Racism Charges in District Attorney Race
With election day only three weeks from today, the race for Dallas County District Attorney is growing increasingly strident and personal. Yesterday, the war of words widened to include charges of racism from both sides. District Attorney Craig Watkins, who is black and a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Republican Danny Clancy, who is white.
Clancy reports that his family has recently been victimized by vandals, including the theft of tires and wheels from his SUV. He also says his wife's tires have been slashed and his campaign considers it to be political mischief. It seems "...terribly suspicious with an election in less than thirty days." Watkins sternly denies any involvement.
Yesterday, the head of the Dallas County Democratic Party joined in, saying Clancy's charges are racist, trying to feed on perceived stereotypes suggesting that whites believe car thieves are, as she put it, "...all black people from the 'hood." A Clancy campaign spokesman says any mention of racism shows "...how desperate..." Watkins is getting.
