RNC Head Slams Rival Over Racist Obama Song

Click here to hear the offensive song and get caught up on this story.

Reaction on the right to Chip Saltsman's distribution of a song called "Barack the Magic Negro" in his quest to become the new chairman of the RNC has been mixed. One of Saltsman's rivals in the race for the RNC chair, Ken Blackwell, an African American, has defended Saltsman, dismissing the criticism as "hypersensitivity in the press":

"Unfortunately, there is hypersensitivity in the press regarding matters of race. This is in large measure due to President-elect Obama being the first African American elected president," Blackwell, who would be the first black RNC chairman, said in a statement forwarded to Politico by an aide. "I don't think any of the concerns that have been expressed in the media about any of the other candidates for RNC chairman should disqualify them. When looked at in the proper context, these concerns are minimal. All of my competitors for this leadership post are fine people."

However, current RNC chairmanMike Duncan has issued a statement saying he is "shocked and appalled" that Saltsman could have thought this was funny or appropriate in any way: