RNC's Priebus on Rep. Allen West 'slave' comment: I'm not GOP 'police officer'
By Justin Sink - 07/03/12 06:23 PM ET

http://thehill.com/video/campaign/236205-priebus-pressed-on-west-slave-comments-says-hes-not-gops-police-officer



Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said Tuesday that he wasn't "the police officer of the Republican party" after being pressed over controversial comments by Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.).

During a campaign event in Port Saint Lucie, Fla., the freshman congressman said that President Barack Obama wanted Americans "to be his slave."

“He does not want you to have the self-esteem of getting up and earning and having that title of American," West said, continuing, "He does not want you to have the self-esteem of getting up and earning and having that title of American. He’d rather you be his slave."

Priebus, pressed on the comments during an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, did not denounce West's rhetoric. "First of all, I’m not the police officer of the Republican party," Priebus said. "Allen can say what Allen wants to say. But I think what he’s really trying to say is that if we become a dependent society, if everyone is reliant on the government – I mean, listen, Barack Obama’s the one that put out this 'Life of Julia' website. I think we all know what this is. It’s a life of a girl from preschool to I think death or near death showing how every step of her life."