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RNC Hopeful Sends Out 'Barack the Magic Negro'

Saltsman puts Obama song on holiday CD

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 27, 2008 12:10 PM CST

(Newser) – A candidate for chair of the Republican National Committee has included a song called “Barack the Magic Negro” in a Christmas mailing, the Hill reports. Chip Saltsman said, “RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize” that the song, written by Paul Shanklin and sung to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon,” was a joke. It first aired on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show almost two years ago.

The song takes its name from a Los Angeles Times op-ed that argued that Obama’s candidacy might assuage white guilt over the treatment of blacks in America. Saltsman said the song was obviously a dig at the piece’s author, David Ehrenstein, and not at Obama. Shanklin’s “songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies,” he said. Also on the Christmas CD: “Wright Place, Wrong Pastor,” “Love Client #9,” and “The Star Spanglish Banner.”

President-elect Barack Obama waves after visiting soldiers at Marine Corp Base Hawaii on Christmas Day.
President-elect Barack Obama waves after visiting soldiers at Marine Corp Base Hawaii on Christmas Day.   (AP Photo)
RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman.
RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman.   (AP Photo)
In this Jan. 30, 2008, file photo, radio personality Rush Limbaugh arrives for a screening of Bernard and Doris at the Time Warner Center in New York.
In this Jan. 30, 2008, file photo, radio personality Rush Limbaugh arrives for a screening of Bernard and Doris at the Time Warner Center in New York.   (AP Photo/Gary He, file)
President-elect Barack Obama with some shaved ice in Hawaii.
President-elect Barack Obama with some shaved ice in Hawaii.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
Doctor-Zaius
Jan 31, 2009 1:03 AM CST
Maybe we should produce the "Steely the magic Negro" song. That wouldn't be racist by your definition GOP would it?
wwwonderer
Dec 28, 2008 11:04 PM CST
yeah Corona King. Comments like this you posted are not racists at all - http://www.newser.com/story/46389/like-the-big-3-detroit-is-dying.html
sache
Dec 28, 2008 8:48 PM CST
Carona-king, you have a lot of issues. That you are a racist is only one. Some people are hopelessly ignorant . Born that way,die that way and no amount of well meaning reasoning will help.The self righteously ignorant ,all a part of what makes this imperfect world go round.

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