Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) said the black community has a right to be angry about high unemployment and poverty rates, but that the community can be a pest and still support President Obama.
“They don’t run to the White House or to Congress and pull us out and shoot us,” Rangel said.
“And if they scream and cry, that’s what the country’s all about.”
The president gave a speech to the Congressional Black Caucus last week in which he said that African Americans should “stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying” and support him.
“People tried to say he was criticizing the Congressional Black Caucus, 43 hardcore Democratic votes,” Rangel said on MSNBC. “No. I’m afraid that some of us when we’re talking to a group we realize that it’s being televised and that there’s a message to send.”
The CBC has one Republican member, Rep. Allen West (Fla.).
