Decius wrote:
At first read it struck me as offensive, but if you look at the context, the audience laughed... it was intended to be sarcastic. I don't know if it bothers me as a joke. Coming from a public official it reveals a sort of closed mindedness that I wouldn't want to vote for, but I'm not sure I'd call it hate.

Hastings made his remarks before an "audience of Jewish Democrats" and after his comments, "the room erupted in laughter and applause." That's even more troubling. Hastings isn't a stand-up comedian, he's a politician. He attacked Palin, accusing her of prejudice simply because she's white, and a hunter. There's no other way to take his comment. He used race to scare people, by falsely accusing someone else of racism. Legitimate racism is serious issue, and people shouldn't recklessly make such accusations. All that does is stir up trouble and bad feelings when there weren't any before.

RE: Racist Comment by Rep. Alcee Hastings