Obama: 'Mongrel People'

When Obama is off the teleprompter, something bad always happens.

Last summer, there was the disastrous prime time press conference when Obama declared:

Now, I've -- I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home.

That stupid comment really blew up in Obama's face.

Then there was Obama's infamous Tonight Show appearance on March 19, 2009.

Here's the very, very uncool exchange Obama had with Leno:

MR. LENO: Now, are they going to put a basketball –- I imagine the bowling alley has been just burned and closed down.

MR. OBAMA: No, no. I have been practicing all –- (laughter.)

MR. LENO: Really? Really?

MR. OBAMA: I bowled a 129. (Laughter and applause.)

MR. LENO: No, that's very good. Yes. That's very good, Mr. President.

MR. OBAMA: It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something. (Laughter.)

MR. LENO: No, that's very good.

MR. OBAMA: No, listen, I'm making progress on the bowling, yes.

That was absolutely disgraceful.

Of all Obama's many gaffes, I think that one stands as his worst, albeit most revealing.

Today on The View, Obama made another "unfortunate" comment.

From The Hill:

President Obama waded into the national race debate in an unlikely setting and with an unusual choice of words: telling daytime talk show hosts that African-Americans are “sort of a mongrel people.”

The president appeared on ABC’s morning talk show “The View” Thursday, where he talked about the forced resignation of Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod, his experience with race and his roots.

When asked about his background, which includes a black father and white mother, Obama said of African-Americans: "We are sort of a mongrel people."

"I mean we're all kinds of mixed up," Obama said. "That's actually true of white people as well, but we just know more about it."

The president did not appear to be making an inflammatory remark with his statement. The definition of mongrel as an adjective is defined as "of mixed breed, nature, or origin," according to dictionary.com.

Good grief.

He DID make an inflammatory remark.

Who cares what Dictionary.com says?

"Mongrel" has a negative connotation when referring to dogs. It certainly has a negative vibe when talking about people.

You know that if a white politician had called African-Americans a "mongrel people" the liberal usual suspects would get out their pitchforks and demand that the person apologize and resign and be tarred and feathered. The outcry would be deafening. You know it.

What does Obama mean when he says, "I mean we're all kinds of mixed up. That's actually true of white people as well, but we just know more about it"?

What the hell is that?

First, in terms of his family tree, Obama is as white as he is black. I think he disrespects his mother when he dismisses his white background. Being a mother, that bugs me.

Second, on what basis does he assert that blacks "just know more about" having a mixed heritage?

That's false. It also sounds racist. He's making a ridiculous generalization based on skin color.

"Mongrel people."

That's awful.

Can I say, "African-Americans are a mongrel people"? As a white person, am I allowed to say that with impunity?

I don't think so.