While hosting Bill Bennett's radio show Friday morning, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele appeared to agree with a caller that President Obama is "the magic Negro."
CALLER: It's just like the LA Times said last year, or two years ago -- he is the magic Negro.
STEELE: Yeah he is -- [laughter]. You read that too, huh?
CALLER: Oh yeah. I read that too. And even when things go wrong, he still manages to come out smelling like a rose.
STEELE: Well, yeah. And it's because he's getting unprecedented coverage -- cover -- by the media.
Steele's amused reaction is somewhat surprising. When former RNC chairman Chip Saltsman released a CD including a parody song "Barack The Magic Negro" in January -- inspired by the same LA Times article -- Steele said it "doesn't help at all ... it reinforces a negative stereotype of the party." Saltsman withdrew from the race to remain chairman in the wake of the scandal.
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