visit TimesWatch.
—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.
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... and what about hillary cl
February 1, 2007 - 12:34 ET by pmohbuck... and what about hillary clinton's "mahatma ghandi running a gas station" comment or her comparing the GOP controlled house of reps as a "plantation" on MLK day
biden's getting hammered compared to the MSM's "velvet glove" approach to any of clinton's gaffes
"at some point people need to realize that there is more to being an american than just exercising his/her rights" - me
Biden is a lunatic... but he'
February 1, 2007 - 12:43 ET by mattmBiden is a lunatic... but he's really no different than any other Liberal.
Hillary called Dick Morris a Forking Semitic Illegitimate, or something to that effect, Robert Byrd called someone a "White 'derrogatory term used against people of African descent'" , Algore referred to conservatives by denigrating people who are born with a genetic disorder.
The Libs are the bigots! Liberalism is naturally bigoted: They see certain people as deficient in one way or another, so they offer special treatment and programs, ostensibly to "help" them, but actually to guarantee as many votes from them as possible. They wouldn't be able to survive politically without the advocacy of the MSM.
I completely believe in thi
February 1, 2007 - 13:32 ET by balboaI completely believe in this situation that Biden meant to say "clean-cut" and it just came out wrong. I think he was lauding Obama as the "superstar" many believe him to be, that he's articulate as opposed to, say, what Bush is, not articulate because he's black.
As for Armey, it was a slur, wasn't it?
What Armey said was a slur, a
February 1, 2007 - 14:14 ET by mattmWhat Armey said was a slur, and he got taken to the woodshed over it - deservedly so.
But, your argument about the word "articulate" is quite a stretch. This is a racist indicator code word among the "Civil Rights" crowd, which is why Biden is rightfully getting beat up for it.
But the key point in this relatively minor incident is how it exposes (again) the blatant double-standard of the MSM who give him (as you do) the benefit of every doubt, whereas they pillory any Conservative that comes even close to that... remember Trent Lott?
So you want them to overrea
February 1, 2007 - 14:39 ET by balboaSo you want them to overreact for liberals the same way they do for conservatives.
Is that what I said?
February 1, 2007 - 15:31 ET by mattmIs that what I said?
balbozo is the resident apologist for libs and super-libs...
February 1, 2007 - 15:38 ET by Guy Arthur ThomasOf course you didn't say that, but balbozo isn't here for illuminating discovery or honest debate, just weak-kneed apologies for libs of every color. So, back to you balbozo at the Democrat's apologylooza.
If you claim to be a conservative, please don't disgrace yourself and conservatism by thinking and arguing like a liberal. Go Rudy!
It would be nice if they just
February 1, 2007 - 15:37 ET by florida_chadIt would be nice if they just treated them the same. At least you acknowledge that they overreact for conservatives.
Biden's got foot in mouth dis
February 1, 2007 - 15:49 ET by BuffNBoneBiden's got foot in mouth disease.
While I don't think he did it on purpose, it sure took some of the heat off of the Majority Leader.
"Clean" in this context could also mean Obama doesn't have any (or much) dirty laundry to have to deal with. Since he got a pass on the cocaine revelation appears he is a teflon candidate.
"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"
My (admitedly more cynical)
February 1, 2007 - 16:19 ET by SMy (admitedly more cynical) take on "clean" was that Biden was saying that Obama's a blank slate, that he's got no substantive record to attack.
Whether it's a "code w
February 1, 2007 - 16:31 ET by motherbeltWhether it's a "code word" I don't know, but "articulate", when used to describe a black person, usually means he speaks standard English, not street jargon or Ebonics.
I say let the dems continue t
February 1, 2007 - 16:33 ET by Clear thinkerI say let the dems continue to eat their own.
Wagon Circles
February 1, 2007 - 17:45 ET by Jerry MackI really do not care what Biden says. Nor will I try to interpret his words. He has the same chances of becoming president as Donald Duck. But the msm must care because of all the protect Joe Biden wagon circles going on.
racist joe biden:
February 2, 2007 - 09:12 ET by tnecvolfan2001apparently the media has forgotten all the hatred that biden spewed at condi rice, practically calling her a 'black mammy' while he was interrogating her at her confirmation. remember when he kept repeating 'massa, massa, massa' like a hundred times in his evil racist rant? i'm sure the media could easily dig up that bit of hate, but of course that would directly go against their desire for a liberal 'peace-nik' to win the presidency so we don't have to fight these pesky murderous muslims who declared war on us.