Michelle The Ape? How The GOP Just Keeps Killing Itself.

I think we're pretty much in agreement that the GOP has a bigtime issue with its messengers. Not a week goes by without some sorta racially-tinged incident, whether against Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, or those of Middle Eastern descent. Hey, at least they're a party of equal opportunity slanderers. Diversity counts!

That said, after the huge kerfuffle about Sarah Palin's daughter(s) being slammed by a late night comedian, I'm wondering how angry the right wing will get about the latest slam against the sitting first lady by some party hack from South Carolina.

A prominent South Carolina Republican killed his Facebook page Sunday after being caught likening the First Lady to an escaped gorilla. Commenting on a report posted to Facebook about a gorilla escape at a zoo in Columbia, S.C., Friday, longtime GOP activist Rusty DePass wrote, "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."

DePass, former chairman of the Richland County GOP, was an early backer of George W. Bush and co-chairman of Rudy Giuliani's 2008 campaign in Richland County, the state's largest.

"Most of us, of course, particularly in South Carolina, never gave a damn about New Yorkers, but somehow the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, made those people Americans again," he wrote in a 2007 Op-Ed endorsing Giuliani.

Busted by South Carolina political blogger Will Folks, DePass told WIS-TV in Columbia, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."

Then he added, "The comment was hers, not mine," claiming Michelle Obama made a recent remark about humans descending from apes. The Daily News could find no such comment.

Eric Davis, the current chairman of the Richland County Republicans, said his predecessor should get a pass. "Everyone says stupid things they regret later. I think the world should move on," he said.

Here's the CNN account.



The sad thing about this is that it's so predictable, as is the lack of response from party leaders. Here's a guy who's been a part of a (failed) presidential campaign, schmoozed with George W. Bush, and actually won a past election. He's hardly a nobody in South Carolina politricks, yet the only other GOP official to comment on the situation actually gives him a pass?

I agree that "the world should move on" as well. Too bad schmucks like Rusty DePass can't seem to move on with it.

Question: Why does the GOP keep letting hacks like DePass run amok without ever being chin checked?

GOP activist DePass apologizes after joking on Facebook that gorilla is related to Michelle Obama [NY Times]