Obama hits back at inexperience charge from GOP lawmaker Nick Juliano

Published: Monday April 14, 2008



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Print This Email This GOP congressman calls Obama 'boy' at fundraiser, later apologizes A Republican congressman used some of the most racially charged language of the election season to attack Barack Obama's fitness to be president, causing the Illinois Senator's campaign to issue a sharp rebuke Monday. Rep. Geoff Davis was speaking to about 400 donors at a fundraiser in Kentucky, when he said of Obama, "That boy's finger does not need to be on the button." Obama's campaign hit back against the "offensive" comment. It's hard to tell what is more outrageous - Representative Davis' condescending and personal attack, or his absurd and offensive claim that Barack Obama is not prepared to defend America," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton. "Geoff Davis may hide behind offensive tough talk, but he has marched in lock-step with Bush-McCain policies that have devastated our national security while Barack Obama has stood up against a misguided war in Iraq and worked with respected Republicans like Dick Lugar and Chuck Hagel to secure loose weapons and nuclear materials from terrorists. A Davis spokesperson said the two-term Republican "misspoke" and was not trying to be racist. Later, Davis issued a written apology to the Democratic frontrunner. "My poor choice of words is regrettable and was in no way meant to impugn you or the your integrity," Davis wrote, according to the ABC News blog Political Radar. "I offer my sincere apology to you and ask for your forgiveness." It also appears Davis may have released classified information in the exchange. He said in his remarks at the GOP dinner that he also recently participated in a "highly classified, national security simulation" with Obama. "I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button," Davis said. "He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country." It's unclear just what kind of classified simulation Davis could be referring to. A Davis spokesperson wouldn't talk about it. Both elected in 2004, Obama and Davis serve in opposite chambers of Congress, and they sit on different committees, so there's little chance they would have crossed paths much. Blogger Mark Nickolas calls Davis's comments "overtly racist" and reminds readers of previous controversy from the congressman. In 2005, Davis once lectured from the House floor that Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA) and similar critics of the Bush war policy were "despicable, dishonorable, uninformed, unhistorical, anti-intellectual and, frankly, un-American." In 2006, Davis -- who reminds voters at every opportunity that he is a veteran -- became the top recipient of the payday loan industry and carried their water in opposing caps on high interest rates for payday loans made on military bases, even sharing proposed legislation with the industry after receiving thousands in contributions.