GOP official defends Obama chimpanzee email; party leader calls it 'racist'

An Orange County Republican Party official is defending an email she sent that portrays President Obama's face superimposed on a chimpanzee with the words: "Now you know why — No birth certificate!"

Marilyn Davenport, an elected member of the party's central committee, described the controversy as "much to do about nothing" in an email and vowed that she would not resign.

"I'm sorry if my email offended anyone, I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth," she wrote. "In no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people tried to make this about race. We all know a double standard applies regarding this president. I received plenty of emails about George Bush that I didn't particularly like, yet there was no 'cry' in the media about them."

She declined to comment to The Times on Saturday.

County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh has called for Davenport to resign.  Baugh said he received it Friday afternoon and quickly responded with an email telling Davenport it was "dripping with racism and is in very poor taste." He said the issue should be referred to the Orange County GOP's ethics committee.

Read the full story: O.C. Republican Party leader slams colleague who sent Obama-chimpanzee email

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Comments

[Upset]

A lot of White people are constantly trying to convience Black people that there's no discrimination in the United States and that they don't discriminate against Blacks. This e-mail by Davenport proves that discrimination exist and that the strong stench of biogtry continues to live in our society. If I ever get an opportunity to meet Davenport, I will cuss her out. That's a promise. This e-mail is outrageous against the President of the United States. For those of you who don't believe that racism is the reason President Obama is treated with such distain, Davenport just proved it. It's all about race with this President and nothing more. White Teabagger Republicans like Davenport has let her true feelings be known as well as all of the rest of those pathetic followers in the Republican party. As an African-American I will not accept her apology, because when she depicts an African-American as a chimpanzee, she's including all African-Americans as chimpanzees. What a racist and hateful society we live in and, unfortunately, it isn't getting any better.

[Bill Hill]

Check out the metadata on the picture. It was made by a Democrat.
The hypocrisy...

[Patricia Leath]

This email joke has been around for at least a year! Get off the racist diatribe once and for all, please! Remember that Obama is half white. Tell me great sages that always cry"racism" at every opportunity, don't you realize that it was a tasteless joke. It merely shows how pathetically classless some morons are. Every time you cry racism, you make people hate each other more. Give me a break!

[2jays]

Let her have her way and keep on representing the republican party. They're a dying breed anyway, soon to be fossilized in the trash-heep of narrow-minded bigotry. The TP'ers are quite wrong if they think they'll get "their" country back; thank God.

[NanceGreggs]

There didn't seem to be any problem over the depiction of George 'W' Bush as a monkey by liberals and democrats. As I recall a website flourished, smirkingchimp.com, that was full of hate against 'W'. Yes, 'W' was depicted as a chimp, monkey, baboon and an ape. The idea that Obama might look more like a chimp than 'W' does, is all a matter of conjecture. To be wringing your hands and gnashing your teeth NOW, after NO disrespect or vitriol was held back by liberals against 'W' proves you people have no sense of humor.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I thought Hussein Osama was supposed to have been the 'trans~racial' president. All I see is the 'race card' being played. Yet, again.

[dee gee]

someone should circulate a marilyn davenport e-mail like that and see if she thinks its funny

[prescott]

I agree, comparing our POTUS to a chimp is outrageous and offensive: http://bit.ly/gHTeTp

[Hugh G. Rekshon]

President obama looks like a chimp. It's not racist. It's just the truth.

[Florence Ferrara]

Why isn't Davenport's name in the heading on this story??? Why do we have to read down to find out who this party official was - the story's lead that the GOP party didn't like the story doesn't tell the true story and Davenport's name should be up there in the headlines - shame on her and shame on you.

[primo]

Ms.Davenport:
No need to apologize.
You just called a spade a spade and commented as you see it.
Unless the constitution has been changed,thank you for your civic duty observation.

[Hemi]

Republicans are on a roll. Last week it was 2 Republican prosecutors that were booted out the door. One wanted Scott Walker to hire someone to fake being on the unions side, then attack Walker with a firearm to discredit unions. And the other nut-ball prosecutor wanted the National Guard to open fire on protesters with live ammo to clear the Wisconsin capital. And this is the party that preaches the Constitution at every turn. Go Figure!

[Bernard Forand]

MFC; connection of Tea Party to John Birch Society can be found linked to the Koch brothers. Their father sat on the board of John Birch Society. Koch presently funds Tea party through various charitable agencies. As well as through their corporates.
As to the article. E-Mail that Ms. Davenport was ignorant of the magnitude of her actions. Suggest that what we were served as innocence, makes one speculate as to what fathoms of an abyss does this gravitate to?

[HelenofPeel]

Of course she won't resign... that would be admitting that her racism is evil...
And it is evil... but she doesn't want to see herself as evil...

[candor]

Lets not forget the characterization of Bush as Alfred E mNewman by the Dems where was the out rage then.

[Steve chdoba]

This is just wrong. The civil war ended 150 years ago and still some people do this stuf. She should be fired, apologies to the President, and move to another country because I, my family, and others don't want her kind here.

[garyM]

when you offend the President of the United States because you don't agree with him or her, you are not offending a person, but an institution, and inherently you're portraying your own inability to function in respectable and civilized society. It is like burning the American flag because it is flying in a GOP or Democratic convention.

[Davidtoo]

oh how ironic.
dems for 8 years referred to President Bush as "chimp".
Now obama is shown with some chimps and the dems go ape.

[>•_•<]

The fact that she used the ever classic cliché as her excuse.
The old, I have black friends card.... really?
Busted!
Then added... "In no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people "tried" to make this about race.

That confirms it!
She's the Cliché ... and it's so passé...
No Imagination... like the party she represents.

[dean gordon]

I wonder if she also sent this email to her "black" friends, since she claims she has those too.

[NP]

Since when has comparing a human to an animal become racist? It's a JOKE people!! LIGHTEN UP!! What makes a comedic comparison funny is it's "believabilty factor".... the physical similarities between the two things.
The issue is lack of a birth certificate. Chimpanzees don't have birth certificates. Nor do whales, or snakes, or sparrows. If the picture had been three sparrows in a nest would that have been racist as well ?? Cuz it SURE wouldn't have been NEARLY as funny!!

[H]

I thought that David Duke like people were long and gone. Hey OC if you don't like black people be honest about it but as closet racist your cowards. Marilyn Davenport you're don't like people of another color. It's obvious.

[J.T.]

It is apparent that this woman wasn't thinking when she did this. She said she found it "Amusing". The word "Musing" means to think, put an "A" in front of this word and it means the exact opposite. I believe this is just another ploy to make the tea party look bad. President Jimmy Carter was the first to play the race card. It's not about race, it's about the same policies trickling down on the American people. President Obama, Pres. Carter, Pres. Clinton, and both Bush's are all related! Their all cousins for the exception of Pres. Clinton, he is Pres. Obama's brother-in-law. Same policies, different face. For instance, look at the prices of food, gas, clothes, etc. I have already witnessed the effects of "Obama Care" through neighbors, friends, and family and all I can say is "how sad, very sad" for all of us. My question is, " When are they(our government officials) going to cut back on their pay, cut back on their spending? My guess is never.

[arturo]

This is what our tax dollars go to, instead of finding new and innovative ways to boost the economy in the county she sends racist emails to her colleagues on public computers. GENIUS

[TL64]

Davenport has a very good understanding of the double standard that is in effect with regard to this president. President Obama's administration can do just about anything they want and get away with it; after all, they can always play the race card if someone doesn't like what they're doing and they don't know how to defend it otherwise.

[no mercy]

With Bush you don't insult the chimp.