Dan Rather makes 'watermelon' joke about Obama

Dan Rather, who has made a name for himself in part with simple anecdotes, has now spun one about Republicans and at the same time is raising eyebrows for a quip linking selling watermelons and President Obama.

Dan Rather, the former anchorman for CBS news, now finds himself in some hot water after spinning a racially tinged anecdote about how the Republicans will go on the offensive in the fall elections and how they are going to portray President Obama. Rather was making an appearance on the "Chris Matthews Show" Sunday when he was asked what he thought the Republican line of attack would be. Rather then drummed up an anecdote that has raised everyone's eyebrows saying Republicans will refer to Obama as, "a nice person ... very articulate (but an ineffective leader who) "couldn't sell watermelons if you gave him the state troopers to flag down the traffic." Rather stated that Republicans will make the case in an attempt to win over Independent voters. A similar racial mis-step cost the mayor of Los Alamitos, California his job when he sent an e-mail showing watermelons on the front lawn of the White House. The mayor claimed that he was unaware of the stereotype that blacks liked watermelons. Nevertheless he did resign over the uproar.