The Race Debate

"Not until Monday evening, five days after Imus's comments were uttered and hours after CBS Radio and MSNBC announced a two-week suspension for the radio host, did Obama weigh in, saying in a statement: 'The comments of Don Imus were divisive, hurtful, and offensive to Americans of all backgrounds.' Obama did not address whether he thought Imus should be taken off the air . . .

"The candidate's reticence on the Imus issue set off alarms yesterday among some black activists who are anxious to see him more forcefully push for racial justice."

Dick Polman questions the role of Reverend Al:

"Sharpton was playing judge and jury early this morning, on NBC's "Today Show," declaring that Imus' Monday apology was 'too little, too late,' that it was 'business as usual,' and that Imus should vanish forever because 'people should not be attacked for their gender or their race.' And yet Matt Lauer never bothered to ask Sharpton to explain why he deems himself qualified to sit in judgment. Lauer mentioned that Sharpton has been a figure of 'controversy' in the past, but never hit the preacher with the actual facts.

"Such as: In 1987, Sharpton concocted the Tawana Brawley hoax, charging that a 15-year-old black girl had been abducted, raped, and smeared with feces by a group of white men. He targeted one particular guy, who turned out to innocent. In fact, the crime itself never happened. Sharpton taunted his white target, saying: 'If we're lying, sue us.' The guy did sue -- and wound up winning a $345,000 defamation verdict against Sharpton . . . who, to this day, has refused to recant his slander or to apologize."

By the way, if you think Imus was rough on the Rutgers women, check out this piece on director David O. Russell and his expletive-filled tirade against Lily Tomlin.

On to politics. This may not qualify as breaking news, but the New York Times says the GOP is nervous about next year:

"Republican leaders across the country say they are growing increasingly anxious about their party's chances of holding the White House, citing public dissatisfaction with President Bush, the political fallout from the war in Iraq and the problems their leading presidential candidates are having generating enthusiasm among conservative voters.

"In interviews on Tuesday, the Republicans said they were concerned about signs of despondency among party members and fund-raisers, reflected in polls and the Democratic fund-raising advantage in the first quarter of the year. Many party leaders expressed worry that the party's presidential candidates faced a tough course without some fundamental shift in the political dynamic."

Two strikingly different views of the Giuliani candidacy. Roger Simon is positively upbeat:

"Rudy Giuliani will hold your baby, hug your dog, autograph your T-shirt and blow you a kiss. All in the space of 15 minutes.

"I watch him do these things as he makes his way down Market Street in Charleston's famed Historic District, which on this bright and warm spring day is packed with tourists.