SotR Discussion! They were too soft on the VA radio host.
I felt like I should deliver something of a (low-stakes) take, because I was surprised that nobody brought this up during SotR! This is about their discussion of the "get your cotton-picking hands off of Virginia" radio host.
I agree with the gang: there was practically no tangible harm from this turn of phrase, and there's surely a possibility that this is just a universal expression this radio host likes. I also don't think the politician he was ranting to came out looking bad.
However, I think it's fair to hold it against him. One would expect a radio host to be familiar enough with his country's history to understand why something would invite racial tension, whether or not it was intended. It's especially obvious because of the even more literal phrasing ("cotton-picking hands") and its direct parallel to an industry historically associated with slavery. It does reflect negatively on him that he either didn't realize this, or didn't have enough empathy to at least clarify that it wasn't about his race.
Perhaps this is the argument for the "woke" position, I dunno. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else felt similarly.