Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee On The Ed Show: "We've Allowed FOX News To Set Racial Policy In America"

[Turborama]

Run time: 05:04 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxmF48Xs3uo   Posted on YouTube: July 21, 2010 By YouTube Member: FixedNewsChannel Views on YouTube: 169   Posted on DU: July 21, 2010 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 891

 
SCHULTZ: And in my Playbook tonight, Michele Bachmann is fuming at Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for comments she made linking the Tea Party to the Ku Klux Klan. She visited her old buddy Hannity to talk about how the Tea Party isn`t racist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA CONGRESSWOMAN: You have a member of Congress saying that mainstream America, God-fearing freedom loving patriots, who object to this out-of-control spending, now they are part of the KKK? That`s essentially what she is saying. I don`t know any more of a worse smear than you could possibly have. Racism is ugly. You hate racism. I hate racism. Most of your listeners out there, I`d say like 99.9999 percent of your listeners hate racism. So, stop saying that normal people are racist when they aren`t.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Joining me now to respond is Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas. Congresswoman, your response to what you just heard, please. Thanks for joining us tonight.

REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D), TEXAS: Well, Ed, it`s very glad to be with you, and first of all, let me say that I join my colleagues in fighting for the republicans to stop obstructing the extending of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans who are in need, and we hope to get that bill, the democrats do, and be able to help the Americans who are in need today. I guess, I would like to answer the question in that very same vain which is we need to be working on how we can improve jobs in America and how we can make sure that Americans have a better quality of life.

If the Tea Party would just stand up and acknowledge that elements of their party, elements of this organization that I frankly don`t agree with my colleague. It`s not mainstream America. Most mainstream Americans find themselves in the middle. We all know that, would just acknowledge that elements of their group seem to have a fascination with race. Just denounce it, and we can all move forward. I have no problem, no quarrel with the Tea Party.

SCHULTZ: She says they are not. She says -- she says the Tea Party is not racist and no element of it is. What do you make of that?

LEE: Well, as long as you continue to be in denial, this kind of engagement and controversy will continue. The NAACP, if any of its members, I know them very well, were promoting racist tendencies, you can be assured, I`m talking about their membership, you can be assured that they would stand up. Now, just recently, they expelled Mark Williams who said that slavery was a great gig or that the NAACP was using race and getting more money from race than a slave trader. What kind of comments are those if they want to comment on comments that I may have mentioned, it is just a question of asking them to denounce those who want to use race and use it in an ugly manner that are amongst their group.

SCHULTZ: And you`ve made it very clear that you think that there are some elements of the Tea Party that are like the Ku Klux Klan, that they are racist and have a fascination with it. With that, are you somewhat offended that there`s going to be a Tea Party caucus?

LEE: Well, you know, I believe in democracy and equality, and if there are members of this Congress who are brave enough to join the Tea Party caucus and believe that they have a message of hope and opportunity and they have a message of creating jobs. They have a message of improving the health care of Americans, they have a message of helping those who are unemployed, then so be it. I have no quarrel with that.

SCHULTZ: OK.

LEE: But what I do have a quarrel with is refusing to admit in reality that there are elements. Ed, you know, over a year ago when we had our town hall meetings, you were certainly engaged in seeing the activity that occurred. In my own town hall meetings, there were episodes that one could cite as being unfortunate, signs that say, I voted for the American, don`t blame me. And pictures and so, all I ask is nothing argumentative. I simply say, if these elements exist simply denounce them and promote the mission of the Tea Party as you perceive it.

SCHULTZ: And congresswoman, a developing story at this hour. USDA official Shirley Sherrod resigned late yesterday after this videotape was sent out by Andrew Breitbart, who is the same guy that did the editing of the tape on the ACORN controversy. The NAACP has asked for the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to reconsider. Do you think he should?

LEE: Secretary Vilsack is a decent and wonderful American.

SCHULTZ: Was she railroaded? Was she railroaded? Does she deserve a hearing on this?

LEE: My point is that I believe Secretary Vilsack has the kind of integrity that will listen to all of us. As I have read the circumstances, and this was a statement made some 20-plus years ago, and as was mentioned earlier in your program, farmers have come out and said, this woman has worked to the bone on our behalf, then, yes, absolutely, I think there should be a re-consideration.

SCHULTZ: OK.

LEE: I don`t have all the facts, but I believe that in this instance, we`ve allowed FOX News to set racial policy in America and they should be the last ones setting any racial policy in America.

SCHULTZ: We will follow the story. Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson Lee. Thanks for your time tonight.

LEE: Thank you for having me.

[wndycty]

1. K&R

:kick:

[Turborama]

2. .

Just a little kickaroonie for the late night crowd...