MSNBC's O'Donnell Suggests 'Racist Message' in RNC Ad Linking Obama to Labor Unions
On Friday's Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC host O'Donnell seemed to channel his predecessor, Keith Olbermann, as he ridiculously suggested racism in an RNC ad which accused President Obama of being beholden to organized labor, a charge often made against Democrats for many years in the past.
But, as he began an interview with guest Jennifer Granholm, former Democratic governor of Michigan, O'Donnell wondered, "does that sound to you like they are trying to consciously or subconsciously deliver the racist message that, of course, of course a black man can't be the real boss?"
The MSNBC host began the segment:
LAWRENCE O'DONNELL: Governor, I want you to listen to that last line of that Republican attack ad against President Obama one more time.
CLIP OF AD: Stop Obama and his union bosses today. The Republican National Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.
O'DONNELL: The Republican Party is saying that the President of the United States has bosses, that the union bosses this President around, the unions boss him around. Does that sound to you like they are trying to consciously or subconsciously deliver the racist message that, of course, of course a black man can't be the real boss?
Granholm briefly seemed to suggest that he may be on to something that the ad has "racial overtones," before moving on say some words in favor of labor unions:
FORMER GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM: (D-MI): Wow, I hadn't thought about the racial overtones, but honestly, Lawrence, I think that ad is a bad ad. I mean, when you think about this, and I think people are starting to wake up to it, that the union really represents the little guy, and the ability of the janitors in the capitol to band together to be able to have some strength in negotiating. I mean, this is not like some guy with a cigar over in a corner, this is your neighbor.
These are everyday people. And when you think about the wage disparity, the income disparity in this nation, this growing chasm where the middle class used to be, I think it's no wonder why everyday citizens are supporting the right of these workers to band together. And I think this ad is going to backfire. I just, I really think that especially because union members are Democrats and Republicans, it sounds again like the Republicans are standing on the side of the billionaires, rather than the everyday citizen.
-Brad Wilmouth is a news analyst at the Media Research Center
