Media Mum on Dean's 'KKK' Fund Raiser

NewsMax.com ^ | 12/17/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

There's little doubt that if Howard Dean were a Republican, he'd be announcing his withdrawal from the presidential race this week, as details from a recent Dean rally - so ripe with racism it would make a Ku Klux Klansman blush - have begun seeping into print.

Since Dean is a Democrat, however, at least one prominent media columnist is saying it's no big deal that the entertainment for the ex-Vermont governor's Dec. 8 event included "N"-word jokes, imitations of Condoleezza Rice in an Amos 'n Andy accent and references to the president of the United States as a "piece of living, breathing s--t."

Credit for breaking the media embargo on Howard Dean's KKK-style Manhattan fund raiser goes to the New York Post's Deborah Orin, who first noted the "N"-word references last week, then fleshed out the details in a Post op-ed piece yesterday. [Why an op-ed, when this story belongs on the front page? But that's another matter.]

The details of what passed for entertainment at the Dean rally are as ugly as they come. Here are a few of the lowlights, according to Orin:

"Comedian David Cross used the N-word for blacks in a disjointed 'joke' apparently based on the premise that it's fine for a pro-Dean comic to use racial epithets as long as the goal is to claim Republicans are racists."

"Sandra Bernhard insulted Condoleezza Rice in racial terms with a 'Yes Massa' accent at another Dean fundraiser the same night."

"Dean rival Joe Lieberman got ridiculed for being unable to campaign on Jewish holidays because he's Orthodox."

"[Vice President Dick] Cheney's daughter Mary, who is gay, was called 'a big lezzie.'"

"Comic Judy Gold dissed President Bush as 'this piece of living, breathing s---' and Janeane Garofalo ridiculed the Medicare prescription-drug bill that Bush had just signed as the 'you can go f--- yourself, Grandma' bill."

As the New York-style Klan rally continued, the Democratic front-runner was said to be "fuming" backstage.

But Dean did nothing to interrupt the proceedings, and certainly hasn't returned any of the campaign cash he collected from the folks who found the anti-black humor so amusing.

Neither has Dean issued a public apology, or pledged that those "comedians" who made racially offensive statements will be barred from all future Dean events.

When asked about the outrageous comments delivered at an event held in his name, the Vermont Democrat said only that some of the language was "wrong," then added meekly, "I don't have much tolerance for ethnic humor."

So, why hasn't the press jumped ugly with Dean? Maybe it's because they don't find the racist rants delivered in his honor any more offensive than he does.

Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz offered a clue into the media's take on the racist rally, dismissing the episode in his Wednesday column by joking, "I, for one, am shocked at comedians using bad language."

GOP Congressman Peter King was less forgiving, telling Orin: "It's disgraceful. It's like an Upper West Side Manhattan left-wing Ku Klux Klan mentality. If some Southern redneck talked like this about a liberal, everyone would denounce it. But because it's Upper West Side humor, somehow it's supposed to be chic."

[lilylangtree]

So much for the RATS trying to convince the public that they're for the little people. (lotsa of sarc)

[JustPlainJoe]

the ex-Vermont governor's Dec. 8 event included "N"-word jokes, imitations of Condoleezza Rice in an Amos 'n Andy accent and references to the president of the United States as a "piece of living, breathing s--t."


WAIT just a minute!

I thought ONLY Republicans and Christians were MEAN spirited!

You'd think this was a Newt Gingrich fundraiser!

Frankly, I'm shocked.... yes, thoroughly shocked...ahem...

[dfwgator]

And the Rats wonder why they are losing the centrists.

[samtheman]

...and there's no bias in the media... and the moon is made of green cheese... and Dean is going to be the next President...

[.cnI redruM]

That just goes to show us all....

DEAN PEOPLE SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ClearCase_guy]

the Democratic front-runner was said to be "fuming" backstage. But Dean did nothing to interrupt the proceedings

"It's true I don't have enough backbone to stop my own supporters from making inappropriate jokes -- but I would be prepared to take strong military action against foreign leaders who threaten our way of life and ... and ... BWWAAHHHAAAA! I'm sorry! I can't finish! HAHAHA! You guys know I have no backbone at all! But, hey, vote for me anyway, OK?"

[cwb]

I think it was Joe Scoroborough who brought this up last nite...and it was disgusting. It shows the elitist/racist attitudes that reside within upper N. East-side liberals, as they make fun of those beneath them. It also reminds me of the same attitudes I saw on a recent HBO film called "Born Rich"...produced by Jamie Johnson of J&J wealth. It really showed how vacuous and degrading wealthy libs act towards those beneath their stature.

Some of these wealthy children were inadvertently exposing their own parents racism as they made comments on how Jews and blacks were usually out of place on the tennis courts and social clubs. The old saying's true: Only a liberal would think that a conservative is racist...but that black people couldn't make it without their help.

[anoldafvet]

On a recent trip to Boston, I had to sit next to a Dean supporter. Half her hair was blue, the other half purple. She had three buttons on her purse strap: "Students for Dean", "Dean for President", and "Safe for Sex". She had about 13 tatoos, including one on her neck.

[Peach]

OMG! This beyond outrageous.

Does anyone have a link to Deborah Orin's piece yesterday? I'd like to send it to some liberals who are supporting Dean. They won't accept the characterization of the fund raiser as it is portrayed in NewsMax.

[Peach]

If anyone you know is supporting Dean, this is an article to send them.

Dean permitted the entertainers at a fund raiser for him to use the "n" word, make fun of Cheney's lesbian daughter, make fun on Condi Rice in the most crude manner; it just goes on and on.

[Howlin]

Disgusting.

And they wonder why we are scared to death they might get control of this country?

[Peach]

I'm sending this to FNC. This article is getting far too little attention.

For that matter, the GOP should be asking Dean to condemn the racist, sexist remarks of the entertainers.

[Unmarked Package]

I firmly believe the most prevalent and despicable racism in the USA now resides in the persons of liberal activists of all races. It runs the gamut from affirmative action which implies minorities aren't capable of succeeding on their own merits to uncontested, unreported racial slurs that are somehow acceptable if the person spewing the filth is an avowed liberal. The awful truth is it has become the goal of liberals to propagate racial tension in this world, not to end it.

[Hegemony Cricket]

"DEAN PEOPLE SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"BUMP!

[hattend]

Janeane Garofalo ridiculed the Medicare prescription-drug bill that Bush had just signed as the 'you can go f--- yourself, Grandma' bill."

But..but...but...the demoRats have been whining for free prescription drugs for over a decade.

I guess it just sucks that they can't take credit for it.

(Note, I am not in favor of another Medicare scam, I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy.)

[CyberAnt]

I just wish one of these people who is so willing to call our President "a living piece of s--t!" would have to say that statement to our President's FACE! I dare say none of them would have the courage .. and that's the whole point! These people are cowards and hypocrites and would never say what they really think to a person's face.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Please FReepmail me if you want on/off this ping list.

[Steve_Seattle]

It's going too far to call this event "racist," but the Democrats and their media allies would have no trouble calling it racist (and crude and offensive) if Republicans were behaving this way.

[squidly]

I'm getting a little tired of the double standard. If this was a GOP event, it would be on the front page until the candidate withdrew from the race.