As the debate continues over whether President Barack Obama is the victim of overt or oblique racist attacks, a new video is making the rounds on YouTube and elsewhere in the blogosphere that show former minority whip Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) telling a story that some have interpreted as his comparing the president to a monkey.

Blunt, speaking Friday evening at the opening day of the conservative Family Research Council’s 2009 Values Voter Summit, tells the audience that in Washington politics, “you have to play the ball where the monkey throws it.”

He illustrates his point that “you can’t control everything there is in life that you would like to control” by describing a group of British occupation forces occupying a large, quiet, verdant area in India somewhere in the late 19th to early 20th century and who had so little to do that they decided to build a golf course.

“Almost from the day the first ball was hit on this golf course, something happened they didn't anticipate: Monkeys would come running out of the jungle and then grab the golf balls,” Blunt told his audience. “And if it was in the fairway, they might throw it in the rough. And if it was in the rough, they might throw it - they might throw it back at you! And I can go into great and long detail about how many things they tried to eliminate the monkey problem, but they never got it done. So finally for this golf course and this golf course only, they passed a rule and the rule was, you have to play the ball where the monkey throws it. And that is the rule in Washington all the time.
 
“You now the world is turned upside down,” Blunt said as the laughter subsided, “when Al Franken is in the U.S. Senate and Tom DeLay is going on 'Dancing With the Stars,'” referring to the comedian who defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman for a U.S. Senate seat and the House Majority Leader and Republican congressman from Texas who is in the lineup for the ABC network’s dance show.

But while the joke is what’s blowing up in cyberspace, the truly telling remark may have come later in his speech as Blunt talked about the health care reform battle in Congress and former President Jimmy Carter’s remarks that Obama is being targeted by politically orchestrated racial attacks that bring out underlying bigotry among Americans that could undermine the president.

"Don't be intimidated out of this fight,” Blunt said. “President Carter said if you disagree with this president, it's somehow fundamentally racist in nature... That's not what this is about. And we can't be intimidated into believing that that's what this is about... You do have to play the ball where it's thrown in this case."

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…advantage over others. A person can TRULY BELIEVE in the supremacy of one group over another, but if he does not have a SYSTEM to employ to make it (even artificially) a reality, he CANNOT not be a RACIST. He may be a BIGOT or PREJUDICED but he cannot be a racist. The angry white people who post on this blog, unfortunately, are not racists. They are victims of the SYSTEM of racism just like we are. The sad thing for them is they just don’t know it. The system works against them as well otherwise they would be on top, not struggling to make ends meet, getting taxed half to death, and losing…

by   
Drwill911
September 22, 2009, 3:31 pm
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…their jobs like we are. They should be looking for ways to join with us to DEFEAT the REAL racists rather than coming to this blog to argue for the continuation of racist policies promulgated by the Republican Party. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world… (Ephesians Chapter 6).” We have to concentrate our fight to bring down the system of institutionalized racism rather than fighting against PEOPLE who are being victimized just as much as we are.

by   
Drwill911
September 22, 2009, 3:30 pm
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Blunt has been smoking blunts!

by   
Baroca
September 22, 2009, 3:13 pm
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jiggy 5...I agree with you 100%..why even legitmize this foolishness...we have way more important things to focus on. Racisim was here when Jesus Christ walked the earth and it will be here when he comes back. We as a people can't get all riled up everytime some idiot makes an off the cuff remark..SO WHAT.. When Rep. Blunt's speech ended and that republican gathering came to an end, Obama was still POTUS.

by   
060107
September 22, 2009, 2:45 pm
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Peeps, we need to let this kind of stuff roll off our back. You give it legitimacy by even talking about it. DAMM

by   
Jiggy5
September 22, 2009, 1:32 pm
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yes his comments were directed at the President. He is a coward and will never admit it.

by   
Cme276072
September 22, 2009, 12:10 pm
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If you look at Blunt's face, he looks like the kind of man who would make those remarks. He looks like a typical Republican--an old white man.

by   
CAmira
September 22, 2009, 10:05 am
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Blunt is a desperate man. He's fighting to keep his job and doesn't care who it hurts. It's not about policy or politics or values or morals. It's about his pocket book. He's speaking to an audience that is looking to be excused from biased and racist attitudes and beliefs. The publicity they get helps them be more popular. It's sad, but that's how slavery lasted for hundreds of years. Decent people being swayed by greedy, savage individuals with black hearts and twisted minds. These are the same spirits we're up against today.

by   
Raefree
September 22, 2009, 10:00 am
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republicans want to be known as "old white men only" and screw minorities.blunt should apologize for his comments but he won't. you wonder what club does he comes from-kkk? joe wilson is one so we shouldn't be surprised if any republican or democrat belonging to a racist club while they are working for their constituents.

by   
Quita32
September 22, 2009, 7:55 am
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it is NOT funny to make fun of our president or other african amrerican political leaders running political offices.jiggy, what color are YOU? you may have disagreements with the opposition but it doesn't give you to disrespect your color regardless! check yourself before you wreck yourself jiggy!

by   
Quita32
September 22, 2009, 7:51 am
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NO, Jiggy, this is SAD. If you think this is funny (meaning ha-ha funny), you gotta admit that you need help.

by   
Drwill911
September 22, 2009, 7:24 am
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You gotts admit peeps, that shyt is funny.

by   
Jiggy5
September 22, 2009, 7:09 am
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