Casual Observation

I suppose some Republican heads will explode when they learn that President Obama compared Nelson Mandela to George Washington. But there’s one big difference between them. They both stood up to an oppressive colonial regime. They both won in that struggle. They both helped found their countries. They both served as their country’s first presidents. They both stepped down voluntarily in the interest of promoting democracy.

But Nelson Mandela never owned any slaves.

Author: BooMan

Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.