Hometown Editorial: McDaniel Isn't A Racist Because He Played Basketball

[DonViejo]

DANIEL STRAUSS – JULY 8, 2014, 2:09 PM EDT

A newspaper editorial in Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel's (R) home county argued that McDaniel couldn't possibly be a racist since he played basketball in college.

The editorial by the Laurel Leader-Call of Jones County, Mississippi, the newspaper from the town where McDaniel was born, echoed arguments from his supporters that Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) engaged in race-baiting against McDaniel to get African-Americans to vote for Cochran in the runoff election for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Cochran won the runoff and McDaniel campaign has since been gathering evidence to fight the results.

"It’s been frustrating to see so many people in the black community be convinced that Chris McDaniel was a racist just because someone they trusted told them he was," the editorial, published on July 2, read. "If they did a little research on their own, they would find out that McDaniel was a basketball standout at South Jones and Jones County Junior College."

The editorial continued:

At the risk of stereotyping, what color do you think his buddies were on those teams? They not only played ball together, but they went to each others’ homes, ate together, hung out together, shared each others’ problems and dreams. It would’ve been nice if some of those old teammates had come forward to talk about the Chris they know, but being labeled “Uncle Tom” is almost as damning as being labeled a racist. It’s a sad reality.

more
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/chris-mcdaniel-call-leader-editorial-basketball-racism

[kwolf68]

1. Another version of

"I have black friends"

[Dawgs]

2. What could possibly wrong with saying that?

Maybe he also likes fried chicken and watermelon.

[onehandle]

3. He is a racist, because he is a Republican.

Anyone who is a Republican in this teabagger day and age is a racist.

[tanyev]

4. Maybe this editorial will bring out some comments from those old teammates.

I'll go pop some popcorn.

[marble falls]

5. They know being racist is wrong. They just don't get what being 'racist' means.