Just when I thought I had heard it all

Rusty DePass, a SC Republican activist and former chairman of the state elections commission recently made a comment that an escaped gorilla was an "ancestor" of Michelle Obama. Don't believe me? Check here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/14/rusty-depass-south-caroli_n_215439.html. He later "apologized" by saying he didn't mean to offend anyone, his remark was in jest. JEST? Are you kidding me?
When did this become acceptable for supposedly respected officials to talk this way about fellow human beings? Worse yet, the wife of our elected leader? I don't recall this kind of trash talking when Bush was in power. Is President Obama and his family fair game because he's black? Am I implying the dreaded racist word? Yes.
President Barack Obama is black. His family is black. So what? Get over it. Don't like it. Leave.
It is not all right to speak about the man who is our PRESIDENT [or his family] like that.
More and more, I am hearing rhetoric that tells me that President Obama is not respected as our past presidents have been and this greatly disturbs me. I thought when President Obama was elected it meant a huge turning point for this country.
I guess I was wrong. Republicans seem to take every opportunity to talk badly about the Administration http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/republican-step-up-the-anti-obama-speak-2009-06-14.html. They rally around talk show hosts and former elected officials and show time and again that they have nothing to offer but negativity. Our only hope is to show all of them the door.