Democratic Party strategist Donna Brazile is raising some eyebrows after admitting she swiped President Barack Obama’s complimentary blanket from his inauguration ceremony, and then joked it was not a criminal offense because, “We have a black president … this was free.”
Brazile was being interviewed by ABC’s Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer yesterday, describing her point of view as she sat in the second row of the presidential platform in close proximity to Obama.
The author and political activist explained that in her effort to collect a souvenir of the swearing-in for the first black president in American history, she literally fleeced the new commander in chief.
While holding up the item for the television camera to see, Brazile explained, “This is the blanket that was at his chair in case, you know, he got cold and he left it. I took it. I was looking for George W. Bush’s blanket but someone took that, and Dick Cheney took a couple blankets so this is Barack Obama’s blanket.”
A smiling Gibson said, “We’re re going to check with the legal staff and find out if that’s a felony or a misdemeanor.”
“We have a black president. It’s neither,” Brazile responded. “This was free.”
“You got, as we say, a blanket pardon,” clowned Gibson.
“We have an American president and I believe this was given to all of the platform guests,” said Brazile, “but Barack has his hands full now, so I took it for him.”
“Donna’s backing off a little bit on that,” noted Gibson.
“Yes, I am,” Brazile quipped. She also mentioned, “If he wants it back, I’ll give it back.”
The exchange was noted by columnist Paul Proctor, who said he was curious if suddenly there were “an underlying belief among some African-Americans that since we now have a black president, Obama will be providing them special privileges that somehow supersede the laws of the land rendering them no longer accountable for illegal, immoral or unruly behavior because of their skin color or ethnicity?”
Proctor provided a similar anecdote from earlier on Inauguration Day.
One of my wife’s friends told her on Tuesday that someone she knew had been renting a house to a single African-American woman for several years. The lady had apparently never missed a payment or even been late with one.
But, for some strange reason, immediately after Barack Obama was elected to office last November, the woman reportedly stopped paying rent. When politely questioned about it, she told her landlord: “We have a new president now and some things are going to change.” He replied: “Well, that’s fine, but you still have to pay your rent,” to which she reiterated: “No, we have a new president now – and some things are going to change.”
From what I understand, the rent has yet to be paid.
As WND reported yesterday, outrage erupted over the inauguration
benediction by Rev. Joseph Lowery, an 87-year-old civil rights pioneer, for
asking God to help mankind work for a day when “white would embrace what is
right.”
Lowery ended his prayer with, “Lord, in the memory of all the saints who
from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us
work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick
around – when yellow will be mellow – when the red man can get ahead, man – and
when white will embrace what is right.”
Obama reacted to the benediction with a smile.
The crowd cheered and boomed with a loud “Amen.”
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