Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Rep. Steny Hoyer Apologizes to Michael Steele for 'Slave' Remark
A ranking House Democrat has apologized for saying that African-American Senate candidate Michael Steele has "slavishly” supported the Republican Party.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said he meant no offense when he made the remark on Sunday at a campaign event for Rep. Ben Cardin, the Democrat who is running against Lt. Gov. Steele for the Senate seat in Maryland.
"I shouldn’t have used those words,” Hoyer said Tuesday through a spokesman.
"If Mr. Steele did in fact take offense, let me assure him that none was intended.”
Steele’s spokesman Doug Heye called Hoyer’s comment "insensitive and pretty stupid.”
And the Washington Post reported that Steele himself referred to "the sheer craziness of some in the Democratic Party who think they can use racist terms and infer things about me just because I’m an African-American Republican.”
Spokesman Heye told CNN that in 2002, Hoyer referred to Steele as a "token” candidate, although Hoyer said at the time that he was quoted out of context.
A ranking House Democrat has apologized for saying that African-American Senate candidate Michael Steele has "slavishly” supported the Republican Party.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said he meant no offense when he made the remark on Sunday at a campaign event for Rep. Ben Cardin, the Democrat who is running against Lt. Gov. Steele for the Senate seat in Maryland.
"I shouldn’t have used those words,” Hoyer said Tuesday through a spokesman.
"If Mr. Steele did in fact take offense, let me assure him that none was intended.”
Steele’s spokesman Doug Heye called Hoyer’s comment "insensitive and pretty stupid.”
And the Washington Post reported that Steele himself referred to "the sheer craziness of some in the Democratic Party who think they can use racist terms and infer things about me just because I’m an African-American Republican.”
Spokesman Heye told CNN that in 2002, Hoyer referred to Steele as a "token” candidate, although Hoyer said at the time that he was quoted out of context.
