Jim Rosica
Sean Shaw, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General, on Wednesday added his voice to those condemning GOP gubernatorial hopeful and congressman Ron DeSantis.
On FOX News earlier in the day, DeSantis – who won the Republican primary Tuesday night – commented on his Democratic counterpart, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.
“The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases, and bankrupting the state,” DeSantis said during an interview with FOX host Sandra Smith.
DeSantis is white; Gillum is black. Comparing African Americans to apes or monkeys usually is considered disparaging.
“The remark made by Congressman DeSantis was racist and offensive and has no place in our political discourse,” said Shaw, an African American, in a statement.
“We already have a president that uses divisive and hostile language and we do not need Ron DeSantis trying to import that from Washington to Tallahassee,” he added.
“Racism is cancer that must be weeded out. DeSantis should step aside if he cannot find a way to apologize and control the language that comes out of his mouth.”
In a statement, DeSantis campaign spokesman Stephen Lawson said DeSantis “was obviously talking about Florida not making the wrong decision to embrace the socialist policies that Andrew Gillum espouses.
“To characterize it as anything else is absurd. Florida’s economy has been on the move for the last eight years and the last thing we need is a far-left Democrat trying to stop our success.”
4 comments
Holly L.
August 29, 2018 at 2:42 pm
I live in Florida and support Gillum. I’m very excited about a Democrat coming up to bring back some humanity to our state. I am completely offended by the “monkey” comment. Did he mean it? We’ll never know.
David
August 30, 2018 at 10:33 am
Humanity? Does that mean corruption? Unaccountability? Is that what you mean? Because that’s what he did in his last job.
Francene
August 29, 2018 at 3:15 pm
Do we really need another politician in office spewing negative remarks and hate? I think not!! America is made up of people with different nationalities and heredities. Let’s promote “the good of all mankind.” Vote for a govenor who wants to be a champion for all residents of Florida…….black, white, green, or yellow.
TruNewsNet
August 30, 2018 at 9:13 am
As we Recall. The Monkeys were an all white band. And we all played on the monkey bars at school. So everyone who conflates Monkey with black people really needs to look at their own biases, not try to claim others.
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