Click Here

     *African-American congressman Alcee Hastings released a statement apologizing for his comment to a Jewish group regarding Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

      The Florida lawmaker was speaking at a panel on the shared agenda of Jewish and African-American Democrats during the annual conference of the National Jewish Democratic Council last week when he intended to tell his Jewish constituents about the importance of supporting Sen. Barack Obama in November's presidential election.

       "If Sarah Palin isn't enough of a reason for you to get over whatever your problem is with Barack Obama, then you damn well had better pay attention," Hastings said, according to reports. "Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through."

       In his statement Monday, Hastings said "I regret the comments I made last Tuesday that were not smart and certainly not relevant to hunters or sportsmen."      

       However, he still backed the sentiment behind his initial remarks. "The point I made, and will continue to make, is that the policies and priorities of a McCain-Palin administration would be anathema to most African Americans and Jews," he said in his statement. "I regret that I was not clearer and apologize to Governor Palin, my host where I was speaking, and those who my comments may have offended."      

       Last Friday, the NJDC announced the launch of a new campaign of pro-Obama ads that will appear in Jewish newspapers across the country. The first ad in the campaign is timed to coincide with the Rosh Hashanah issues of the publications, and focuses on Obama's support for Israel.       

       "Barack Obama is committed to a safe and secure Israel" and "believes that Israel must be preserved as a Jewish state," the ad reads.