Maine's Governor LePage - Another Embarrassment

LePage allegedly told a group of Republicans that President Barack Obama "hates white people."

People involved, or who were there, when this ugly and completely unnecessary incident allegedly occurred, can't confirm or deny it happened; and that's enough of a problem to continue the litany of embarrassments connected with Maine's Governor Paul LePage.

This time, two Republican lawmakers are speaking, albeit anonymously, to the press: 

LePage said Obama "hates white people".

Maine Governor Paul LePage

Two Republicans say the governor made the remark during a fundraiser in Belgrade last week.

By Eric Russell erussell@pressherald.com  Staff Writer

Gov. Paul LePage told a group of Republicans last week that President Obama "hates white people," according to two state lawmakers who say they heard the remark directly.

The comments were allegedly made by the Governor during a Maine Republican Party fundraiser on Aug. 12, at the home of John and Linda Fortier in Belgrade (ME). 

According to the invitation, the fundraiser was a "meet and greet" for LePage and first lady Ann LePage, and an opportunity to meet Rick Bennett (R-Norway), the new party chairman.

Both Republican lawmakers confirmed the comment when asked by a Portland Press Herald reporter, but asked their names be withheld for fear of political retribution.

Each said LePage talked about how Obama could have been the best president ever if he had highlighted his biracial heritage. LePage said the president hasn't done that because he hates white people.

"Yeah, he said it," said one of the lawmakers. "It was one little thing from a speech, but I think most people there thought it was totally inappropriate."

Bennett, who was elected in July to succeed Richard Cebra as Maine Republican Party chairman, did not return multiple calls for comment about the story Monday.

No video or tape recording evidence has yet been produced to substantiate or disclaim whether or not this incident happened. Nevertheless, Governor LePage has yet to stand up and completely deny it happened. His reticence, not forcibly denying it, is an embarrassment to all Americans, but especially to Maine people, who are so not like the face our current governor portrays about Mainers to the nation.

Governor LePage has a history of making inflammatory comments:

• In September 2010, before he was elected, he told a group of fishermen at a forum: "As your governor, you're going to be seeing a lot of me on the front page, saying 'Governor LePage tells Obama to go to hell.'"

• In January 2011, shortly after he was sworn in, he declined an invitation to an event hosted by the NAACP in Portland. When asked what he would tell the group if it questioned his decision, LePage replied, "Tell them to kiss my butt."

• In July last year, he compared the Internal Revenue Service to the Gestapo, the Nazi police.

• In June of this year, he said Maine Assistant Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson would be "the first one to give it to the people without providing Vaseline."

Indeed, if the governor did, in fact, say that Obama hates white people, it would top the governor's list, said Mark Brewer, a political scientist at the University of Maine.

Speaking as a Maine citizen, having lived in this beautiful state since 1979, I want to apologize to the American people and especially to President Barack Obama.  Maine is not like Governor LePage.  Our nation deserves much better than to have our office of the Maine Governor desecrated by one man who has demonstrated his deficit in basic social skills.  

Dear Governor LePage, if you didn't make this ugly statement about the President of the United States, I call on you to publicly deny it and say so.  Moreover, you should apologize to all Maine people for your litany of outrageously embarrassing statements.  

If you can't apologize, then I'll just do it for you.