Obama calls black people ‘a mongrel people’

Rick Moran

Barry’s turn on “The View” daytime show evinced some interesting comments from the president, including his anthropological observation that African Americans were “a mongrel people.

Sam Youngman writing in The Hill:

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.”

What did the president mean? Mr. Youngman covers for Obama’s little gaffe by explaining what he really was trying to say:

The president’s remarks were directed at the roots of all Americans. The definition of mongrel as an adjective is defined as “of mixed breed, nature, or origin,” according to dictionary.com.

Obama did not appear to be making an inflammatory remark with his statement and the audience appeared to receive it in the light-hearted manner that often accompanies interviews on morning talk shows.

Well, gee Sam. Thanks for that convoluted, twisted, forced explanation as well as your interpretation of audience reaction:

The president was referring to the fact that there are very few “pure” members of the African race in America. Nearly 300 years of mixing black and white, largely as a result of the “freedom of the slave quarters” granted the master of the plantation – a legacy of rape – most African Americans are of mixed race. His comment about white Americans as mongrels is problematic and more of a stretch

The laughter sounds more nervous than mirthful. And what about his statement that “That’s actually true of white people as well, but we just know more about it…?”

I think it would come as something of a surprise to Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and other racialists that they are “a mongrel people.” And the idea that African Americans are more aware of this is unproved.

Despite Youngman’s spin, he can’t hide a definite gaffe made by the president – one that will be discussed in the days ahead.