The police commissioner in Wolfeboro, N.H. stands by his use of a racial epithet to describe Barack Obama.

“I believe I did use the ‘N’ word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse,” (Robert) Copeland said in the email to his fellow police commissioners… “For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such.”

I have to say he doesn’t seem as friendly as the former police commissioner.

I’m curious as to how Obama “meets and exceeds” the official old person’s definition of a “nigger.” When more subtle bigots use the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Racist” code word of “thug” to describe a black person, it’s usually applied to a teenager who wears a hoodie (without the forgivable exception of being a Portland resident or CEO of Facebook) or to a trash-talking football player. But Obama has no criminal record, dresses conservatively, has two kids to the same mother to whom he’s still married, and has a job — it’s a crappy, thankless job, but like many other black men in a similar situation, he takes pride in his work.

So, if even Obama exceeds Copeland’s “criteria” for nigger-hood, then it’s probably a low bar. Chalk up another win for Affirmative Action, I guess.

About 20 black people live in Wolfeboro, a town of 6,300 residents in the scenic Lakes Region, in the central part of New Hampshire, a state that’s 94 percent white and 1 percent black. None of the town police department’s 12 full-time officers is black or a member of another minority.

Resident Frank Bader mocked those who took offense at Copeland’s comments in a state that prizes freedom.

“All this man did was express his displeasure with the man who’s in office,” Bader said.

Oh, this again? At least he didn’t directly mention the first amendment. Despite that one Chris Rock routine every white person has apparently seen and memorized, “nigger” is not a qualitative noun. It’s not like Copeland called Obama an “idiot” or a “liar” or a “moron.” “Nigger” refers only to his skin color. Perhaps Copeland believes that is condemnation enough.