Loretta Sanchez under fire over 'shocking' Native American joke

[RandySF]

ANAHEIM -- U.S. Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez's campaign was off to a rough start after a videotape surfaced showing her making a whooping cry in reference to Native Americans during an apparent joke.

Her chief rival, Attorney General Kamala Harris, called the gesture "shocking."

The video, which was shared on social media on Saturday, shows Sanchez, a 10-term congresswoman, tapping her hand over her open mouth and making a whooping sound while speaking to a group of Indian-American delegates at a state Democratic Party convention.

She made gesture while talking about her confusion over whether a potential campaign supporter, who had referred himself as from the "Indian American community," was Native American or of South Asian descent.

Questioned later by reporters, Sanchez said American Indians have "a great presence in our country and many of them are supporting our election."


http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_28134062/loretta-sanchez-under-fire-over-shocking-native-american

[tech3149]

1. This is just so effing depressing!

I could support either candidate based on their history with reservations for both. But what is going on here? Are there republican plants on the campaign team? Is the media just blowing up an incidental comment to push a story?
My somewhat detached perspective is Mercury News need something to write about AND the campaigns are too stupid to avoid low hanging fruit to score points.

[yeoman6987]

5. She said it herself. Hard to blame anybody but her.

[fredamae]

2. Not Shocking to me

She is a member of the New Dem Coalition/Third Way BS. She ought to know better.
http://newdemocratcoalition-kind.house.gov/membership

[bigdarryl]

3. Is this fool a Democrat ?

[dhill926]

4. wouldn't be surprised if she ends up pulling out over this....

Harris will win easily anyway....

[sufrommich]

6. I saw this earlier this morning. My first thought was

"well there goes her election chances" What a stupid thing to do.

[UTUSN]

7. She's never been ... sharpest tool/whatever. n/t