Charlie Webster Apologizes For 'Black Voters' Comment
Earlier this week Main GOP Chair, Charlie Webster said that "In some parts of rural Maine, there were dozens, dozens of black people who came in and voted on Election Day. Everybody has a right to vote, but nobody in town knows anyone who's black."
After he was criticized by members of his own party for his patently racist statement, Webster offered the following apology:
"It was my intention to talk not about race, but about perceived voting irregularities. However, my comments were made without proof of wrongdoing and they had the unintended consequence of casting aspersions on an entire group of Americans. For that, I am truly sorry."
It doesn't seem that some Republicans got one of the most important lessons of the presidential election, namely that in order to win national elections they must broaden their base to include minorities. First the cynical Mitt Romney opines that Obama won because he bestowed gifts on minorities, women and poor people, and now the clueless Main GOP Chair utters his baffling and racist comments.
Webster is shocked and troubled by "dozens, dozens of black people" who voted in rural Maine. I bet Webster would have been comforted to see dozens and dozens of black folks rioting and looting, it would have confirmed his stereotypical view of African Americans.
"There's nothing about me that would be discriminatory. I know black people. I play basketball every Sunday with a black guy. He's a great friend of mine. Nobody would ever accuse me of suggesting anything."
Charlie Webster
The old "some of my best friends are black" routine, with a twist. Webster claims to play basketball with this black friend, not chess or Scrabble, but basketball. I'm surprised he didn't add: When we are done playing hoops, we unwind by drinking malt liquor and eating fried chicken.
Dude, do the right thing and resign from your leadership position! You are an embarrassment to your party, your state, and your country.
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Robert Paul Reyes is a NewsBlaze writer on Politics, Pop Culture and Pointless Pontificating. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze. Read more stories by Robert Paul Reyes.
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