CNN 2010-01-17

We know senate majority leader Harry¹ Reid is sorry for what he said about president Obama.

That's what he said. But was it racist²? Was it true but crudely phrased or was it just plain clueless? Our Soledad O'Brien looks closer at what's really motivating his apology.

 

>> I've apologized to the president.

>> Reporter: So why exactly is Harry Reid spending so much time apologizing? Author and blogger, Kelly Goff.

 

>> First of all, apologizing because it's politically necessary to do so. But second of all he's really apologizing because he used essentially³ antiquated⁴ racial language.

 

>> Reporter: Problem number one for Senator Reid, race and privilege. The senator suggesting the light-skinned candidate has a better chance of winning.

 

>> I believe that Harry Reid was revealing a very ugly truth about how white Americans tend to view African-American candidates. I mean, It's not a surprise that even in recent memory if you look at Doug Wilder in Virginia, for instance, or the success that Harold Ford⁵ has had, it has often been more light-skinned African-Americans that have had greater success or the extraordinary success that Colin Powell had amongst white Americans.

 

>> What I thought was fascinating about his comment and the reaction to it is I think a lot of black people have long believed that it's sort of an inner community secret.

 

>> Reporter: Problem number two, the Senator's use of the phrase “Negro dialect”, what exactly does that mean? We asked famed Harvard law professor Charles Oakley Tree.

 

>> You have to ask Harry Reid. It certainly makes no sense in my sense of what the dialect of African-Americans are, because it's as varied⁶ as the dialect of any ethnic⁷ group anywhere in the world.

 

>> Reporter: Professor and preacher Michael Eric Dyson says it's not just how you say it, it's what you're talking about.

 

>> It's not just intonation⁸. If Barack Obama was speaking about affirmative action and bussing and housing and unemployment and stuff, he'd be seen as more black.

 

>> Reporter: By Negro dialect, maybe Senator Reid meant this.

 

>> I know we can come together to face down the challenges of our own time.

 

>> Reporter: Barack Obama speaking to a mostly black crowd at the NAACP may be the biggest problem of them all.

 

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

3 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

4 antiquated   

adj.陈旧的，过时的

参考例句：

• Many factories are so antiquated they are not worth saving.很多工厂过于陈旧落后，已不值得挽救。
• A train of antiquated coaches was waiting for us at the siding.一列陈旧的火车在侧线上等着我们。

5 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

6 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 intonation   

n.语调，声调；发声

参考例句：

• The teacher checks for pronunciation and intonation.老师在检查发音和语调。
• Questions are spoken with a rising intonation.疑问句是以升调说出来的。