Them Pesky Negroes

Recently on the Senate floor, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) criticized the extra Medicaid funding for Nebraska in the health care bill by noting that his home state is also facing problems. In addition to high unemployment, Graham inexplicably mentioned that South Carolina has a "31 percent African American population."

Err... Graham's been around too long to shoot his mouth off like he's on crack. Definitely too long to be making sinister statements that sound like winks to the Klan to start running black folks out of South Carolina.

Maybe he's just staying in line with the Republican talking point that dare not speak its name: South Carolina 31 percent African American? Conservative problem. President of the United States 50 percent African American? Huge conservative problem.

In the olden days when pols still had shame and dignity, they'd apologize for this kind of stuff, maybe even resign. But not any more.

As a side note, doesn't Graham look right at home here?