Rangel Explains Use of ‘Cracker’: ‘I Thought That Was a Term of Endearment’

Congressman Charlie Rangel has, in the past, trashed tea partiers as “white crackers” just like the ones who opposed civil rights. But today, Rangel claimed he thought “cracker” was just a term of endearment and not a word with negative connotations.

HuffPost Live’s Marc Lamont Hill brought up that comment from last year and suggested to Rangel that people who would agree with his overall sentiment may have been turned off by the use of that particular word.

Rangel said, “I thought that was a term of endearment, you know.”

Hill burst out laughing and asked if Rangel honestly didn’t know the word “cracker” bothered people. “With all of the feelings I have against these people,” Rangel said, “if I offended them by calling them a white cracker, for that I apologize.”

But that being said, Rangel rather amusedly said he’d like to have dinner with people who were offended by him saying “cracker.”

Watch the video below, via HuffPost Live:

[h/t Gothamist]
[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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