Politician Behind Obama-Chimp Email: It's 'Much To Do About Nothing'
April 18 2011, Published 5:05 a.m. ET
Breaking Celebrity News Staff Writer
It's the outrageous photo that's fueling a firestorm, yet the California politician behind it is offering only a lukewarm apology!
Republican Marilyn Davenport, a top ranking GOP official who represents Orange County in California's State Assembly, e-mailed a shocking picture of three chimpanzees with President Barack Obama's face superimposed on one of them. The caption: "Now you know why no birth certificate!"
Davenport told the OC Weekly the e-mail was "just an Internet joke," also asking them: "You're not going to make a big deal about this are you?"
A big deal it's become, and as the story grew, Davenport on Saturday offered up a pseduo-apology, telling the paper: "I'm sorry if my email offended anyone.
"I simply found it amusing regarding the character of Obama and all the questions surrounding his origin of birth," she told the paper. "In no way did I even consider the fact he's half black when I sent out the email. In fact, the thought never entered my mind until one or two other people tried to make this about race.