Reid: Are we still cool?
Obama: Sure, but you're still not getting re-elected.
Reid: Fiddlesticks.When it comes to Harry Reid's recent racial remark, critics are either ready to pardon him or hang him. The authors of Game Change included a racially insensitive remark that Harry Reid made concerning Barack Obama during the presidential election. Reid told the authors that Obama had a good chance of winning the election because he was "light-skinned" and spoke with "no negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

Democrats are ready to forgive and forget while Republicans want to string him up, claiming his pardon is a double standard. On NBC's "Today" show, Senator John McCain said there has been a "stunning double standard as far as the treatment of Sen. Lott, who also made unfortunate and inopportune remarks, and the treatment of Harry Reid by the liberal left."

First and foremost, Reid's remarks were stupid. I mean really stupid. "Negro dialect?" What is that? Sure, some African American youths use less-than-optimal vernacular and poor grammar and speech patterns. But what grown, educated black professional speaks that way? Sure, many adult black comedians, actors, and musicians do, but when was the last time you heard a black lawyer yell poorly constructed phrases and exclamations in public? What other black politician speaks that way? None of them do. So, Harry Reid, there's abosolutely no point in saying his lack of a "negro dialect" gives him an advantage. It's like saying mathematicians who know calculus have an advantage when applying to NASA over those who can't derive their way out of a paper bag.

So, Harry Reid has admitted his remarks were stupid and has apologized. Sure, what he said was bad, but not Trent Lott bad. Republican leadership wants to equate Reid's half-wit, racially insensitve statement with Lott's assertion that the country would be led better under a segregationist. Strom Thurmond filibustered the 1957 Civil Rights Act for Christ's sake! He did so for 24 hours and 18 minutes, the longest one-man filibuster in U.S. history! So, if you sincerely think he should run the country then, yes, you should be fired from your position of leadership. Also, Lott voted against renewing the Voting Rights Act, voted against the continuation of the Civil Rights Act and opposed making Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a federal holiday. Conversely, Reid's voting record shows no blatant ill-will towards African Americans and, to my knowledge, he hasn't supported anybody who thinks Blacks are second-class citizens.

The Republican leadership needs to understand that gaffes are not created equal. There are bad ones, like saying a segregationist should run the country. Then there are light to moderate ones, like saying Obama has a chance of winning the presidency because he doesn't speak like Soulja Boy and doesn't look like Wesley Snipes. What Harry Reid said was stupid, irresponsible, and wrong. I'm sure black Nevadans will settle the score at the polls. But there just isn't enough reason to oust him from his position as Senate Majorty Leader.