This can only be filed under "what were you thinking?" The New York Newsday reported this comment from new DNC Chairman just the other day:
No one expects Dean, famously outspoken, to completely muzzle himself. Dean jokes that the Washington insider's definition of a gaffe is "when you tell the truth and they think you shouldn't have."
During a meeting Friday with the Democratic black caucus, Dean praised black Democrats for their work for the party, then questioned Republicans' ability to rally support from minorities.
"You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room?," Dean asked to laughter. "Only if they had the hotel staff in here."
His style ever will be blunt: "We have to never be afraid to say what we believe," he insists.
So, does Howard Dean believe that members of the Black Community are disproportionately represented as hotel staff in this country?
It's demeaning, it's belittling, and I'm completely floored that he would level such an insulting remark upon this community. If ever members of the African American community in this country wanted evidence of how much they are taken for granted by the Democratic Party, this is a perfect example.
One last comment before I go get some antacid to help me deal with my roiling stomach...
Why can't Democratic leaders expect the very best in the way of professionalism and behaviour from their new Chair? Dean made this ignorant statement ONE DAY before he officially took his new post; but, obviously, he was already in the role when speaking to the Democratic Black Caucus.
The man is the new Chairman of the DNC! He is the one who sets the tone for Democrats. Well, if this is the kind of tone he wants to set for his party, 2006 will be another banner year for Republicans.
Hat tip to the Opinionjournal.com's "Best of The Web Today."
David Flanagan
Viewpointjournal.com
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Jay
Well, let me see...
I've stayed at three hotels over the past year and most of the maids were black. Those that weren't black were Hispanic (and one was a Native American).
The banquet room staff did have elderly white males and females, but the majority were Hispanic males.
That's just my three limited stays at hotels in DC, Denver and Arizona.
2 - bhw
So, does Howard Dean believe that members of the Black Community are disproportionately represented as hotel staff in this country?
I'm sure he does. That's part of the platform, that blacks and other minorities still do not have equal access to "white collar" careers and other forms of economic progress/success in this country. We still have work to do.
To echo Jay's point, when I was at a wedding outside of Atlanta a few years ago, all the attendees were white, and every single watier/waitress at the reception hall was black. Zero exceptions.
A room full of white people being served by a staff of black people -- I was a little uncomfortable with the historical resonance, particularly in a country club whose main building had been the home on a plantation.
3 - Dave Nalle
If the room was getting too ethnic they could always let in every living cabinet officer from a former Democratic administration. No danger of admitting any minorities that way.
Not a trick that would work for the Republicans, of course...
Dave
4 - Eric Olsen
part of it is geographical: being originally from Southern California, I was surprised to find any non-managerial hotel staff anywhere who weren't Hispanic.
5 - Gary Johnston
Is this a parody?
6 - HW Saxton
All of David Flanagans posts are parody.
7 - JR
David Flanagan: It's demeaning, it's belittling, and I'm completely floored that he would level such an insulting remark upon this community. If ever members of the African American community in this country wanted evidence of how much they are taken for granted by the Democratic Party, this is a perfect example.
Just so you know, one of the janitors at my work told me he finds the term "African American" demeaning and belittling. He's says he's "Black".
One last comment before I go get some antacid to help me deal with my roiling stomach...
Maybe you and Nancy Hopkins ought to avoid political discourse.
8 - Eric Olsen
David, I have to say it seems to me that he meant the statement as a joke given the context and the reaction. It wasn't necessarily very good joke and my black Republican friends would likely object if not take offense, but I think he was trying to be funny.
9 - Steve S
You need only look at the record of Dean as governor of Vermont to see his stance on minorities. He is a good man who believes in opportunities for everybody.
The way I read his joke is not covered in racism as you see it David, but he's saying that an African American wouldn't attend a meeting of Republicans unless their job required it.
The last two posts you did, before this one, amazed me. The one where you offered Dean congratulations on his nomination and a hope for change for Democrats was a good post that surprised me. There was another post after that, I forget what it was about, but it wasn't the type of venomous rhetoric that I often see in your words. What happened? Was that perception of wanting to find unity just a temporary thing?
One last comment before I go get some antacid to help me deal with my roiling stomach...
perhaps caused by indigestion?
10 - Distorted Angel
So, does Howard Dean believe that members of the Black Community are disproportionately represented as hotel staff in this country?
If Dean's intent was to say that people of color are disproportionately represented in jobs in the service sector, he was correct in saying so.
11 - David Flanagan
Was Dean accurate? I have no idea.
Was Dean insulting or, at the very least, obscure in his attempt to use Blacks as the butt of his joke? Definitely!
The guy holds one of the most important positions in his party; he should KNOW better! Making such an off-the-cuff remark shows that he has NO sensitivity on this issue.
In the company where I work now, any white person making such a joke would be out the door the same day. Please, someone explain to me how this joke could be uplifting to members of the Black Community?
David
12 - Aaman
That was insensitive, if socially, and unfortunately, true
13 - bhw
David, the excerpt you quoted says the audience laughed.
14 - Steve S
I don't see African Americans as the butt of the joke, David. I don't see he's saying that African Americans hold a disproportionate amout of service jobs, even if that might be a fact.
He's saying that the only African Americans who would go into a Republican convention, would be those who would have to do so for their job, (and that would primarily be anybody on the staff of where it's held, right?).
*shrugging* I don't see the offense you do.
15 - bhw
I do think he was making a reference to the disproportionate numbers of minorities in service jobs, SteveS. The comment wouldn't make any sense if the implication wasn't that it was made up mostly of minorities, because it's prefaced by the question, "You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room?" [emphasis mine]
It's the idea that the hotel staff is made of "that many" minorities, i.e., a lot of them.
16 - Eric Olsen
and that they wouldn't be Republicans, who are all, you know, rich and white
17 - bhw
Indeed! ;-)
18 - David Flanagan
You all are going to great lengths and into severe contortions to explain Dean's behaviour. Would you be working this hard if, say, it had been Bill Frist up there saying the same thing?
I think not.
This is actually getting to be quite humorous.
Thanks,
David
19 - bhw
David, it sounds like he made a joke to a community that was receptive to it. They laughed -- they weren't offended, apparently.
I wouldn't have made that comment, but Dean did and his audience didn't mind because they were IN on the joke. They got his point. They saw it as an attack on Republicans, not on them.
You're the one who has gone to great lengths and severe contortions to make a mountain out of a molehill on this one.
20 - Hal Pawluk
David, you really should stop using the OpinionJournal as a source.
They're all just right-wing pimps over there.
21 - David Flanagan
BHW,
Actually, the article mentions they were laughing BEFORE the joke, it did not mention the attitude of the audience afterward.
Hal: Haven't you calle me a right-wing pimp too? Or something to that effect? Sounds like I'm in my element. ;-)
Thanks,
David
22 - Gary Johnston
Would you be working this hard if, say, it had been Bill Frist up there saying the same thing?
He never WOULD have said the same thing, because he wouldn't have been talking to the black caucus. Why? Because every African-American in Congress is a Democrat. The GOP hasn't elected a black congressman since 2000.
This isn't hard to grasp. Any misinterpretation is just willful stupidity.
23 - Scott
"Actually, the article mentions they were laughing BEFORE the joke, it did not mention the attitude of the audience afterward."
Well, Dean's still alive and the DNC chairman and not one soul on earth besides you cares about it, so I'm guessing the audience was fairly receptive.
24 - Gary Johnston
Oh, I may have misinterpreted the piece - this was a Democratic party black caucus, not the CBC. Whatever the case, Dean's point is undeniable. Is there even such a thing as the Republican black caucus?
25 - Hal Pawluk
No, David, the term I used about you wasn't quite that flattering.