Clyburn turns racial in attacking Sanford

It's this simple. Black Congressman James Clyburn wants bailout funds for his district in South Carolina. His governor, Mark Sanford, doesn't want any stimulus $.

Ideological difference. Different values. Fair enough.

But then Clyburn gets nasty (Ea.):

"He [Sanford] happens to be a millionaire. He may not need help for the plantation his family owns, but the people whose grandparents and great-grandparents worked those plantations need the help."

Sanford replies:

“It steps way past not only the truth but any kind of rational explanation of the earmarks [Clyburn] is in favor of. You're playing the race card as your way of trying to defend stimulus packages and deficit spending out of Washington, D.C. The people who will be disproportionately hurt in [the spending process] are mid-income and low-income people.... A deficit is a future tax."

It's true. While growing up, Sanford did spend time at his family's plantation. But for Clyburn to introduce that bit of race-baiting is somewhat like turning to Clyburn during a debate on capital punishment and saying: "You oppose the death penalty, just like your fellow black, O.J. Simpson."

Technically true, but patently unfair.