Rep. Loretta Sanchez Apologizes for Offensive Indian Joke at Democratic Party Convention

Rep. Loretta Sanchez apologized today for making Native American war whoops in a speech to the Indian-American Caucus at the Democratic Party Convention in Anaheim.

The apology came a day after the U.S. Senate candidate made the gesture that was recorded on a cellphone.

Sanchez said from Anaheim that candidates “who don’t hide behind the handlers” sometimes make missteps.

“I said something offensive and for that I sincerely apologize,” Sanchez said.

“Those of you who put yourselves out there like I do, who open your heart, and who don’t hide behind handlers -- you know how hard it can be,” she said. “We all make mistakes.”

In a Saturday speech at a meeting of the Indian-American Caucus at a restaurant near the Anaheim Convention Center, Sanchez told of receiving a telephone call before she first was elected to Congress, from a man who she said identified himself as from the “Indian-American community.”

Sanchez told the caucus she went into the man’s office, “thinking I’m going to meet with” ... then clapped her hand against her mouth, making what has been described as a “war cry.”

Attorney General Kamala Harris, a fellow Democrat also seeking the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Barbara Boxer, was told of the gesture by reporters at a news conference and responded, “I don’t know what to say to that,” Harris said. “That -- that -- that’s shocking. That’s shocking.”

Sanchez, D-Garden Grove, initially ran from at least one television reporter who was seeking comment.

When later asked by reporters if it was an appropriate gesture for Native Americans, she responded, “Well I think Native Americans have an incredibly great history and a great presence in our country and many of them are supporting our election.”

Uduak-Joe Ntuke, who shot the video and posted it on YouTube, told Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA he was “shocked and appalled that she’d make the disparaging comments about Native Americans that way. It’s very un- democratic.”

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City News Service