Tax Cheat Charles Rangel Calls Sarah Palin "Disabled"

Already under fire for his tax troubles, Manhattan Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) really put his foot in his mouth on Friday. In a CBS 2 HD exclusive interview, Rep. Rangel called Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin "disabled."

Transcript: Already under fire for his tax troubles, Manhattan Congressman Charles Rangel really put his foot in his mouth on Friday. In a CBS 2 HD exclusive interview Rep. Rangel called Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin "disabled."
CBS 2 HD: Why are the Democrats so afraid of Palin and her popularity.
Rep Charles Rangel: "You got to be kind to the disabled."
CBS 2 HD: "You got to be kind to the disabled?
Rangel: "Yes."
CBS 2 HD: "She's disabled?"
Rangel: "There's no question about it politically. It's a nightmare to think that a person's foreign policy is based on their ability to look at Russia from where they live.

Republicans think Rangel's comments are insulting as well as shocking.
Rep. Peter King, R-Long Island: "Charlie Rangel's comments are clearly disgraceful. This is just another liberal Democrat who can't accept an independent woman running for president."

King, who is co-chair of the McCain-Palin campaign in New York, watched Rangel's comments with CBS 2 HD. He was particularly upset because Palin's 4-month-old son, Trig, is disabled. He has Down's syndrome.

King: "We should be sensitive to her or any woman who has a child or family member who has any affliction at all. And so to use the word disabled in the context of a female candidate for vice president who has a child who is disabled really is wrong. Charlie owes her and the entire disabled community an apology."

Advocates for the disabled are also upset. Michael Imperiale said: "It makes me feel as if he's trying to put her down, trying to say she's not good for the presidency or the vice presidency. A disabled president ran this country. He was disabled. His name was Roosevelt."

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