GOP official defends Obama chimpanzee email; party leader calls it 'racist'

[The Straight Story]

GOP official defends Obama chimpanzee email; party leader calls it 'racist'

An Orange County Republican Party official is defending an email she sent that portrays President Obama's face superimposed on a chimpanzee with the words: "Now you know why — No birth certificate!"

Marilyn Davenport, an elected member of the party's central committee, described the controversy as "much to do about nothing" in an email and vowed that she would not resign.

"I'm sorry if my email offended anyone, I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth," she wrote. "In no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people tried to make this about race. We all know a double standard applies regarding this president. I received plenty of emails about George Bush that I didn't particularly like, yet there was no 'cry' in the media about them."

She declined to comment to The Times on Saturday.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/04/gop-official-defends-obama-chimpanzee-email-party-leader-calls-it-racist.html

[Peregrine Took]

1. Always with the half assed "apology" ......."I'm sorry IF anyone was offended"

Must have been some PR genius that came up with this abomination.

[louis-t]

2. Followed by the obligatory 'they do it, too'

from the party of 'personal responsibility'.

[theoldman]

3. How can a person be so stupid?

First you have to become a Republican. Maybe it's the other way around. First you become a Republican and then you become stupid.

[cascadiance]

4. I guess she's not smart enough to understand the difference racism towards family heritage...

... which showing Obama with apes as parents definitely points to, and the Bush chimp references referring more to his facial expressions and his mental capacity instead (though I think its probably insulting to chimps that have shown themselves more capable of riding a Segway than he is).

Does ANYONE have ANY pic of Bush with his parents as apes? ANYONE? That alone should prove the point that this is clearly racist!

[Control-Z]

5. Sure, Marilyn.

"I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth,"

You lying sack of crap. FU

[walldude]

6. Ok then.. if it's not because he's black then show me

all the funny white people you photoshopped onto Ape bodies. Or any funny white people photoshops you have sent out as e-mails. Or anything like this you have done during your career to attack any white person on the planet. Just one.

[pokerfan]

7. She's a racist moron

"In no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people tried to make this about race."

Disingenuous, too. I'm betting in an average day that not too many thoughts enter her mind.

[mfcorey1]

8. That ranks up there with the lamest excuses ever given for an inappropriate

action. How would she feel if we replaced Obama's face in the email and put hers there instead?