Politics & Government

Tommy Thompson's Son Jokes About Sending Obama Back to Kenya [Video]

Former governor says he was unaware of comment made by his son at Kenosha fundraiser on Sunday. Jason Thompson has now issued an apology.

UPDATE: Jason Thompson, former governor Tommy Thompson's son, issues an apology for a joke he made about Obama yesterday.

Speaking at a fundraiser in Kenosha on Sunday, the son of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Thompson joked about sending President Barack Obama back to Kenya.

ORIGINAL STORY: Jason Thompson spoke at a GOP brunch attended by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and state party Chairman Brad Courtney.

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As seen on a YouTube video, Jason Thompson tells supporters: "We have the opportunity to send President Obama back to Chicago — or Kenya."

Those in the room applauded the comment, and one woman can be heard saying, "We're taking donations for that Kenya trip."

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Tommy Thompson, who apparently was not at the event, told reporters Sunday night that he was unaware of his son's comment. "I haven't seen a video," he said.

Asked whether he was at the fundraiser, Tommy Thompson said: "'I don't know what you're talking about," and repeated that he hadn't seen anything.

A spokesman for Thompson's campaign told the website BuzzFeed, which first reported the incident, that Jason Thompson "said something that he should not have and he apologizes."

Thompson is locked in a tight battle for the U.S. Senate race with Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, whose campaign declined to comment on the incident.

Graeme Zielinski, communications director for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said: "These tactics have no place in our politics and we hope Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and Reince Preibus will disavow these comments immediately."


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