Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz. referred to Black people as "colored people" Thursday in floor debate over his proposed amendment to an annual defense policy bill, prompting a stern rebuke from the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Lawmakers were debating a series of GOP-backed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the House aims to pass by the end of the week.
It’s kind of a dialect type thing where certain phrases or wording gives more information than just what’s been stated. Whether the speaker actually means those things is different than what the listener hears and understands based on their cultural experience.
In this particular case the usual implication is, “I’m trying to be polite but if I could I would use the N word instead.”.
It tends to be true because it’s an older term.
I do agree that it can be confusing, even for Americans.