One day after Herman Cain goes on CNN to call African-Americans "brainwashed," guess who rushes to his defense over at MSNBC? Could it be the one who would most likely have a preference for white sheets and fondness for 1930s, military regalia, of a certain region of Europe?
Pat Buchanan:
"I think the African American community has embraced Great Society liberalism which has been devastating for the African American family," he said. "...I admire Herman Cain for standing up and going against, if you will, the conventional wisdom, and being a tough African American businessman."
In that clip Buchanan referenced, Cain called African-Americans "brainwashed" against conservatism.
"Brainwashed?" Bashir said. "That's a fairly strong term."
"I think what he's saying is they bought a lot of liberal propaganda on the liberal plantation and I think he's right!" Buchanan replied staunchly.
"On the liberal plantation. Wow." Bashir said.
"That's right," Buchanan said.
Last Month
BUCHANAN: And let me tell you, your boy, Barack Obama, caved in on it [Bush tax cuts] in 2010 and he'll cave in on it again
AL SHARPTON: My what? My president, Barack Obama? What did you say?
*BTW, is it too much to point out that it's offensive that the Buchanan clip is titled "Buchanan goes off the reservation?" Whew-ie.
Not only does Pat Buchanan have the privilege of being a rich, old, white man, with which status he can get away with saying these bigoted attacks. After all, it's hard to imagine any hispanic or black or American Indian commentator calling white people "brainwashed" as a regular, paid commentator on a cable network. Buchanan even gets the additional privilege of being a cable news commentator. I don't know about you, but I sure would enjoy the money that provides! In effect, Buchanan is rewarded for perpetrating stereotypes and prejudice, two aspects of racism in 2011 America. That's neither right morally nor sensible.
Now, call me crazy, but I would suspect that there are more relevant commentators in the national conversation, who could fill a precious and limited number of seats on cable news talk shows, with experience more recent than the Nixon administration. Just a thought.
I don't have to list every one of Pat Buchanan's instances of racism during his MSNBC tenure (and before, for you pre-history buffs) because you can help do that for me in the comments more accurately than I, on my own! Let's get a list.