Rangel Lashes Out at President Obama
In light of embarrassing ethics charges recently surfacing against New York Representative Charles B. Rangel, President Obama suggested in an interview three weeks ago that Rangel, 80, should retire to “end his career with dignity.”
The New York Times reported that at a tense and sometimes fiery candidates’ forum Monday night, Rangel lashed out that it was not his dignity the president should be worried about.
“Frankly, he has not been around long enough to determine what my dignity is,” Rangel said referencing Obama. “For the next two years, I will be more likely to protect his dignity.”
Some Democrats have said that Rangel is creating an embarrassment for his party by refusing to step down. In an answer to these comments, Rangel shot back, “I won’t step aside when the people of my district believe this is what I should be doing.”
According to The New York Times, when interviewed after the forum, Mr. Rangel elaborated on his remarks about Mr. Obama, making clear he did not believe anyone so junior to him had any place weighing in on his long career and stature.
“My dignity is 80 years old,” he said. “How can somebody so much younger tell me how to leave with dignity?”
