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Last Updated: Sep 5, 2008 - 10:54:16 AM |
Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's
speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to
compare her with Michelle Obama.
"Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama,
they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that
they're uppity," Westmoreland said.
Asked to clarify that he used the word “uppity,” Westmoreland said,
“Uppity, yeah.”
Other Democrats have charged that the Republican campaign to paint the
Illinois senator as an “elitist” is racially charged, and accused them
of using code words for “uppity” without using the word itself.
In August, Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) told reporters, “When I hear
the word ‘elitist’ linked with Barack Obama, to me, that is a code word
for 'uppity.' I find it extremely offensive and John McCain should know
better.”
Political consultant David Gergen, who has worked in both Republican
and Democratic White Houses, said on ABC’s "This Week" that “As a
native of the south, I can tell you, when you see this Charlton Heston
ad, 'The One,' that's code for, 'He's uppity, he ought to stay in his
place.' Everybody gets that who is from a Southern background.”
The Obama campaign, asked about the quote, did not note any racial
context.
“Sounds like Rep. Westmoreland should be careful throwing stones from
his candidate's eight glass houses,” said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor.
Campaigning against the first black major-party nominee has already
created some problems for Republicans.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said that Obama's middle name – Hussein – is
relevant to the public discourse surrounding his candidacy, saying in
March that if Obama were elected, "Then the radical Islamists, the al
Qaeda, the radical Islamists and their supporters, will be dancing in
the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11 because they
will declare victory in this War on Terror."
At an April 12 event in his district, Kentucky Rep. Geoff Davis (R)
said of Obama: “I’m going to tell you something: That boy’s finger does
not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that
simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country.”
Davis sent a letter of apology to Obama in which he described his
remark as a “poor choice of words.”
Westmoreland originally supported former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney
for the Republican presidential nomination. He now supports McCain, but
missed an August fundraiser for the nominee because he was vacationing
with his family.
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
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