Clyburn accuses SC gov of 'playing race card'

[babylonsister]

Clyburn accuses SC gov of 'playing race card'

By JIM DAVENPORT – 17 hours ago


COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The highest-ranking black congressman questioned Thursday whether South Carolina's governor was "playing the race card" when he compared using federal stimulus money to Zimbabwe and other nations that printed cash in tough economic times.

Gov. Mark Sanford wrote a letter to President Barack Obama on Thursday asking for a waiver to spend $700 million in stimulus money to pay down some of the state's debt — a day after comparing the package to other countries that dealt with hard times ineptly. Sanford has been an outspoken critic of the stimulus but hasn't outright refused any of the money.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., has already lambasted Sanford and other governors who said they may not take some of the stimulus money, calling such a move a "slap in the face of African-Americans" last month. Thursday brought renewed sparring, as Clyburn criticized Sanford for mentioning Zimbabwe.

The comparison "was beyond the pale," Clyburn said. "The question that ought to be asked of him: Is he playing the race card? I don't know why he picked that country."

A day earlier, Sanford talked about Zimbabwe, Argentina and post-World War I Germany as examples of nations that dealt ineptly with hard economic times.

"What you're doing is you're buying into the notion of we just print some more money that we don't have, send it to some states, we'll create jobs. If that's the case, then why isn't Zimbabwe a rich place?" Sanford said.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j5qWzy7Mvb7CT8BTQUeibpX2eOVwD96SPBF01

[cali]

1. I think Sanford is a complete asshole, but I don't think

it's at all clear that he was making a racially suspect comment here.

[NaturalHigh]

2. Oh, please.

Race card? :eyes:

[marmar]

3. The choice of Zimbabwe, home of Mugabe, as an example does have subtext.....

...... not sure if it was intentional or not, but it does have subtext.

And quite honestly, I wouldn't put it past him.

[sweetpotato]

4. Choosing an African country for a comparison was done on purpose

Its one of those race baiting dog whistle thingys.

Sanford is deliberately using "Zimbabwe" to conjure images of savage black Africans that will rape the white women. At least that's what "Zimbabwe" means to the ignorant, undereducated Bubbas around here. He's reminding *his people* that there is an African-American in the white house and he must be stopped.

I can't stand the man. I hope Karma is a great big ugly something that ruins him.

[terisan]

5. Argentina and post WW1 Germany? racial comment? Clyburn doesn't have ownership rights

to comments on Zimbabwe. We can all talk about Zimbabwe's economy, if we so choose.

[marmar]

6. That's an oversimplification of this issue in this case.....

n/t

[terisan]

7. I do not think so.

[marmar]

8. As you have the right to,.......

..... but quite honestly for me, as an African American male, the comparison has a much more sinister subtext.

[Lost in CT]

9. I think the stupid card is more in play here...

Honestly turning this into a race issue is a distraction to the real crimes being committed by the Republican leadership in SC.