Buchanan Plays "The Race Card"

I guess I never really had any doubts about the character of Pat Buchanan. Today, he simply verified what I have always known to be true. While serving as a commentator Buchanan intimated today that Gen. Colin Powell had endorsed Barack Obama simply because he was black. Buchanan disregarded the hatchet job that the Republican Party did on Powell's credibility when they sent him before the United Nations in 2003 with the misinformation that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction, Buchanan disregarded the divisive tenor of the campaign that McCain has allowed Steve Schmidt to run on his behalf. Lastly Buchanan seems to expect everyone to join in his delusion that Sarah Palin was a spectacular choice of running mate by Sen. McCain.

Sec. Powell, while speaking glowingly of McCain cited a litany of reasons for his decision to endorse Sen. Obama. None of these reasons were first stated by Powell and most of them have been noted by other Republicans. Tell me Mr. Buchanan, how about:

Susan Eisenhower - Daughter of Pres. Eisenhower

Tricia Moseley - former staffer for the late Sen. Strom Thurmond.

Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican Senator from Rhode Island.

Lilibet Hagel - Wife of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel.

All of the above people are white, and Republican. All have endorsed Sen. Obama. If Powell made his decision based entirely on race, why then, did these people endorse Obama?

Buchanan wasn't done though. He went on to accuse Rep. John Lewis of switching his alliance, in the Democratic primary, from Sen. Hillary Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama also, solely on the basis of race. Once again, Buchanan ignores the likes of:

Joe Andrew

Dennis Cardoza

George McGovern

Raul Grijalva

Again, all are white and all switched from Sen. Clinton to Sen. Obama. Buchanan called Powell ungrateful because of his endorsement. This seems odd to me in that if McCain seeks, as he so fervently stated in the debate, to separate himself from George Bush, then he certainly would not seek to call in any loyalty that Powell might owe to Bush, would he?

I had always held my suspicions as to the true nature of Pat Buchanan's character, but was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because a reputable organization like MSNBC was willing to take him on. Now Buchanan has pulled MSNBC towards the mud in which he dwells and the network would be well served to cut Buchanan loose.