"In for a penny, in for a millions bucks" I always say. For Representative Andre Carson (D-IN), that adage has special meaning.

Carson, one of the ranking members of the Congressional Black Caucus, sounded the alarm about the tea party at an event in Florida on August 22. From CNN:

Some of these folks in Congress would love to see us as second-class citizens. Some of them in Congress right now of this tea party movement would love to see you and me ... hanging on a tree," Carson said, according to the audio.

Obviously, no one has to "hang" Carson after he hoisted himself on his own petard.

Be that as it may, instead of apologizing for his rank hate speech, Carson doubled down:

On Wednesday, Carson told CNN he stood by those remarks.

"Well, I wasn't talking about the entire tea party. I think the tea party is absolutely right when they call for increased transparency in government, when they call for a cutback on excessive government spending. I am deeply concerned about some elements of the tea party who are extremist and who have reflected a mentality going back to the John Birch society, going back to George Wallace's Dixiecrats," Carson said.

Tea party officials have previously renounced characterizations that their movement is racist. Carson said he believes the vitriolic political environment has encouraged increased attacks on minority groups.

And earlier Wednesday, Jason Tomsci, a Carson aide, said the congressman's sentiments were valid. "Members of the tea party are holding up a lot of things that the president wants to do and want to gut critical services and programs that they know are important to African Americans as well as Latinos and other minorities," Tomsci said.

"There have been elements who have expressed, that have expressed deep hostilities toward African Americans, Latinos, immigrants as well, so I am concerned about those elements that are taking us off-track as a country," Carson said.

Let me get this straight. The tea party is sort of good, except when it's very bad, and then there really isn't anything good about it because it's so bad.

As soon as we untangle Carson's feet from being stuck in a couple of places thought impossible, we'll let you know what he really thinks.

Of course, no Democratic politician has called Carson out for those incredibly exaggerated and false statements. Criticism of a favored minority just isn't done in party circles lest the Black Caucus start calling members of their own party "racists." That won't happen which is why Carson feels no need to apologize or revise his remarks.