Ben Smith flags perhaps the ugliest moment in the incredibly ugly South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary:
South Carolina Republicans were quick Thursday evening to condemn the remarks of a prominent Republican State Senator, Jake Knotts, who referred to a gubernatorial candidate as a "raghead" on an online political show today. [Knotts also referred to President Obama with the same term.]
Knotts, a foe of Governor Mark Sanford and his protege, State Rep. Nikki Haley, made the remark of Haley on the local webcast Pub Politics.
Haley was born a Sikh, and the slur can refer to Arabs, Muslims, or those who -- like Sikh men -- wear turbans. She is a convert to Christianity.
Under pressure, Knotts later 'apologized' (if you can call this an apology):
Unfortunately, the show was not recorded as was intended. If it had been recorded, the public would be able to hear firsthand that my "raghead" comments about Obama and Haley were intended in jest. Bear in mind that this is a freewheeling, anything-goes Internet radio show that is broadcast from a pub. It’s like local political version of Saturday Night Live, which is actually where the joke came from.
Since my intended humorous context was lost in translation, I apologize.
Har, har. Very funny. If you're a member of the KKK.
Join the discussion in NetminderElite's recommended, diary Republican calls Tea Party Candidate "Raghead" (and Obama too!).