In a YouTube video posted by Democratic blogger Ben Tribbett from a Sept. 25 McDonnell reception, Johnson tells a small crowd that Virginia needs a governor “who can really communicate, and Bob McDonnell can communicate.”
“The other people I talk to, especially his op-op-op-o-opponent, di-di-did this all through my interview with him,” she said to muted laughter. Then she added, “He could not articulate what needed to be done.”
In a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press, Johnson said she sought to highlight Creigh Deeds’ inability to “clearly communicate effective solutions” on important issues.
“I shouldn’t have done it in the manner in which I did and for that I apologize for any offense he, or others, may have taken,” Johnson said.
Deeds, a state senator from Bath County, occasionally hesitates and stumbles over words in ordinary conversation, speeches and media interviews. He sometimes jokes about his unpolished speaking style.
Seeing as she’s the Co-Founder of BET, I reckon there won’t be any repercussions for her remarks. If your skin isn’t white, or you’re a member of the NAACP or a similar organization you can get away with this kind of thing (kinda like Al Roker did when he made fun of epileptics, or when John Liu was recently called a “Little Asian Boy” at an NAACP gathering).