Giuliani's South Carolina adviser has controversial history with NAACP
Arthur Ravenel Jr. made some controversial comments about the NAACP at a Confederate flag rally in 2000.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani reaffirmed his ties with a prominent South Carolina family Monday, a week after the son was indicted on federal cocaine charges.
Giuliani's presidential campaign released a list of regional chairs in South Carolina, which included Arthur Ravenel Jr., who will serve as the Lowcountry chairman.
Ravenel is the father of former South Carolina Treasurer Thomas Ravenel, who until last week was the state chairman of Giuliani's presidential campaign. Thomas Ravenel stepped down from his post on the Giuliani campaign after the indictment was announced. Gov. Mark Sanford suspended Ravenel from his position in the state government and named an interim treasurer.
Arthur Ravenel, a former U.S. Congressman and state senator, has his own controversial history. A supporter of flying the Confederate flag on the statehouse grounds, Ravenel referred to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as the "National Association for Retarded People" at a flag rally in 2000, according to the Charleston Post and Courier.
Arthur Ravenel later said he inadvertently mixed up his words and apologized to mentally handicapped people for comparing them to members of the NAACP, according to the newspaper.
A Giuliani spokeswoman declined to comment about Arthur Ravenel's statements.
I got a good belly laugh....whatever else the article talks about, it's dang funny that Ravenel apologized to the mentally handicapped for comparing them to members of the NAACP. That's too dang funny!!
Funny in the sense that you sympathize with his joke, and enjoy such racist attempts at humor? Good Ol' Boys trying to prove that the South can't evolve, nor are too intelligently designed either?
This isn't funny. This is really sad. We all know how politics works, especially you, Mr. Giuliani. You have to pick your friends wisely if you plan on becoming President of the United States.
okay- first of all, who is the mentally hadicapped one- my vote is for the idiot who thinks that NAACP are the same letters as NARP. Secondly, I totally agree with the first comment-it is HILARIOUS that he apologized to the mentally ill for comparing them to the NAACP- this guy needs to quit while he is ahead but it did make me laugh
He created the worst race relations in NYC in decades. Now he selects a blatant racist to run his South Carolina campaign? And he wants to be PRESIDENT? Forget it. This is a perfect example of why this man should not be elected to any office ever again.
Rudy Giuliani did nothing to create poor race relations in New York he just refused to bow to teh race hustling, criminal shysters Al "Tawana Brawley" Sharpton and The Phoney Reverand "stay out the bushes" Jackson. After 4 years of that bigot Dinkins where those two criminals had free reign over the city any crackdown in their authority would appear racist to the ignorant but was just actually a reality check.
I am not even going to touch the race issue because it is rather obvious considering Giuliani's past history in NY.
Regardless of whatever person he chooses to be as an advisor, the bottom line is that he is NOT fit for president.
He gets credit for cleaning up NYC when it was and still remains a continued law enforcement effort.
Also, he gets credit for holding the city together during 9/11. What about all those firefighters, emergency workers, first responders and rescue volunteers that served?
If NYC's 9/11 infrastructure had instead suffered a disaster like New Orleans when Katrina hit, he would not be on the campaign trail at this moment.
Sorry Rudy but you aren't getting this conservative's vote.
Yet another story on something that is wholly peripheral to what really matters in political affairs: the policies.
what's even "dang funnier" is that your comments just confirm that generations of inbreeding can't be undone. what's even dang funnier than that is most people have tolerated an idiot for a long time but probably won't tolerate a blatent moron and this will only hurt that cross dressing freak's campaign.
Rudy, you just can't pick a team. Didn't you try to push sleazy Bernie Kerik for Homeland Security? Policies are as good as the people who put them into place... and Rudy, you've sold out trying to pretend you're a social conservative. It just makes you look narrow and selfish, and very fake.
Giulani's new campaign flack in the coastal South Carolina area, Arthur Ravenel, Jr., is an old time race baiter and well known local fool. He is popular among Republicans, who in South Carolina, still revere the KKK's David Duke, the early days of George Wallace, etc. – forget Strom Thurmond, they think he is still alive, living with Elvis, Gen. Robert E Lee & Stonewall Jackson somewhere up around Richmond. Rudy just stepped in a cow pie if he wanted to attract moderate Republican to his cause.
What's up with S.C.? Every time we have a presidential election, republican candidates partner with known racists (Bob Jones U) to gather a few votes, and then apologize afterwards. It's nice to know where not to vacation. Could we please try one GOP candidate that doesn't feel this strategy is needed to win in S.C.
Hailing from the east coast, I've seen Giuliani at work as a mayor...
He wasn't that good.
When 911 happened, Rudy went into "shock" and started working the way he should have years earlier.
I CHEERED FOR RUDY GIULIANI DURING 911... THE SAME WAY ONE WOULD CHEER FOR A CHILD ON LITTLE LEAGUE.
EVEN WHEN THE CHILD SCREWS UP ROYALLY, WE STILL CHEER HIM ON TO BOLSTER THEIR FEELINGS.
I HAVE PITY FOR RUDY, HE NEEDS IT NOW BEFORE HE GETS IN WAY OVER HIS HEAD.
If anyone knew Arthur Ravenel, they would understand his NARP, and NAACP mixup. Ravenel has worked tirelessly for years for the NARP as his son William has Down Syndrome. He may be a little racist, but I would rather have him on my side than most politicians from the South. Rudy can not be hurt by Ravenel.