Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Mr. Snow
Tony Snow is a racist?
No, of course not.
But don't tell that to Donna Brazile, the Democratic Party uberconsultant and former Gore 2000 campaign manager who happens to be African American.
During the early minutes of Snow's first on-camera White House briefing earlier today, he refused to be drawn into commenting on the NSA's alleged data mining program, and used a phrase deemed offensive by some African Americans. Here's what he actually said:
"Having said that, I don't want to hug the tar baby of trying to comment on the program -- the alleged program -- the existence of which I can neither confirm nor deny."
At which point, apparently, Donna Brazile's phone began ringing off the hook with calls from irate African Americans demanding God knows what of Snow, simply because he used the phrase "tar baby." She dutifully called April Ryan, the White House reporter for the American Urban Radio Network, to tell Ryan that her phone was ringing off the hook. Ryan filed a story on her network.
"Tar baby," as anyone with even a modicum of knowledge of American folklore can tell you, comes from the stories of Uncle Remus -- B'rer Rabbit, and B'rer Fox, and all that. Here's a link to the original story: The Wonderful Tar Baby
I first remember reading the stories of Uncle Remus in a collection of books by Walt Disney that my parents bought for me while I was still in elementary school. Walt Disney himself brought the stories to the big screen in 1946, in "Song of the South" -- which upon its release was hailed as Disney's greatest accomplishment yet. The movie was Disney's first live action/animation feature-length film, and it wowed crowds all over the world -- so much so that it was released again in 1956, 1972, 1980, and 1986.
So, Mr. Snow, while Donna Brazile may be upset with you, at least you're in good company -- and I'll take Walt Disney over Donna Brazile any day of the week. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!
No, of course not.
But don't tell that to Donna Brazile, the Democratic Party uberconsultant and former Gore 2000 campaign manager who happens to be African American.
During the early minutes of Snow's first on-camera White House briefing earlier today, he refused to be drawn into commenting on the NSA's alleged data mining program, and used a phrase deemed offensive by some African Americans. Here's what he actually said:
"Having said that, I don't want to hug the tar baby of trying to comment on the program -- the alleged program -- the existence of which I can neither confirm nor deny."
At which point, apparently, Donna Brazile's phone began ringing off the hook with calls from irate African Americans demanding God knows what of Snow, simply because he used the phrase "tar baby." She dutifully called April Ryan, the White House reporter for the American Urban Radio Network, to tell Ryan that her phone was ringing off the hook. Ryan filed a story on her network.
"Tar baby," as anyone with even a modicum of knowledge of American folklore can tell you, comes from the stories of Uncle Remus -- B'rer Rabbit, and B'rer Fox, and all that. Here's a link to the original story: The Wonderful Tar Baby
I first remember reading the stories of Uncle Remus in a collection of books by Walt Disney that my parents bought for me while I was still in elementary school. Walt Disney himself brought the stories to the big screen in 1946, in "Song of the South" -- which upon its release was hailed as Disney's greatest accomplishment yet. The movie was Disney's first live action/animation feature-length film, and it wowed crowds all over the world -- so much so that it was released again in 1956, 1972, 1980, and 1986.
So, Mr. Snow, while Donna Brazile may be upset with you, at least you're in good company -- and I'll take Walt Disney over Donna Brazile any day of the week. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!
posted by Pascoe at 5:59 PM
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