Deal apologizes for ‘ghetto' remark

By Aaron Gould Sheinin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Republican gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal has apologized for using the phrase "ghetto grandmothers" during a weekend speech. But on Tuesday he also called on "my opponents to put down their video cameras and stop taking my words out of context."

Deal, a U.S. congressman from Hall County, made the "ghetto" remark during a speech to the Cherokee County Republican Party on Saturday. The speech was videotaped by two of his GOP opponents, who shared it with reporters. Deal was talking about his efforts to enact legislation requiring citizenship verification. According to the recording, he said:

"We got all the complaints of the ghetto grandmothers who didn't have birth certificates and all that," he said. "We wrote some very liberal language as to how you can verify it. My mother was born in 1906 and she didn't have a birth certificate. They didn't give birth certificates back then. But we got her one, because you can do it under the proper procedures of your state."

The term "ghetto" is considered racist by some when used to describe a particular type of person.

Asked about the comment later by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Deal issued a statement apologizing: "I regret my choice of words and in no way meant to offend anyone."

In a lengthier statement to the AJC on Tuesday, Deal said he is trying to "make sure taxpayer-funded health care is available to American citizens and not for those who are in this country illegally."

He also criticized his opponents for trying to politicize the issue.

"It's time for my opponents to put down their video cameras and stop taking my words out of context," he said.

Dan McLagan, a spokesman for Karen Handel, the Republican secretary of state also running for governor, said Deal's remarks were "very unfortunate" and Deal was "right to apologize."

Handel's campaign had recorded Deal's speech.