Rep. Lynn Jenkins = Fail!
Photo by Elliot Sutherland
With our own Kansas Representative recently in the national spotlight, the timing is perfect for a new website sponsored by the Kansas Democratic Party.
KDP recently launched the website www.JenkinsFail.com in honor of the 2nd District’s own Representative, Lynn Jenkins. Jenkins first made national news in mid August for her racist comments, or as she calls it, poor word choice. At a town hall meeting in Hiwatha, Jenkins said, “Republicans are struggling right now to find the great white hope. I suggest to any of you who are concerned about that, who are Republican, there are some great young Republican minds in Washington.”
Her ‘great white hope’ comment refers to a term used in the early 1900s, when a white man and a black man were battling for the world heavyweight boxing championship. The white boxer was refered to as the ‘great white hope.’
Jenkins appoligized saying, “I was explaining that there are some bright lights in the House, and I was unaware of any negative connotation. If I offended somebody, obviously I apologize.” However, it was later uncovered by the Ottawa Herald that Jenkins voted to pass a bill in July addressing the boxing championship and the wording included the phrase ‘great white hope.’ Jenkins then stated that she didn’t read the material before she voted for the bill. So from the sounds of it, we have someone representing us who has not only used racist wording, but has admitted to not reading what she has voted on.
However, her indiscretions did not stop there.
Her next slip-up hit closer to home, taking place in Ottawa. Jenkins was holding a town hall meeting about health care at the Franklin County Annex in Ottawa on Aug. 27. Jenkins made national news for the second time in a matter of weeks, this time for laughing at a unisured, single, 27-year-old mother. Elizabeth Smith and her son Jonah were at the town hall to ask Rep. Jenkins why the government doesn’t provide health care to all citizens. After Jenkins got confused and the crowd had a short burst of argument, Jenkins then laughed at Smith and told her to be a grown up.
This incident landed Jenkins in hot water, as well as on many political talk shows including a spot on MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann’s ‘Worlds Worst People’ list.
Lately Jenkins has been spending more time defending herself and appoligizing than actually representing the people in her district.
www.JenkinsFail.com can also be found on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JenkinsFail
