Uncle Tom Gate Day II

From the Chicago Sun-Times

Obama disavows comment; Jones issues quasi-apology

BY DAVE MCKINNEY, ABDON M. PALLASCH AND MARY MITCHELL Staff Reporters

DENVER -- Barack Obama on Monday disavowed a racially charged dispute involving his political mentor, Illinois Senate President Emil Jones, as Jones issued a quasi-apology to the Hillary Clinton supporter he allegedly called an "Uncle Tom."

"We don't have time for that kind of stuff," Obama told a reporter who asked him about the flap at the Quad Cities Airport in Moline, Ill. "What we need to do is focus on unifying the party to win in November, and that's what I intend to do."

Just hours before Jones received a last-minute, pre-prime-time speaking role at the Democratic National Convention, he expressed regret to Chicago political consultant Delmarie Cobb for insulting her -- after insisting earlier in the day he had no reason to apologize to her.

The Obama camp and Jones worked feverishly to minimize fallout from the racial flap that threatened to further alienate Clinton supporters and raise questions about why Jones was awarded a coveted convention speaking role while immersed in such an incendiary controversy.

Click here for entire story

Rich Miller/CapFax round-up: Jones sort of apologizes, disappeared by Dems, upbraided by Halvorson