Rangel, Kerry singing from same hymnal

I blogged yesterday about Charlie Rangel's swipe at my neighbor, the great State of Mississippi. Rep. Chip Pickering (R) has demanded an apology and voiced what's on many Southerners' minds:

"I hope his remarks are not the kind of insults, slander and defamation that Mississippians will come to expect from the Democrat leadership in Washington, D.C.," he said.

Don't get your hopes up, Chip.

Rangel came back with this Kerry-esque response: "I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I just love New York so much that I can't understand why everyone wouldn't want to live here."

Reminds me of Ray Nagin's insistence that "chocolate" meant "a drink made with white milk and dark chocolate."

This "I meant the exact opposite of what I said" act is getting old, but I don't think it's fooling many people. Personally, I say, keep handing them the microphones. Let's have the whole country hear more about what bigots they are. Yes, I said bigots. Smearing the troops or Southerners is just as bigoted as smearing African-Americans or homosexuals.

Dang, I'm getting cranky. Time for the weekend and some time out with Rich.