Cringe-Worthy (At First)

“I mean you got the first sort of mainstream African American, that is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

Joe Biden made this comment to a reporter from the New York Observer about presidential candidate, Barack Obama. The media has since used this comment to stir up a lot of controversy. Clearly, the comment was a cringe-worthy political gaffe; a white congressman is apparently alleging that there has never before existed a smart, well-spoken, nice-looking black man in this country. And although Biden clearly should have chosen his words more carefully, I do not see this phrase as evidence of prejudice or hatred. I think Biden was, inarticulately in fact, commenting on Obama’s “god-like” status, which he attributes in part to his good looks, in part to his smarts, in part to his articulateness, and in part to his cleanliness—in this context, meaning, freedom from corruption or scandal. I do not think he believes that no other African American has such qualities; in his opinion, Barack is simply the first African American presidential candidate that does.

Anyway, see for yourself and decide:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vj7RPxykFP8