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Every old white person of a certain age, who remembers taking thier kids to see the Disney movie ‘Song of the South’ is thinking – just more whining.  And they tune out entirely.

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Racism is real.  There are enough genuine examples of it without trivializing the subject like this.

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The conspiracy theorist in me wondered whether Romney might have used the term on purpose in order to generate a little of this harmless heat, which also sends a message to certain kinds of conservatives nationwide. This happened for Snow, when Southern supporters especially used it as an example of p.c. liberalism run amok and northern ignorance of southern culture.

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Snow himself and his defenders claimed (wrongly) that critics were ignorant of the folktale origin of the term. In doing so they ludicrously claimed the Uncle Remus stories themselves were racially neutral too.

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WTF!  He’s Governor of this state and the biggest public works project in the state’s history (US history?) is falling apart and killing people and he makes it out as a badge of courage that he is dealing with the problem!

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And we’re focusing on a obscure phrase?  Folks, we have a problem here and apparently it is us.  Yes the phrase/word is wrong.  But we got a Governor that has spent the last 3 years ignoring the Big Dig and everytime something went wrong (like a flooding tunnel) he used it as an excuse to try and fire Matt.  Now, he’s off campaigning for President and using his “to little, to late” efforts to paint himself a hero.

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HELLO…earth to Democrats…it’s Mitt’s job to focus on the Big Dig and he’s totally screwed it up and must be called on it.  Tar baby is secondary to the shallow competence we’re letting him get away with.

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WHERE in all of this did Mitt screw up? WHAT opportunity to take oversight and begin an investigation did he neglect?

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And I’m sorry, but any bona fide member of the hackarama, right or left, would have advised that the shrewd move would be to stay far away from a problem which will not be solved anytime soon, especially while dealing with a Legislature that would rather spend money on rhododendrons and loam than tunnel safety inspections.

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I was more with Cannon – musing whether there was any political upside in using a Snow-protected phrase, inviting a little political heat from word police in order to be seen as “accidental hero” with certain conservatives….but when I thought about it, seemed so unlikely, though.  Fairly low potential upside, fairly large potential downside.  If you want a Sistah Souljah moment, so much better to pick a person than a word. 

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Yet you’re fairly confident that this was a purposeful, Machiavellian move.  Why? 

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Peter -

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I agree with you that Frank’s blaming Mitt for Big Dig, when he wasn’t allowed to dump Amorello, is off target.  But Frank’s right that it was RIDICULOUS for Mitt to claim that distancing himself from Big Dig would have been a “good move” in his run for VP.  This is his “I’m in charge” moment.  His stump speech is now:

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*I saved the Olympics
*I balanced MA budget, despite the nutty libs
*I stepped up when the Tip O’Neil/Ted K axis of evil finally conceded that their Big Dig mess needed grown-up supervision.  Republicans (like you) will certainly buy his version of things in primary season, that the problems were created by Dems. 

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Romney’s whining and lame attempts–the SJC gave an opinion–and won’t let me do anything, well then take to the bully pulpit and demand control.  After the tunnel leak, public opinion would have forced the legislature hand–like it did this month.  At least try and not whine–I’d have respect in Romeny if he atleast tried and failed at that point.  But his level of “trying” during the leak situation is the same level of hackarama games you seem to decry.

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The bottom line is that Romney is part of a long line of Republican Governors that either exhibited a “see no evil, hear no evil” attitude (Romney and Weld) or took part in the feeding frenzy (Celluci (sp) and Swift).  Peter, you’re like Howie Carr and other conservatives that just want to ignore the fact that Republicans controlled the oversight of this process and blame it on Democratic hacks.  Yes, there were plenty of Dem hacks at the dinner table getting their share of patronage.  But sitting at the head of the table were Republicans.  Nothing you say will change the truth.

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“Tar baby” is such a wonderful image and metaphor and I feel sorry for those who can’t enjoy its use, and appreciate the history of our language and culture, and who see political conspiracies behind every twist of phrasing. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

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He should be glad he didn’t use the word “niggardly”.  Didn’t a city manager somewhere get fired for using that word a few years ago? 

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(As we all know, it means: 

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1. Grudging and petty in giving or spending.
2. Meanly small; scanty or meager.

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I’m sure no politician is too savvy on words that connote small spending.)

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http://www.hubpoliti…

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Who knew that the Globe and Kerry also used this term in the SAME way, and got zero criticism?  Of course, who can criticize the Globe in the Globe?