Charlie Rangel on Obama: "Frankly, he has not been around long enough to determine what my dignity is"

Scandal-plagued Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) continues to make life uncomfortable for his fellow Democrats. As The New York Times reports:

It was a gentle but unmistakable nudge President Obama gave Representative Charles B. Rangel recently, suggesting in an interview three weeks ago that Mr. Rangel, 80, should retire to "end his career with dignity."

At a tense and sometimes fiery candidates' forum Monday night, Mr. Rangel shot back that it was not his dignity the president should be worried about.

"Frankly, he has not been around long enough to determine what my dignity is," Mr. Rangel said of the 49-year-old Mr. Obama. "For the next two years, I will be more likely to protect his dignity."

Comments

[Charlie Rangel]

Pull my finger!

[Qualis Artifex Pereo]

He's right.

[tired dog]

Hang in there Charlie, at least to and through election season.

[John]

I am no fan of Charlie Rangel. But at some level he is right. Obama is a punk compared to him.

[Joe M]

I'd rather be the punk if the criterion is political skill.

[John]

Charlie managed to serve in Congress for decades and be the chairman of the most powerful committee in Congress. He went from nothing to all of that. Obama while he did shine bright for about two years, will be out of national politics mostly likely by 2013. I am not so sure I wouldn't take Charlie's career over his.

[sloopyinca]

John, you have managed to write revisionist history in the present tense.

Bravo!

[kinnath]

Charlie did what every high-power career politician has always done. He figured out where the line was and then danced with one foot over the line daring anyone to come out and try to make something of it.

And it the end, Charlie will be done in by other high-power career politicians who have decided the polictal calculus shows an advantage at this specific time for cutting Charlie off at the knees.

The good news is that it looks like Charlie will go down swinging.

[JR]

Interesting distortion of reality. Praytell, how can you characterize having four rent controlled apartments as anything but flagrantly unlawful - given each apartment is supposed to be a primary residence.

This fat poverty pimp should be behind bars.

[x,y]

Another interesting point is that Rangel came to power before it was hip for young white suburanites and yuppies to fawn all over Obama. In some sense, Rangel earned his power. Obama was the beneficiary of a white guilt windfall.

[MNG]

""Frankly, he has not been around long enough to determine what my dignity is,"

Oh no he didn't!

[kinnath]

That would be "Oh no he di'n't"

[hmm]

That would be "Ahh hell nah"

[SugarFree]

"Aww, hells noh!"

[Racist Motherfucker]

Nah, where's da chicken?

[TickleStick]

Who doesn't love a good minstral show?

[sloopyinca]

What, Charlie? No race card? You do know Obama's mother was white, right?

Play it. Play iiiiitttttttttttttt!

[JR]

Obama is America's first Halfrican American president.

[Mr. FIFY]

Fuck you, Rangel.

[Spartacus]

Awesome!

There's absolutely no way Obama's ego will let him not respond to this. I'm gonna go make some popcorn.

[Summit chanted evening]

Popcorn goes with beer?

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

It's all a matter of picking the right bear.

Put plenty of butter on the pop corn and crack a Hefeweisen.

[EscapedWestOfTheBigMuddy]

...a matter of picking the right bear, which is to say "one that can chose the right beer for you".

Sheesh.

[Spartacus]

Everything goes with beer. Especially beer.

[hmm]

"For the next two years, I will be more likely to protect his dignity."

That's a little disconcerting. Why is a senator protecting the President's dignity? And what exactly does Chuck see the President's dignity needing to be protected from? And how exactly would he go about this protection?

[sloopyinca]

In related news, Maxine Waters blamed white people and George Bush again.

[J sub D]

Charlie Rangel talking about dignity is like Madonna talking about chastity. They've no first hand experience with the concept but they can use the words in a marginally coherent sentence.

[Aresen]

Charlie Rangel Any politician talking about dignity is like Madonna talking about chastity.

Not that I disagree, J sub D, I just think you did not have to be specific.

[P Brooks]

Henceforth, the phrase, "Hey, you've got a little dignity running down your chin; better wipe it off." shall be in common usage.

I so decree.

[Mainer]

I guess my gut reaction is akin to "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Rangel's a scumbag, but if he can give the Prez a little bitch slap, then I'm likin' it.

[Dagny T.]

More infighting plz! It's like the Dems are following a playbook for how to get creamed in November.

[Lamar]

I'm not sure Rangel is using the word "dignity" correctly. I think Rangel is referring to honor, or honesty or something similar. Loss of his dignity would occur because his honor or honesty is called into question.

[Moose]

Aristotle, you are so asking for a swirlie right now.

[East Bay Jay]

Rangel sounds like W describing Clinton 10 years ago (indirectly). I can't wait until Obama gives Rangel the 'subtle but not too subtle' finger during a speech. Or maybe he saves that for the SOTU?

[TrickyVic]

What Rangel means is that in decades of office he still doesn't know what his dignity is, so how could Obama.

[LarryA]

It was a gentle but unmistakable nudge President Obama gave Representative Charles B. Rangel recently, suggesting in an interview three weeks ago that Mr. Rangel, 80, should retire to "end his career with dignity."

I think that ship has sailed. And sunk. For both of them.

[Rick James]

Charlie Rangel!