TN GOP candidate Saltsman defends 'Magic Negro' mix CD

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GOP candidate defends 'Magic Negro' song
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Nashville's Chip Saltsman, vying to be the next Republican National Committee chairman, is defending his decision to send committee members a gag CD that included a song called "Barack the Magic Negro."

* photo caption: Chip Saltsman says he thinks most people recognize political satire.

Saltsman, former Tennessee GOP chairman, announced his candidacy this month, saying the party needed a new direction.

He sent the CD to RNC members as a Christmas present. Political satirist Paul Shanklin sings the song to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon," imitating black activist Al Sharpton. Lyrics include: "Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper said he makes guilty whites feel good. They'll vote for him, and not for me 'cause he's not from the hood."

The song stems from a Los Angeles Times column headline, "Obama, the Magic Negro."

Saltsman told CNN on Friday, "I think most people recognize political satire when they see it."

Shanklin's song about the president-elect and others have aired on Rush Limbaugh's radio show. Shanklin's publicist said the songwriter and Saltsman are friends. Shanklin didn't respond to an interview request.

The joke may backfire on Saltsman, who managed Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

Chip may have a point there...

* political satire follows:
Chip the Whitey Klansman
desires to be in D.C.
and works for a backwards G.O.P.
in a land called Tennessee

Pudgy Michael Hucklebee
loved that racist Chip
and brought him bed sheets
and far-right extremists and
other nutty stuff, ohh...