GOP Rep Lynn Jenkins: Republicans Need “Great White Hope”

Do they even think about what they’re saying?  Attempting to encourage conservatives at a town hall meeting, first term Topeka Republican Lynn Jenkins said “Republicans are struggling right now to find the great white hope. I suggest to any of you who are concerned about that, who are Republican, there are some great young Republican minds in Washington.”

Those great minds include, according to Jenkins, Rep. Eric Cantor R-VA., Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. They’re all white, by the way.

The phrase “great white hope” is frequently tied to racist attitudes permeating the United States when heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson fought in the early 1900s. Reaction to the first black man to reign as champion was intense enough to build support for a campaign to find a white fighter capable of reclaiming the title from Johnson.

In response to inquiries by The Topeka Capital-Journal, a Jenkins spokeswoman said Wednesday the congresswoman wanted to apologize for her word choice and to emphasize she had no intention of expressing herself in an offensive manner.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.