(CNN) – An African-American congressman from Florida is apologizing for his comment that black and Jewish voters should not support Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin because "anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks."
"I regret the comments I made last Tuesday that were not smart and certainly not relevant to hunters or sportsmen," Rep. Alcee Hastings said in a statement issued Monday.
Last week, at a panel on the shared agenda of Jewish and African-American Democrats during the annual conference of the National Jewish Democratic Council, Hastings told attendees what he intended to tell his Jewish constituents about the importance of supporting Sen. Obama in November's presidential election. "If Sarah Palin isn't enough of a reason for you to get over whatever your problem is with Barack Obama, then you damn well had better pay attention," Hastings said last week. "Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through," he added
The comments elicited a swift response from the Republican Jewish Coalition. In a statement issued last week, Matt Brooks, the group's Executive Director, said Hastings "stooped to the worst kind of divisive politics."
"There should be no place in our country for this sort of political discourse. We can constructively disagree on the issues without denigrating others," added Brooks.
In his statement Monday, Hastings said he still backed the sentiment behind his initial remarks. "The point I made, and will continue to make, is that the policies and priorities of a McCain-Palin administration would be anathema to most African Americans and Jews," he said in his statement. "I regret that I was not clearer and apologize to Governor Palin, my host where I was speaking, and those who my comments may have offended."
Last Friday, the NJDC announced the launch of a new campaign of pro-Obama ads that will appear in Jewish newspapers across the country. The first ad in the campaign is timed to coincide with the Rosh Hashanah issues of the publications, and focuses on Obama's support for Israel. "Barack Obama is committed to a safe and secure Israel" and "believes that Israel must be preserved as a Jewish state," the ad reads.
The Republican Jewish Coalition has already launched its own series of election-related ads in Jewish newspapers throughout the country. The latest ad refers to some Obama's advisers as "pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel, and even hostile to America" and states that "You can know a man by the company he keeps."
From CNN Politics
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we do still live in America, free speech remember? especially when the truth is spoken, palin is a disgrace to every person in America.
a sleazy Demorat??? no way...........and in other breaking news..the sun came up today!!!
This is the true face of racism in America. Preached at the black community from their church pulpits, most every Sunday..
Did you say it Sarah ... you know ... Sambo ... did you say it?
It's OK if you did, I guess. I just need to know the truth.
JUDY-–
You say, "who wants a VP who carries a gun and shoots animals for sport?" Maybe a good question for you is, who wants a democratic president would has an affair on his wife multiple times in the White House?? I'll take the VP with a gun, at least they have morals and values to stand on.
Oh James, Gov.Pallin's mother is Jewish. LOL
Another idiot Congressman shoots off his mouth1
It is very hard to imagine anyone, especially a mother, killing an innocent animal. I would think that mothers instinctivally feel the need to nurture, not to kill.
Did she CRY real TEARS?
please respect people. Even though she is not qualify but as an individual she desrve respect. Mc same is abusing and insulting women by naming her as the VP. he could have chosen better women.
I think he did it on purpose. Thanks
but but but but it was TRUE!
Who gives a crap about this right now??? Was anyone losing sleep over this guy or Palin? I feel sorry for anyone that was.
What a lame attempt at a distraction!
Obama up in Gallup by 9 pts. That's the news!
I hope after Palin says one of the many lies in the Debate that she says on the campaign trail, Senator Biden looks her straight in the face and asks her Have you ever even read what Obama plans to do on Taxes and Education or are you just repleating what the McCain camp tells you. Because if you had ever read or research anything Obama proposes, you would know what you just said is a complete untruth.
How come this article leads with "An African-American congressman from Florida" and the previous article leads with "Rep. John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House of Representatives"? In fact this article doesn't even NAME the apologizing congressman in question, and NEVER actually states his political affiliation.
Just an interesting observation, CNN.
How come those whose response begins with "I am an African American" never use a hyphen, as if to say the two are equal, and they always put Africa first? I sense so much disaffection that I wonder what is the point of listening to anything they have to say. They communicate a lack of concern about anyone's welfare but their own and those whose skin color is the same as theirs I suppose that could be taken to mean one of us is racist, but I never begin a response with my skin color, or any euphemism for it.
When is the rest of the Obama campaign going to apologize?
Read these blogs, look all over the internet, Obama is running the sleaziest campaign in history!!!
The House of Representatives just killed the largest economic bailout plan ever considered, and THIS is the lead story CNN chooses to put on its ticker?!?!
All of us better learn to hunt and dress our kill, if the price of groceries continue to rise, we will all need to learn to hunt. At least if we do that we want have to depend on Welfare and food stamps to support our families.
Go Palin!!
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and his top aides took credit for building a winning bailout coalition – hours before the vote failed and stocks tanked.
The rush to claim he had engineered a victory now looks like a strategic blunder that will prolong the McCain’s campaign’s difficulty in finding a winning message on the economy.
Shortly before the vote, McCain had bragged about his involvement and mocked Sen. Barack Obama for staying on the sidelines.
Unless this "apology" of his was contained in a resignation letter, it is wholly insufficient. Sorry, not good enough, sir.
Why apologize?
Dear Congressman – Are you now brave enough to apologize for taking bribes from defendents in your court while sitting as the federal trial judge? You, being only 1 of 13 federal judges to ever being impeached and removed from the federal bench in US history, should have the courage, & obvious time, to have the backbone apologize?
I'm from Alaska, but I've never heard of "stripping" a moose. What does that mean?
She can't debate herself out of a paper bag. Better check out the Caffety Files again. The want to be VP is getting prepped for a upset. Biden will smile while is ripping the debate on her.
Obama/Biden 2008-2016
why does he have to apologize??? i am lost i dont get it!! she walks all over saying whatever she feels like, and she doesnt apologize, and now no one can jab her!!! VERY UNFAIR!!!