Ol' Ivan Offers a Refesher Course in Bubba

U.S. Rep. Mike D. Rogers  (R-Ala) says of Barack Obama: "We survived Jimmy Carter … we can survive this ol' boy."  The Opelika Auburn News is not impressed. "Rogers needs to apologize for what we hope was a momentary lapse in judgment. We find his comments to be offensively disrespectful. Our president is nobody's 'boy."

Ol' Ivan, Underbelly's crack Alabama bureau chief, uncharacteristically comes to Ol' Mike's defense:

 Rogers did not use the expression “boy” in referring to Obama, which is as insulting as using the “N” word. He used the express “ol' boy” as in “that good ol boy may be dumber than a log, but he knows catfishing.” Or,  “that ol' boy aint got the sense that gawd promises a billy goat.” In other words, “boy” by itself is racist but “ol' boy” or “good ol'boy” has nothing to do with race. Used here, it says while I disagree with Obama, we’re “ol' boys” or really “good ol' boys” in this political world together, though on opposite sides.

PS – If Rogers had the sense that God promises a billy goat he would have tacked a “bless his heart” onto his comment. You can say anything about anybody in da souf so long as you include a “bless his (or her) heart.