"Anti-Obama 'Great White Hope' Needed By Republican Par

[frigidmagi]

NPR

Some observers of the town-hall antipathy towards President Barack Obama have argued that there's an undercurrent of racism in some of the criticism, that there's still a lot of anger among a fair number of whites that the nation is being led by its first African-American president.

There no doubt is truth to that. If not, why would Rep. Lynn Jenkins, a Kansas Republican, tell an audience in Kansas that her party was looking for a "great white hope" to stop Obama? She made the comment on Aug. 19. A YouTube search didn't turn up the video but that doesn't mean it won't appear there eventually.

Jenkins has apparently apologized for the controversial comment. The Associated Press reported:

Jenkins spokeswoman Mary Geiger told The Associated Press Thursday Jenkins apologizes for her word choice and did not intend to offend anyone. A White House spokesman withheld comment ahead of Thursday afternoon's on-the-record briefing.

White House spokesman Bill Burton did weigh in on Jenkins' comment this afternoon. Here's his exchange with a reporter:

REPORTER: Real quick, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins made a comment to her constituents in Topeka that the GOP is looking for their "great white hope." Any White House reaction to that and any reading -- any racial implications in that?

MR. BURTON: I saw that report. I also saw that her spokesperson backpedaled and said that that was a poor choice of words. We obviously give Congresswoman Jenkins the benefit of the doubt.

So the White House has decided to be charitable, probably a good strategy since Jenkins' comment is exactly the kind of repulsive, race-baiting expression many voters will find radioactive. That could redound in Obama's favor.

Still, it's astonishing that a U.S. congresswoman, in a public meeting in Topeka, in the YouTube age, would say the Republican Party needed a "great white hope" to defeat Obama.

Okay that statement? That one right there? Great White Hope? That was racist. There's no tap dancing around that, no hemming and hawing. It was racist. Not a poor choice of words. Outright racist.

[LadyTevar]

Open mouth, insert foot, swallow til you feel your kneecap.

Yeah, the GOP will have fun living that one down.