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GIVEN APOLOGY: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks to supporters in Columbus Grove, Ohio, this week. Photo: Getty Images

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The news service fired its chief political correspondent on Wednesday for the off the cuff remark made during the Republican Party's national convention.

David Chalian, the Yahoo! News Washington bureau chief, made the comment privately during a webcast of the Republican Party's national convention on Monday, but it was picked up by a live microphone.

With Hurricane Isaac approaching New Orleans as the convention got under way, Chalian was heard saying to an unidentified guest: "Feel free to say, they're not concerned at all. They are happy to have a party with black people drowning."

The remark was made over video of Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney and his wife Ann, and laughter was heard in the background.

Yahoo! said in statement that Chalian's remark "was inappropriate and does not represent the views of Yahoo!"

"He has been terminated effective immediately. We have already reached out to the Romney campaign, and we apologise to Mitt Romney, his staff, their supporters and anyone who was offended."

Chalian later apologised on his Facebook page for "making an inappropriate and thoughtless joke".

"I was commenting on the challenge of staging a convention during a hurricane and about campaign optics," he said.

Comments

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Wed Jun 19 22:37:39 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 31, 2012

Pointman

The journo was most probably right. Remember the Republican party's response to Katrina and the flooding in New Orleans- all those Black people (and whites too) stranded after the inundation and no help anywhere for days.
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Aug 31, 2012

candilious

Ja nee freedom of speech
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Aug 31, 2012

cocolucho

@pointman
I agree. The republicans only seem to care about bible wielding whites and no one else, which is funny cos they are such hypocrites.
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Aug 31, 2012

MGEEZ

I like this; it will teach many that indeed freedom of speech has its own limits!!!

@Candilious- Good morning
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Aug 31, 2012

MommaC

"Feel free to say, they're not concerned at all. They are happy to have a party with black people drowning."

Shouldn't have been fired for telling the truth. Considering what happened during Katrina, the idea of having a super duper party while people are hunkered down. praying that the levies will hold - that is just crass
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Aug 31, 2012

BRA-MAFUTHA

that will teach him a lesson to think before he writes or speaks

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Aug 31, 2012

Lehido

Few years back when Obama was still fighting for the Presidency, Some priest said "He'll cut off Obama's balls if he wins.......", and it was picked up by microphones as well but nothing happened to him if I recall....

I do think this man was telling the truth, it's like our politicians in SA right now, instead of helping people of marikana, actually go to marikana and see what went down, they all head down to Parliment and discuss things they know nothing about, they werent even there when those miners were k!lled, but they insult each other like they were there..........Politicians dont give a damn about us!
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Aug 31, 2012

MommaC

Okay folks, how is this 'racist'?

A bunch of filthy rich white folk are having a grand old knees up party whilst a hurricane descends on the same city (one with a huge black population) that was devastated by a hurricane a number of years ago and has STILL not been prioritised for fixing.

Now how is it 'racist' to think that they should be more worried about what happens to New Orleans than about partying?
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Aug 31, 2012

candilious

@MGEEZ-Morning true that
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Aug 31, 2012

maditaba

@Voetzek. Why is he a racist again? He is saying they are happy go ahead and party because its black people who are drowning' . Learn to read and analyse before becoming emotional.
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