Republican presidential candidate John McCain's campaign denounced a racially charged newspaper column written by a member of his leadership team in Virginia.
Bobby May, the author of the column, which appeared in a southwest Virginia newspaper called the Voice, has been removed from the campaign. He had represented Buchanan County.
The column spoofed Democratic candidate Barack Obama's platform. For example, May wrote that if Obama were elected, he would divert more foreign aid to Africa "so the Obama family there can skim enough to allow them to free their goats and live the American Dream."
McCain's campaign fired May and released a statement saying the attempts at humor were: "Offensive, insulting and have no place in political discourse. Mr. May's comments in no way reflect the views or opinions held by John McCain or his campaign. The McCain campaign wholeheartedly disavows Mr. May's column."
