Fla. Rep. Apologizes for Bush Comments
Thu Feb 26,10:20 PM ET
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By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Florida congresswoman apologized Thursday for making comments about "white men" in the Bush administration, but refused to back off statement that the president's Haitian policy is racist.
Rep. Corrine Brown, who is black, said during a briefing on the Haiti crisis Wednesday that the president's representatives were "a bunch of white men." She was speaking to Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, a Mexican-American.
After Noriega told Brown he resented being called a racist and branded a white man, she responded "you all look alike to me," according to witnesses.
Brown, a Democrat from Jacksonville, said Thursday her remarks were not directed at Noriega, but toward Bush's policy. She said she sent Noriega a letter to apologize.
"I apologize right up front," she said. "But I am concerned about the crisis that is about to happen in Haiti and about the blood and about the government collapsing and about the people suffering and I just pray that we will intervene before it's too late."
The State Department would not confirm receipt of the letter. A spokesman said the agency doesn't comment on "intergovernmental communication of that sort."
Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, said Brown should resign.
"Congresswoman Brown's comments demonstrate a complete lack of ethnic sensitivity. This irresponsible statement represents a step backward for race relations," Bonilla said.
Brown said her remarks came at an emotional moment. She said she's angry Bush is spending $200 billion in Iraq (news - web sites) while doing nothing to help Haiti, where rebel fighters are trying to oust President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
"They are poor and they are black and we have just turned our backs on them and I'm very upset," she said.
Thu Feb 26,10:20 PM ET
Add U.S. National - AP to My Yahoo!
By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Florida congresswoman apologized Thursday for making comments about "white men" in the Bush administration, but refused to back off statement that the president's Haitian policy is racist.
Rep. Corrine Brown, who is black, said during a briefing on the Haiti crisis Wednesday that the president's representatives were "a bunch of white men." She was speaking to Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, a Mexican-American.
After Noriega told Brown he resented being called a racist and branded a white man, she responded "you all look alike to me," according to witnesses.
Brown, a Democrat from Jacksonville, said Thursday her remarks were not directed at Noriega, but toward Bush's policy. She said she sent Noriega a letter to apologize.
"I apologize right up front," she said. "But I am concerned about the crisis that is about to happen in Haiti and about the blood and about the government collapsing and about the people suffering and I just pray that we will intervene before it's too late."
The State Department would not confirm receipt of the letter. A spokesman said the agency doesn't comment on "intergovernmental communication of that sort."
Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas, said Brown should resign.
"Congresswoman Brown's comments demonstrate a complete lack of ethnic sensitivity. This irresponsible statement represents a step backward for race relations," Bonilla said.
Brown said her remarks came at an emotional moment. She said she's angry Bush is spending $200 billion in Iraq (news - web sites) while doing nothing to help Haiti, where rebel fighters are trying to oust President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
"They are poor and they are black and we have just turned our backs on them and I'm very upset," she said.
