Friday, July 7, 2006
Sen. Joe Biden Chided for 'Racist' Remark
Garrulous Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., has once again planted his foot firmly in his mouth, and is scrambling to spin his videotaped racial slur that denigrates his state's growing population of people who hail from India.
But you'd never know it if your relied on the New York Times, Washington Post, or the rest of the mainstream media. Too busy betraying America's secrets to our enemies, none of them printed a word about Biden's gaffe.
Biden's comments were captured by C-Span cameras during a June event in New Hampshire where the likely 2008 presidential candidate was once again making the rounds with voters in this important primary state.
During a conversation with an Indian-American political activist, Biden said: "In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian-Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking."
Biden's reference to the stereotype that the nation's convenience stores are staffed entirely by immigrants from India has angered many members of the Indian-American community.
Slamming Biden for making "ridiculous comments" about the community, the president of the Indian American Republican Council (IARC) in Washington D.C. said in a statement: "Joe Biden has a history of making insensitive and inappropriate remarks . . ."
Dr. Raghavendra Vijayanagar, popularly known in the Indian-American community as "Dr. Vijay," said this isn't the first time a Senate Democrat has insulted Indian-Americans.
"In 2004, Sen. John Kerry referred to Sikhs as terrorists and Sen. Hillary Clinton jokingly referred to Mahatma Gandhi as a gas station owner," Dr. Vijay said. "A clear double-standard in the mainstream media will likely ensure Sen. Biden gets a pass over these comments that would get a Republican in deep trouble if he ever made a similar statement.”
Only Gannett News Service - owners of USA TODAY and Biden's home-state newspaper, the Delmarva Daily Times - reported on the Senator's thoughtless comment. USA TODAY did not carry the story.
Despite the near-total blackout in the mainstream media, the entire incident was captured on a C-Span video clip, which is now spreading rapidly via the Internet.
Biden spokeswoman Margaret Aiken attempted to clarify the senator's remarks: "The point Senator Biden was making is that there has been a vibrant Indian-American community in Delaware for decades. It has primarily been made up of engineers, scientists and physicians, but more recently, middle-class families are moving into Delaware and purchasing family-run small businesses."
The Delmarva paper noted that this is not Biden's first faux pas in New Hampshire, which holds the nation's first presidential primary. During his first presidential bid in 1987, Biden told one New Hampshire voter who questioned his law school grades that: "I think I probably have a much higher IQ than you do."
Garrulous Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., has once again planted his foot firmly in his mouth, and is scrambling to spin his videotaped racial slur that denigrates his state's growing population of people who hail from India.
But you'd never know it if your relied on the New York Times, Washington Post, or the rest of the mainstream media. Too busy betraying America's secrets to our enemies, none of them printed a word about Biden's gaffe.
Biden's comments were captured by C-Span cameras during a June event in New Hampshire where the likely 2008 presidential candidate was once again making the rounds with voters in this important primary state.
During a conversation with an Indian-American political activist, Biden said: "In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian-Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking."
Biden's reference to the stereotype that the nation's convenience stores are staffed entirely by immigrants from India has angered many members of the Indian-American community.
Slamming Biden for making "ridiculous comments" about the community, the president of the Indian American Republican Council (IARC) in Washington D.C. said in a statement: "Joe Biden has a history of making insensitive and inappropriate remarks . . ."
Dr. Raghavendra Vijayanagar, popularly known in the Indian-American community as "Dr. Vijay," said this isn't the first time a Senate Democrat has insulted Indian-Americans.
"In 2004, Sen. John Kerry referred to Sikhs as terrorists and Sen. Hillary Clinton jokingly referred to Mahatma Gandhi as a gas station owner," Dr. Vijay said. "A clear double-standard in the mainstream media will likely ensure Sen. Biden gets a pass over these comments that would get a Republican in deep trouble if he ever made a similar statement.”
Only Gannett News Service - owners of USA TODAY and Biden's home-state newspaper, the Delmarva Daily Times - reported on the Senator's thoughtless comment. USA TODAY did not carry the story.
Despite the near-total blackout in the mainstream media, the entire incident was captured on a C-Span video clip, which is now spreading rapidly via the Internet.
Biden spokeswoman Margaret Aiken attempted to clarify the senator's remarks: "The point Senator Biden was making is that there has been a vibrant Indian-American community in Delaware for decades. It has primarily been made up of engineers, scientists and physicians, but more recently, middle-class families are moving into Delaware and purchasing family-run small businesses."
The Delmarva paper noted that this is not Biden's first faux pas in New Hampshire, which holds the nation's first presidential primary. During his first presidential bid in 1987, Biden told one New Hampshire voter who questioned his law school grades that: "I think I probably have a much higher IQ than you do."
