http://www.thedailybeast.com/beltway-beast/black-republican-sarah-palin-doesnt-speak-for-us/
Timothy Johnson, who as chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation works to get African-American Republican officials elected and increase the ranks of black members of the party, says that Sarah Palin needs to clarify her defense of Dr. Laura Schlessinger. He also says Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele needs to speak out against Palin.
The former Alaska governor made waves Wednesday by defending conservative radio talker Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s use of the n-word in a conversation with a radio caller. Schlessinger has since announced that she is stepping down from her top-rated program.
“Don’t retreat…reload!” Palin wrote on Twitter, adding that the effort to “silence” the radio host “isn’t American” and is “not fair.”
“Sarah Palin is not the chair of the Republican party,” Johnson says. “She is a leading Republican, but from what I can tell many black Republicans don’t use Sarah Palin as a benchmark. I hope Chairman Steele comes out in relationship to this issue….You can support the sinner and not the sin. We need to separate respecting the doctor versus respecting what she says.”
“If she chooses to run for president in 2012, she is going to have to answer to black Republicans,” Johnson says of Palin.
He says he is particularly concerned that Palin’s support of Schlessinger will only further the perception that the Tea Party is racist.
“It doesn’t help the cause,” he says.
“This is an unwise endorsement,” Johnson says. “It wasn’t appropriate. Just because you have the First Amendment right doesn’t give you the right to hurt somebody.”
The Daily Beast has contacted Steele's office and will update with any comment.
Timothy Johnson, who as chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation works to get African-American Republican officials elected and increase the ranks of black members of the party, says that Sarah Palin needs to clarify her defense of Dr. Laura Schlessinger. He also says Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele needs to speak out against Palin.
The former Alaska governor made waves Wednesday by defending conservative radio talker Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s use of the n-word in a conversation with a radio caller. Schlessinger has since announced that she is stepping down from her top-rated program.
“Don’t retreat…reload!” Palin wrote on Twitter, adding that the effort to “silence” the radio host “isn’t American” and is “not fair.”
“Sarah Palin is not the chair of the Republican party,” Johnson says. “She is a leading Republican, but from what I can tell many black Republicans don’t use Sarah Palin as a benchmark. I hope Chairman Steele comes out in relationship to this issue….You can support the sinner and not the sin. We need to separate respecting the doctor versus respecting what she says.”
“If she chooses to run for president in 2012, she is going to have to answer to black Republicans,” Johnson says of Palin.
He says he is particularly concerned that Palin’s support of Schlessinger will only further the perception that the Tea Party is racist.
“It doesn’t help the cause,” he says.
“This is an unwise endorsement,” Johnson says. “It wasn’t appropriate. Just because you have the First Amendment right doesn’t give you the right to hurt somebody.”
The Daily Beast has contacted Steele's office and will update with any comment.
