S.C. GOP Chairman's spin cycle: Says reference to "Jews who are wealthy" was "truly in admiration"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

COLUMBIA, South Carolina - Two Republican county officials in South Carolina have apologized after they disparaged Jews in a newspaper opinion piece in support of a fiscally conservative U.S. senator.

The chairmen, Edwin Merwin Jr. and Jim Ulmer, wrote the newspaper in backing Republican Sen. Jim DeMint's opposition to congressional earmarks — allocations that lawmakers insert into legislation to benefit pet projects in their home districts.

"There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of themselves," according to the piece published Sunday in The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg.

DeMint called the comment thoughtless and hurtful Tuesday, and one of South Carolina's two Jewish legislators, Democratic state Sen. Joel Lourie, said he was outraged.

"The words of these key Republican leaders are disgusting, unconscionable and represent prejudice in its purest form," said Lourie.

He initially called for the chairmen to be removed but later said it was time to move past the issue.

Neither chairmen returned telephone messages from The Associated Press, but they released statements through the state Republican Party.

Ulmer, the Orangeburg County chairman, said the remark was "truly in admiration for a method of bettering one's lot in life" and he meant nothing derogatory.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33406727/ns/politics-more_politics/

[Angry Dragon]

1. These fools

Neither chairmen returned telephone messages from The Associated Press, but they released statements through the state Republican Party.

They can always open their mouths and let the shit run out but when it comes to answering for it they always have to find a spokesperson to clean up the mess.

[AlienGirl]

2. They're just digging the hole deeper with this

If they had sense they'd issue the apology and then let the matter rest.

But then, if they had sense, they wouldn't be Republicans.

Tucker

[sandnsea]

3. I think they truly don't understand stereotyping

Maybe if somebody complimented them on their noose tying abilities they would get it.

On Edit:

Then again, they'd probably just say thank you and not even know they'd been insulted.

[aquart]

4. He's only behaving the way his mama raised him.

Some can get beyond that. Some can't. But how tone deaf.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. "And the horns look good on you, too!"

"Really. They accent that Christ-Killing big nose."