Virginia Democratic Rep. Jim Moran is blaming his party's losses last November in large part on voters who "don't want to be governed by an African-American."

The comments were made following President Obama's State of the Union speech Tuesday during an interview with Arab network Alhurra. Asked about the results of the midterm elections, the Virginia congressman compared the political environment to that which preceded the Civil War and suggested race was a determining factor.

"It happened ... for the same reason the Civil War happened in the United States," Moran said. "Southern states, particularly the slaveholding states, didn't want to see a president who was opposed to slavery.

"In this case a lot of people in this country, it's my belief, don't want to be governed by an African-American, particularly one who is inclusive, who is liberal, who wants to spend money on everyone and who wants to reach out to include everyone in our society. And that's a basic philosophical clash," Moran said.

Moran attributed his party's opposition to an "uneasiness" with President Obama, saying the criticism comes from a "selfish and close-minded perspective."

Reached for comment, Moran's office stood by the remarks.

"With nearly 1,000 identified hate groups in the U.S. and recent studies showing a majority of Americans believe racism is still widespread against African-Americans, it is no secret that our country has and continues to struggle with racial equality," spokeswoman Anne Hughes said in an e-mail. "The congressman was expressing his frustration with this problem and the role it played in the last election. Rather than ignore this issue or pretend it isn't there, the congressman believes we are better off discussing it in order to overcome it."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/28/rep-moran-dems-lost-dont-want-governed-african-american/?test=latestnews#

I've always heard that democrats eat their own.

Funny... I live in a southern state and don't know anyone who's expressed that they don't like the President just because he's an African American.

I love how they use the race card to try and distract or shift focus.

I read this this morning and had a good laugh.

Or perhaps they are trying to develop 'hate' in one segment of the population...

woops... I forgot, according to the 'media' only republicans drum up hate... My bad.

Poppycock!

So is what Mr. Moran stated as though it was fact...

PURE dee balderdash...

along with the poppycock that says 'white people voted McCain and black people voted Obama'... Which has also been stated.

I know black people the voted for McCain and white people that voted for Obama...

So when I hear such silly statements I know them to be nonsense...

More of what is wrong in politics today...

Every one stretches partial truths to make the other one look all bad.

you said it... POPPYCOCK!!!

Well, there are those that DO things with their lives and there are others who just fret and gnash their teeth about what others are doing with theirs...

Maybe it's just in my circles because I can't account for those southerners that I don't know and haven't discussed the matter with, but I stand by my statement.

I haven't agreed with everything Obama has done, but I sure don't miss Bush either.

If you're implying that all southerners are racist, I consider the implication false at best and inflammatory at worst.

You can stir a very small pot (via posting in a non important internet forum) and still create a big stink, but still, that's all it is...Stink...

All southerners aren't racist bigots. Some of us see the bigger picture and it's low class and inaccurate imo to suggest otherwise.

cant completely agree here, although I am certain many dont wish the lead of an African American Male, it is much more complex than that

the fact that OBama was elected brings doubt to the assumption that the issue is as simple as 'not wanting' a black male, I do however feel that being the minority does cause a higher level of scrutiny and a quicker tendency to jump to negative conclusions

but mostly, I think people dont understand how limited an authority the president is in america and expect alot more from them than they have the authority to deliver and often when people feel one person or persons havent given them what they want the ASSUMPTION is the 'other' person or persons will ( or that they will at least not do worse)

Fact-o-da-matter, Hussein ain't a purebreed. I agree, he is african. The American part is doubtful.

Racism is still very much a part of American society.

I'm saying that there are plenty of whites who don't like Obama merely because he is black.
It has nothing to do with region and that anyone, white, who says they have not heard the racism is either a shut-in or a hermit living miles from any other whites.
The racist won't voice their true colors in a mixed crowd, and they won't to it here or in the media, but it sure is happening.
Happening a lot, regularly, and with vehemence.

I could care less what Moran says.

this is a game that everyone plays.

anytime someone doesn't like an outcome they reason some nefarious plot is behind it.

the fact is the democrats are incompetent, childish malcontents.

They ***** and moan at the drop of a hat and its never their fault for anything.

2 years of blaming Bush got them run out of office. I personally hope they continue because it doesn't help them it just pisses people off.

I agree, racism is a whole other topic that I could probably take hundreds of pages discussing, ,,lol,,,,, its real and exists from one extreme to another

I just think that people had just as broad a range of reasons that they were unsupportive as they have a broad range of racist tendencies

Its too simplistic to think it was overwhelmingly or simply because of racism

Yes, much more complicated.

Can you say Spite?

Then there's the Ron Paul syndrome of idiocy.

Rejuvenated by the Repub created distraction called the Tea Party.

Lead by the woman they couldn't figure out what to do with.
After they brought her to their campaign to counter Clinton and the woman vote she brought to the Obama campaign.

Sarah, "the darling," Palin!

you just can't quit bringing her up, can you?... you must have a serious crush on her...

Dems didn't lose the mid terms because of some big migration of voters any way.

They lost because the dissatisfied Repub voters thought they would get something different with the Tea-Party. Only to find their vote was wasted, as the Tea Party was absorbed by the Repub Party in the end.

That and the Dem voter's exhibition of complacency when they didn't show up at the Polls.

Obama in 2012!

Hands down!

dems lost because the people are fed you with the dems and their lies, wild accusations, and general BS...Obama is trying to ruin our country with his out of control spending and the people have had enough of that crap...

its just the usual cycle, Bush went throught the same in his midterm
for two reasons in my opinion


1st, because modern culture is impatient, they want everything and they want it NOW, if it doesnt happen with the expediency they wish they would rather toss it out snd start over than keep working on it (in the political world anyhow)

2nd, becauase people always assume changing the FACE of 'leadership' will bring SIGNIFICANT changeto the cycle and the process,,,,not sure why they dont believe that leadership itself can improve and worsen just like everyone of us,,, regardless of the political label it has