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'He's 47 percent Negro'

When it comes to rhetorical excesses, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) is perhaps best known for his comments a year ago, when he said an administrative decision
President Obama in Arizona yesterday
President Obama in Arizona yesterday

When it comes to rhetorical excesses, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) is perhaps best known for his comments a year ago, when he said an administrative decision treating contraception access as preventive health care was comparable to 9/11 and the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Late last week, however, Kelly launched into another ugly diatribe, insisting that President Obama "divides" Americans "on race." The far-right congressman did not offer specific or substantive points to bolster the accusation, but added, "Listen, I'll tell you what: It's self-evident. I don't know if people who aren't reading or not watching, maybe, don't have the same opinion, but I think it's pretty obvious where we're going with some of this stuff."

I don't know what "stuff" is disturbing Kelly, but when it comes to racial divisions, the evidence doesn't exactly point in the president's direction (via Perry Stein).

Hundreds of protesters wielded signs, chanted slogans and argued with each other Tuesday outside Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, while President Barack Obama spoke about housing and the economy inside. [...]Racially-charged sentiment infused the protests and split the crowd both politically and physically.... Obama foes at one point sang, "Bye Bye Black Sheep," a derogatory reference to the president's skin color, while protesters like Deanne Bartram raised a sign saying, "Impeach the Half-White Muslim!"

One University of Arizona student said the president "needs to go back to where he came from," adding, "I am not a racist."

Another protestor shouted, in reference to the president, "He's 47 percent Negro."

Yet another whined about Obama, "He's divided all the races. I hate him for that."

Oh my.