GOP club offers 'Obama Bucks' while Democrats rib Palin

The story about Diane Fedele, the president of the Republican women's club in San Bernardino County who came up with "Obama Bucks," is making the rounds. Plenty of people are outraged. Others, like Rightpundits, say yeah, it's crummy, but claim the  imagery may be losing its power. Fedele told The Times:

"If I was racist, I would have looked at it through racist eyes," she said. "I am not racist, which is why it probably didn't register."

Club member Kristina Sandoval agreed.

"None of us are racists," she said.

The use of watermelon, ribs and fried chicken was innocent, she said.

"Everyone eats those foods, it's not a racial thing."

That's not how club member Acquanetta Warren -- a Fontana city councilwoman and an African American -- saw it.

"My daughter who is 16 was standing over my shoulder when I opened the e-mail, and her mouth dropped wide open," Warren said. "I actually turned the screen away and sent her to her room so she wouldn't see. I don't want to talk to anyone; I want a written apology so the public knows that this is not right and this is not representative of the way Republicans think."

She's known Fedele a long time and is shocked by the newsletter.

Meanwhile, Obama supporters have been getting a bit naughty themselves by offering up Sarah Palin in her own words, though not necessarily in the right order.

PALINdrome, a new-ish  web site by a Culver City blogger (LAist had it first) gathered words from three Sarah Palin speeches and, via the magic of Adobe's Flash Player, lets users rearrange Palin's words. The results, archived on the site, range from partisan to scatological to simply absurd.

Eighteen more days until Election Day, and we still haven't had our October surprise.

--Veronique de Turenne

   

Comments

[KAM]

When I first saw this, I was sickened! How can someone be so freaking rude and racist! Saying it's not racist??!! Are you kidding me?! You KNEW exactly what you were doing Ms. Fedele! You are the one that has to live with yourself for these remarks you did and made. I honestly hope it eats at you and you end up feeling sick for what you did from the guilt!

To those of you that think it's okay, it's a JOKE? Get real. These days, people need to wake up and stop hating so much on others!

BTW I am a white woman and women like Ms Fedele make me ashamed to be WHITE and a woman!

[Kayla]

im not racist, but i thought this was funny. no harm was done, so i dont see what the big deal is.

[Jay West]

I want THE HATE to disappear! These people who lack basic human qualities of empathy, sympathy and love for others are fully responsible for any and all HATE CRIMES that happen. If you speak this way at all it is hateful, period. If you are one who clings to this ignorance, then, YOU encourage these behaviours! It should then be understood you are 2 things, a racist and a terrorist. Of course, there is only one place for REAL TERRORIST and that's Guatanomo my friends! If anyone finds this offensive you are a sympathizer of racist. Wow, that must really sting to use the same hateful rheoteric in a sincere way to describe these so-called individuals who hate so much the HUMAN DIVERSITY THAT WE ALL ARE!