Quick, everyone look in the mirror and check if “dumbass” is stamped on your forehead, because it’s apparent that’s what Clyburn thinks we are.

WASHINGTON — House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn objected Thursday to coverage of his views on the impact of President Barack Obama’s race on assessments of his performance in the White House.

In a letter to the editor of The State newspaper in Clyburn’s hometown of Columbia, S.C., the No. 3 House Democrat said an article published Thursday had sensationalized his perspectives on the ties between Obama’s race and his work as president.

“I have always abhorred the word ‘racism,’ ” Clyburn said in the letter. “I never use it. I believe it is a lethal term, and I am offended that my honest responses to a reporter’s clearly designed agenda would be distorted in such a manner.”

The article was published in The State, in other South Carolina newspapers and on dozens of McClatchy and non-McClatchy websites around the country.

There were more than 1,100 comments about the article within 24 hours of its posting on www.mccclatchydc.com and more than 450 comments on www.thestate.com in the same period.

“You know, I’m 70 years old,” the article quoted Clyburn as saying. “And I can tell you; people don’t like to deal with it, but the fact of the matter is, the president’s problems are in large measure because of his skin color.”

Clyburn then described hateful mail, phone calls and faxes he receives as the highest-ranking African-American in Congress. He suggested that Obama receives similar materials.