Yurt
Gold Member
RNC Chief: Dean Joke Was 'Racist'
Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman blasted newly elected DNC chief Howard Dean on Tuesday for telling what he said was a "racist" joke to the Congressional Black Caucus.
"It's pretty offensive," Mehlman told ABC Radio host Sean Hannity. "It's pretty racist, if you ask me."
During a meeting with the CBC on Friday, Dean joked: "You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here."
Beyond being offensive to minorities, Dean's characterization of Republicans was just wrong, Mehlman said.
"I wish Governor Dean had joined me last Monday when I, along with Lieutenant Governor Mike Steele of Maryland, who's African-American, had an event at Prince Georges Community College where 250 mostly African-Americans and I met to talk about our party and our agenda."
The flap over Dean's "hotel staff" remark isn't the first time critics say he has crossed the line on race.