As you can tell from the deluge of pieces on Harry Reid's remarks about Obama's "Negro dialect," this story just begs for comment. So here is mine: Harry Reid isn't a racist. But he is a dope.

Any publicly elected official with half a brain in their head should know never to say anything like that to reporters in this day and age.  His colleagues may brag about what a great tactician he is, but when it comes to common sense Reid is clearly a couple of marbles short of a full sack.

And, fair or not, there is a double standard. Even though what Reid said wasn't racist, as sure as the sun rises in the east Democrats would decry the same comments as racist if they were uttered by a Republican.

So goes the tired kabuki theatre in Washington, where hypocrisy on race is one of the coins of the realm and Al Sharpton steps in to play the role of moral arbiter.  The whole episode makes me want a stiff drink - and a shower.

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