Congresswoman apologizes for 'great white hope' comment

[George Gervin's Afro]

Congresswoman apologizes for 'great white hope' comment
Posted: August 27th, 2009 07:27 PM ET

From CNN's Lauren Kornreich


Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins told a Kansas newspaper that she did not intend to make a racist comment when she said her party was looking for a 'great white hope.'
WASHINGTON (CNN) — A Republican congresswoman apologized Thursday for saying that her party is looking for a "great white hope" to counteract President Obama's political agenda.

Kansas Rep. Lynn Jenkins told the Lawrence Journal-World that she did not intend to make a racist comment, and was simply saying that "Republicans have been suffering in recent years and we need a bright light."

"Obviously I was discussing the future of the Republican Party in response to a question about is there any hope for Republicans," Jenkins said. "I was explaining that there are some bright lights in the House, and I was unaware of any negative connotation. If I offended somebody, obviously I apologize."

Jenkins had been criticized for saying at an August 19 forum in Kansas that the GOP needs "to find the great white hope" to help the party succeed in the future.

"Republicans are struggling right now to find the great white hope," Jenkins said. "I suggest to any of you who are concerned about that, who are Republican, there are some great young Republican minds in Washington."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/08/27/congresswoman-apologizes-for-great-white-hope-comment/#comments


:lmao

[George Gervin's Afro]

:lol.

Why can't the USA be a country only for whites? We need a new leader.

I may have to connect the dots on this one..:lmao

[exstatic]

Saying that the GOP need a Great White Hope is redundant and utterly true. It's not like they're going to find or attract a Great Black Hope or a Great Hispanic Hope.

[LnGrrrR]

They're looking for Wes Welker? :lol

[LnGrrrR]

Wait, does this mean we get to paint all conservatives as racist due to the words of one stupid Republican, as some on the other side of the fence due when a Democrat is stupid?

[George Gervin's Afro]

Wait, does this mean we get to paint all conservatives as racist due to the words of one stupid Republican, as some on the other side of the fence due when a Democrat is stupid?

Yes we can!

[Wild Cobra]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/Great_white_hope_movie_poster.jpg

[Wild Cobra]

NOpfT7-fL5o

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/GreatWhiteHopePlay.jpg

[exstatic]

Wait, does this mean we get to paint all conservatives as racist due to the words of one stupid Republican, as some on the other side of the fence due when a Democrat is stupid?

Naw, just look at their election record. Post Reconstruction, Republican voters have elected exactly three US Representatives, and one US Senator, who would probably be thrown out of the party now, being a N.E. Rockefeller-type Republican.

When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. The Southern Strategy, which caters to the most racist area of the country, the Southeastern United States, inherently draws racist voters to the party in droves.

The GOP is like one of those sharks that gets cut open, and starts eating it's own entrails. They're a frothing rabid dog, lashing out at everyone who doesn't believe EXACTLY what they do and setting up litmus tests, and tossing out anyone who shows the slightest bit of moderate status. If this continues for a couple more election cycles, I can see them becoming strictly a regional party, holding maybe 35 Senate seats and 180+ House seats. All fiscal conservatives who can't stomach their agenda will become Blue Dogs under the Democratic tent. The Dems have a much better record reaching across the aisle. I hardly think they won't be able to reach across the Democratic cloakroom to work legislature.

[Nbadan]

Naw, just look at their election record. Post Reconstruction, Republican voters have elected exactly three US Representatives, and one US Senator, who would probably be thrown out of the party now, being a N.E. Rockefeller-type Republican.

When you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. The Southern Strategy, which caters to the most racist area of the country, the Southeastern United States, inherently draws racist voters to the party in droves.

The GOP is like one of those sharks that gets cut open, and starts eating it's own entrails. They're a frothing rabid dog, lashing out at everyone who doesn't believe EXACTLY what they do and setting up litmus tests, and tossing out anyone who shows the slightest bit of moderate status. If this continues for a couple more election cycles, I can see them becoming strictly a regional party, holding maybe 35 Senate seats and 180+ House seats. All fiscal conservatives who can't stomach their agenda will become Blue Dogs under the Democratic tent. The Dems have a much better record reaching across the aisle. I hardly think they won't be able to reach across the Democratic cloakroom to work legislature.


Exactly my thoughts. it sounds incredible but the vocal-minority (i.e. the southern Sarah Palin loving, Lush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Hannity listening) crowd are now driving the GOP..and moderate Republicans are running for cover...forget fiscal conservatism, it's nice, but its all about God, guns, and religion and now indoctrining kids in schools...i don't know how much longer northern Republicans will put up with it..the GOP needs a strong leader than can tame talk-radio and stands on strong conservative principals..not Sean Hannity conservatism either....I just don't see one in the pike...

[Extra Stout]

We live in an America where a plurality of the conservative Republicans on this board consider me to be centrist to center-left. Seriously, in my spare time I'm reading Friedrich Hayek, Russell Kirk, and Edmund Burke, who apparently are proto-socialists according to the prevailing right-wing zeitgeist.

Which should provoke in me greater feelings of despair -- the fact that the Republican Party largely has been reduced to the identity party of southern whites and their sympathizers, or that the Democrats are working hard on finding a way to lose to them in 2010?

[jman3000]

She should have just given a bullshit apology and let that be that. Instead she gives a bullshit apology with a qualifier and tries to construe what she said as being of a different nature.

and of course she'll be defended.

[DarrinS]

cNFWRRaTL5I

[Shastafarian]

Republican poster: "Let's deflect instead of actually staying on the topic of the thread."
Republican poster 2: *music blaring* "Huh?!?!?! I can't hear you over the sound of how clever I am!"

[Extra Stout]

This was an OBVIOUS Freudian slip, BTW.

[DarrinS]

With a comment like that, I hope she never tries to become a Supreme Court justice.

[jman3000]

Republican poster: "Let's deflect instead of actually staying on the topic of the thread."
Republican poster 2: *music blaring* "Huh?!?!?! I can't hear you over the sound of how clever I am!"

There are no Republican's on this board. Just Independent's who agree with 95% of Republican ideology and Libertarian's who agree with 40% of Libertarian ideology.

[louie1674]

I hate to say it but I have to agree with the side that calls this a racist comment. Thats one of my pet peeves that people often flash their "race card" at the drop of a hat. This is a prime example of why I have little faith in the republican party (note that i have zero to negative faith in the democrats). The people need to take back this country and vote out every government official in washington - they are no longer representing "We, the people of the United States of America..."

[George Gervin's Afro]

cNFWRRaTL5I

Right, Boxer was a racist because a black guy claimed racisism. So are we to suppose now that everytime a minority claims racisism it's accepted as fact? I'm ok with that but can we have some consistency from you guys? You're all over the board when it comes to logical reasoning..

[DarrinS]

She should be fired. Isn't that the standard operating procedure for whites who make comments like this?

[Shastafarian]

She should be fired. Isn't that the standard operating procedure for whites who make comments like this?

How does it make you feel that "whites" get disrespected like that? Let it out Darrin.

[George Gervin's Afro]

She should be fired. Isn't that the standard operating procedure for whites who make comments like this?

Well in the GOP's case she's a shoe in for re election.

[DarrinS]

Right, Boxer was a racist because a black guy claimed racisism. So are we to suppose now that everytime a minority claims racisism it's accepted as fact? I'm ok with that but can we have some consistency from you guys? You're all over the board when it comes to logical reasoning..


No. What she DID was racist. That should be obvious to anyone who watched it. Would she have added a statement from the NAACP on CLIMATE CHANGE if he wasn't a black man?


As to the OP, people make stupid comments all the time. There are a ton of off-color remarks by Obama himself, e.g. "She's a typical white person...".

[DarrinS]

How does it make you feel that "whites" get disrespected like that? Let it out Darrin.


Maybe the one black person in Kansas can run against her.

[jman3000]

Must not comment on Lynn Jenkins. Must shit on Commie Liberals. Beep. Beep. Beep.

[DarrinS]

Must not comment on Lynn Jenkins. Must shit on Commie Liberals. Beep. Beep. Beep.


I think everyone knows what she meant, but it was a very VERY poor choice of words. Heck, maybe she just meant to be overtly racist -- I don't know. Inexusable really.

[DarrinS]

Question: If you make a racist comment, does that make you a racist?


Question: If you consort with racists, does that make you a racist?

[George Gervin's Afro]

Question: If you make a racist comment, does that make you a racist?


Question: If you consort with racists, does that make you a racist?

No on both counts.

[Extra Stout]

I think everyone knows what she meant, but it was a very VERY poor choice of words. Heck, maybe she just meant to be overtly racist -- I don't know. Inexusable really.

I took it as an allusion to the play/movie 'The Great White Hope,' since President Obama is black. In other words, she, as a Republican, hopes that a white Republican can defeat the black Democratic President, much as in the movie there was a hope among racist whites in the 1910's that some white challenger could beat the black champion in boxing. As in, she identifies the Republican Party with the white race.

I'm not sure how she could be any clearer. Maybe next week she can allude to The Birth of a Nation or something.

[DarrinS]

No on both counts.

Damn. You didn't fall for it.

[jman3000]

I took it as an allusion to the play/movie 'The Great White Hope,' since President Obama is black. In other words, she, as a Republican, hopes that a white Republican can defeat the black Democratic President, much as in the movie there was a hope among racist whites in the 1910's that some white challenger could beat the black champion in boxing. As in, she identifies the Republican Party with the white race.

I'm not sure how she could be any clearer. Maybe next week she can allude to The Birth of a Nation or something.

Pretty much how everyone should view this. Especially since she immediately started listing off names of possible "contenders". I'd think even without that fact the context was clear what she meant.

Her going to the "I was talking about a bright light" excuse or whatever is just a shitty attempt at a veil.

[TeyshaBlue]

I took it as an allusion to the play/movie 'The Great White Hope,' since President Obama is black. In other words, she, as a Republican, hopes that a white Republican can defeat the black Democratic President, much as in the movie there was a hope among racist whites in the 1910's that some white challenger could beat the black champion in boxing. As in, she identifies the Republican Party with the white race.

I'm not sure how she could be any clearer. Maybe next week she can allude to The Birth of a Nation or something.

I never even considered it racist for one second. The phrase "Great White Hope", in my mind, has always painted a picture of a futile gesture in the face of a tsunami. I get the roots of the phrase, and considering that, it's a poor choice of words. However, I could've easily said the same thing without any intent of racism whatsoever.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Damn. You didn't fall for it.

It's because I'm not a fake.

[Extra Stout]

I never even considered it racist for one second. The phrase "Great White Hope", in my mind, has always painted a picture of a futile gesture in the face of a tsunami. I get the roots of the phrase, and considering that, it's a poor choice of words. However, I could've easily said the same thing without any intent of racism whatsoever.
I bet she has black friends.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

No on both counts.
ha. i'll believe that when i see it.

[TeyshaBlue]

I don't think the phrase alone is racist whatsoever. However, in her context, naming it to counteract Barack Obama (the first African American president only 7 months in office) and then naming several young white people, along with the history of that phrase it struck me as more than just a phrase. She could have easily used a different term..and it would have still be negative due to the context of an attack statement. The entire dialogue she came up with was in fact highly derogatory and then to relate it to a great white hope qualified it.

Either that or she's just galactically stupid.


I go with stupid.

[clambake]

ha. i'll believe that when i see it.

yeah, if he carves it on a white woman's face, you'll believe it.

[Wild Cobra]

Well, I see it as a racial comment, not a racist comment. It was in poor taste, but in the context said, it acknowledges a black man as being good at what he does. A racist believe in racial superiority. In this case, she want to see a white man good enough to defeat Obama, acknowledging he is good.

Myself, I don't think he's a good president. I think he has no leadership abilities. However, that's not because he's black. It's because he has no prior executive experience, and I have only seen blundering in the oval office.

Use the terms racial/racist incorrect. I don't really care. Technically, there is a difference, and I even use them wrong. My bet is that she just doesn't know any black people who she considers presidential, and if she did, the comment would not have been made. Still, she deserves to be chastised.

[Oh, Gee!!]

My bet is that she just doesn't know any black people who she considers presidential, and if she did, the comment would not have been made.

michael steele is crying somewhere right now

[clambake]

michael steele is crying somewhere right now

:lmao

[ploto]

That constitutes an apology??

[George Gervin's Afro]

If liberal pundits were as dishonest as conservative pundits they would play the clip of here statement over and over ... and tell their lemmings that this was the real republican party...

[ChumpDumper]

The comment was stupid.

The apologist posts here are even more stupid.

[Trainwreck2100]

seriously though republicans ain't gonna throw out no damn minority so yeah they need a new white guy

[DarkReign]

seriously though republicans ain't gonna throw out no damn minority so yeah they need a new white guy

See: Jindall, Bobby

See: Palin, Sarah

Point is, they can and they will in 2012. As lame and pathetic as it is to say out loud, the Presidency has come down to a competition of minority political correctness in 2012.

Republicans only chance at the White House in '12 is;

1) Obama continues to preside over the total economic collapse of this country. Adding on to the pile of shit isnt going to help his cause. He's lucky there isnt an election next year, because he'd be gone at this rate.

2) Sans #1, a minority candidate, whether female, ethnic or both.

[DarkReign]

#2 needs to be a progressive yet conservative candidate. The GOP is mainly coposed of grumpy old white men who resist reform, unless its reform back to the 1800's. Those demographics dont hold up well when even a young white population is looking towards progressive ideas.

True and agreed.

[Stringer_Bell]

Fact: The term "The great white hope" refers to the boxer whites hoped would defeat heavyweight Jack Johnson.
Fact: Politics is all PR, and this Jenkins chick has been around the playground long enough to know know she should tread carefully in her political comments even if she used the term metaphorically.

Really, she meant bright lights in the Republican party? My black ass she did. And if we can get some pre-cogs to analyze her brain and find that she is telling the truth, she's just fucking dumb and should be voted out next elections. Why even comment on the future of your party when there's mad shit going on for the American PEOPLE at present? Dumb ass politicians trying to make a name for themselves.

[Trainwreck2100]

See: Jindall, Bobby

See: Palin, Sarah

Point is, they can and they will in 2012. As lame and pathetic as it is to say out loud, the Presidency has come down to a competition of minority political correctness in 2012.

Republicans only chance at the White House in '12 is;

1) Obama continues to preside over the total economic collapse of this country. Adding on to the pile of shit isnt going to help his cause. He's lucky there isnt an election next year, because he'd be gone at this rate.

2) Sans #1, a minority candidate, whether female, ethnic or both.

One of the problems for the GOP is that their minorities suck

[Bartleby]

Well, I see it as a racial comment, not a racist comment. It was in poor taste, but in the context said, it acknowledges a black man as being good at what he does. A racist believe in racial superiority. In this case, she want to see a white man good enough to defeat Obama, acknowledging he is good.

If you look at the historical context of the phrase, it's hard to view it as anything other than racist:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Johnson_(boxer)

By 1902, Johnson had won at least 50 fights against both white and black opponents. Johnson won his first title on February 3, 1903, beating "Denver" Ed Martin over 20 rounds for the World Colored Heavyweight Championship. His efforts to win the full title were thwarted as world heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries refused to face him. Blacks and whites could box together in other competitions, but not for the world heavyweight championship. Johnson was, however, able to fight former champion Bob Fitzsimmons in July 1907, and knocked him out in two rounds.[1]
Sydney Stadium during the Johnson-Burns match on December 26, 1908.

He eventually won the world heavyweight title on December 26, 1908, when he fought the Canadian world champion Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia, after following him all over the world, taunting him in the press for a match. The fight lasted fourteen rounds before being stopped by the police in front of over 20,000 spectators. The title was awarded to Johnson on a referee's decision as a T.K.O, but he had severely beaten the champion. During the fight, Johnson had mocked both Burns and his ringside crew. Every time Burns was about to go down, Johnson would hold him up again, punishing him more. The camera was stopped just as Johnson was finishing off Burns, so as not to show Burns' defeat.[1]

After Johnson's victory over Burns, racial animosity among whites ran so deep that even a socialist like Jack London called out for a "Great White Hope" to take the title away from Johnson — who was crudely caricatured as a subhuman "ape" — and return it to where it supposedly belonged, with the "superior" white race. As title holder, Johnson thus had to face a series of fighters billed by boxing promoters as "great white hopes", often in exhibition matches. In 1909, he beat Victor McLaglen, Frank Moran, Tony Ross, Al Kaufman, and the middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel. The match with Ketchel was keenly fought by both men until the 12th and last round, when Ketchel threw a right to Johnson's head, knocking him down. Slowly regaining his feet, Johnson threw a straight to Ketchel's jaw, knocking him out, along with some of his teeth, several of which "supposedly" were embedded in Johnson's glove. His fight with "Philadelphia" Jack O'Brien was a disappointing one for Johnson: though scaling 205 pounds (93 kg) to O'Brien's 161 pounds (73 kg) , he could only achieve a six-round draw with the great middleweight.

The "Fight of the Century"
Johnson's fight against Jeffries, 1910.

In 1910, former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement and said "I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro".[2] Jeffries had not fought in six years and had to lose around 100 lb (45 kg) to try to get back to his championship fighting weight.

The fight took place on July 4, 1910 in front of 22,000 people, at a ring built just for the occasion in downtown Reno, Nevada, and the ringside band played "All coons look alike to me". The fight had become a hotbed of racial tension, and the promoters incited the all-white crowd to chant "kill the ######".[3] Johnson, however, proved stronger and more nimble than Jeffries. In the 15th round, after Jeffries had been knocked down twice for the first time in his career, his people called it quits to prevent Johnson from knocking him out.

The "Fight of the Century" earned Johnson $225,000 and silenced the critics, who had belittled Johnson's previous victory over Tommy Burns as "empty," claiming that Burns was a false champion since Jeffries had retired undefeated.

Riots and aftermath

The outcome of the fight triggered race riots that evening — the Fourth of July — all across the United States, from Texas and Colorado to New York and Washington, D.C. Johnson's victory over Jeffries had dashed white dreams of finding a "great white hope" to defeat him. Many whites felt humiliated by the defeat of Jeffries and were incensed by Johnson's comments.[1]

Blacks, on the other hand, were jubilant, and celebrated Johnson's great victory as a victory for the entire race. Black poet William Waring Cuney later highlighted the African-American reaction to the fight in his poem "My Lord, What a Morning". Around the country, blacks held spontaneous parades, gathered in prayer meetings, and purchased goods with winnings from backing Johnson at the bookmakers. These celebrations often drew a violent response from white men.

Some "riots" were simply African-Americans celebrating in the streets. In certain cities, like Chicago, the police allowed them to continue their festivities. But in other cities the police and angry white citizens tried to subdue the celebrations. Police interrupted several attempted lynchings. In all, "riots" occurred in more than twenty-five states and fifty cities. At least 23 blacks and 2 whites died in the riots, and hundreds more were injured. A few white people were injured when they tried to intervene in a crowd's beating of a black man.[1]

[antimvp]

I am starting to think that neither party really wants universal healthcare. I think they just playing us.

[LnGrrrR]

cNFWRRaTL5I

How is doing this any different than the Bush/Obama card that people bring up?

[LnGrrrR]

Use the terms racial/racist incorrect. I don't really care. Technically, there is a difference, and I even use them wrong. My bet is that she just doesn't know any black people who she considers presidential, and if she did, the comment would not have been made. Still, she deserves to be chastised.

You are a master at putting thoughts behind words WC. Masterful.

"She probably just couldn't think of a single presidential black Republican... no big deal!"

Yeah, because there sure isn't any negative connotation to voters with THAT explanation... :lmao

[Thompson]

Wait, does this mean we get to paint all conservatives as racist due to the words of one stupid Republican, as some on the other side of the fence due when a Democrat is stupid?

No one is calling you stupid because of something someone else did.

[exstatic]

#2 needs to be a progressive yet conservative candidate. The GOP is mainly coposed of grumpy old white men who resist reform, unless its reform back to the 1800's. Those demographics dont hold up well when even a young white population is looking towards progressive ideas.


True and agreed.

The only problem is that Bubba won't vote for such a candidate, and the GOP has no strategy other than the Southern one. It's the Catch 22 that is causing the GOP to head into this downward spiral. They can't make progress because their "base" doesn't want them to.

[SpurNation]

hmmm.

[DarkReign]

The only problem is that Bubba won't vote for such a candidate, and the GOP has no strategy other than the Southern one. It's the Catch 22 that is causing the GOP to head into this downward spiral. They can't make progress because their "base" doesn't want them to.

Define progress.

I dont equate progress with a competition between political parties hinging on the gender or ethnicity of their candidate.

If that is what national politics has boiled down to...well, I guess it was really bad to begin with anyway, so fuck it.