thom w wrote:
I didn't see it as a dog whistle, but the comment wasn't thought through, and using eloquent and monkey in one statement about a black person was bound to offend someone. I'm not familiar with him. If he has a history of racist talk, then I'm wrong and it probably is racist. If he didn't mean it that way he should say so, apologize, and be more careful in the future.
I agree - he is not known to be a racist, but the problem for him is that aligning himself so much with Trump (he is "right up Trump's ass" as my rural Maine friends would say) is both good for him and bad - this was taken as a racist comment because Trump is so likely to mutter comments that appeal to the racists who support him.