Lame, lame, lame. And what’s lamer is that the media’s spinning it as Reid “doubling down” on what he said this morning. John McCormack’s right, though: He’s not doubling down, he’s actually trying to weasel out of it by downplaying the racial aspect of it. Quote:

But in a statement Wednesday morning, the Reid campaign doubled down on the line.

“Sen. Reid’s contention was simply that he doesn’t understand how anyone, Hispanic or otherwise, would vote for Republican candidates because they oppose saving teachers’ jobs, oppose job-creating tax incentives for small businesses, oppose investments in job-creating clean energy projects, and oppose the help for struggling, unemployed Nevadans to put food on the table and stay in their homes,” read the statement.

In other words, he wasn’t saying that it’s crazy for Hispanics to be Republicans, he’s saying it’s crazy for anyone to be a Republican. Completely inane and demagogic, sure — but race-neutral! Except, of course, that’s not what he meant at all: He’s terrified that Latinos won’t turn out for him in November after he broke his promise to get an amnesty bill through (Democratic betrayal on immigration is a very hot topic these days in Spanish-language media, apparently), so now he’s going to push ye olde authenticity pander. Lest you think there’s any ambiguity about it, follow the link to McCormack and note Reid’s line about modern-day immigrants having skin that’s “a tone darker than ours.” He knew exactly what he was saying, and now that he’s been called on it, he’s inching away. It speaks volumes that this is what the Senate majority leader would rather talk about than, say, his supposedly glorious accomplishment in ramming through ObamaCare. I wonder why.