Leading Democrats, including the two front runners for the Democratic nomination for Governor, have declined (that's right) declined to denounce the statements.
Three of Maryland's top Democrats -- including the two leading candidates for governor next year -- declined to repudiate comments by black Democratic leaders who said racially tinged attacks against Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele are fair because he is a black conservative Republican.
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, both white and running for governor, ducked direct questions about the propriety of the black leaders' remarks, which The Washington Times reported yesterday.
"Steele's got a record there that he has to defend. ... I think he is open to criticism in a number of areas," Mr. Duncan said after a tree-planting ceremony at an Olney middle school named after civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who was buried yesterday in Detroit.
"If there are criticisms to be leveled, they should be leveled on issues," Mr. O'Malley said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Harbor Bank of Maryland, a black-owned bank in Baltimore.
If these two men, O'Malley and Duncan, come out and blast the black Democrats, they could very well lose the nomination. But without a public and harsh denouncement, they are going to get smeared with this stupidity--perhaps costing them the Governor's mansion.
Interestingly enough, the leading black Democratic candidate for the Senate seat, Kweisi Mfume condemned the remarks made against Steele.
But Kweisi Mfume, who is running for senator, yesterday outright condemned the comments by his fellow black Democrats.
"Racially tinged attacks have no place in this campaign for U.S. Senate," said Mr. Mfume, who has chided his party's lack of support for his campaign. "If they did, I could very well be the object of public racial humiliation, based on my skin color, by people who don't like my politics."
"Black bigotry can be just as cruel and evil as white bigotry. There are too many bigots in too many places," Mr. Mfume said, repeating a common refrain from his speeches.
Of course, the problem with Mfume's denouncement is that his campaign spokesman, one Joe Trippi, said earlier:
Even the spokesman for Mr. Mfume's campaign said pelting Mr. Steele with Oreo cookies and calling him an "Uncle Tom" are simply "pointing out the obvious."
"There is a difference between pointing out the obvious and calling someone names," Mfume spokesman Joseph R. Trippi said Tuesday.
By the way, that is the same Joe Trippi who managed the Howard Dean presidential campaign--to such great success. Mfume is several points behind Steele in the polls and even further behind Senate candidate Ben Cardin.
Finally, the Chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party, former congressional candidate Terry Lierman failed to denounce the comments.
Maryland Democratic Party Chairman Terry Lierman backed the black Democrats' comments.
"Mr. Steele is already known by the company he keeps," said Mr. Lierman, who is white. "There is a reason people call [Republicans] the party of Clarence Thomas. ... They support [U.S. Supreme Court Justice] Clarence Thomas and his priorities and his issues."
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., Prince George's County Democrat, and House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Anne Arundel Democrat, did not return calls seeking comment.
The Times reported yesterday that several black Democratic leaders said using racial references to attack Mr. Steele were fair because of his politics.
"Party trumps race, especially on the national level," said state Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, a black Baltimore Democrat. "It's democracy, perhaps at its worst, but it is democracy."
Ben Cardin, the Democratic frontrunner for the Senate nomination, has not commented either.
Chris Core, a radio host on WMAL, 630 AM, spent a couple of hours last night discussing this issue. You can get the podcast here (choose the wednsday night program).
Steele, Gov. Ehrlich and the Maryland GOP needs to public and demand an apology. Oh, but of course, Democrats in Maryland don't apologize for race baiting, since it is their right as blacks and Democrats to cast themselves as the superior guardian of all things black.
UPDATE: The Baltimore Sun carries an article in which Governor Bob Ehrlich was quoted:
"Part of me is stunned by this, but part of me also understands the comments that have been made about Michael [Steele] over the years," Ehrlich said yesterday. "He is angry, maybe angrier than I've ever seen him."
More from the Sun article:
During an appearance in Baltimore last night, Steele declined to answer a reporter's question about the Times article. His spokesman, Leonardo Alcivar, said the inferences it contained were disturbing. "It is insulting to every Maryland voter to be told, as Democrats said today, that anyone who strays from the Democratic Party is a traitor to their race," Alcivar said. (empahsis added)
All to right.
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