Mayor Anderson Defends His Rally Speech

Mayor Anderson Defends His Rally Speech


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(KSL News) Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson is responding to accusations he used racist remarks in his anti-war rally speech when the President was in town.

Anderson went on KSL Newsradio's Nightside Project last night to defend his use of the word "slavish" in describing some republicans for their so called "blind obedience."

He has come under attack from Salt Lake County Republican Party chairman James Evans, who says Anderson was targeting him because he is black.

Evans has since asked the Salt Lake City Council to reprimand Anderson, who says the correlation is unfounded.

Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson: "James, because I mentioned him 50 seconds earlier in the speech, extemporaneously wants to somehow attribute the word 'slavish' to him because he's African American. I find that so absolutely astoundingly absurd. To make those casual false claims of racism towards anybody, I think is uncontrollable."

Anderson also defended putting his speech on the city website.

The Deseret Morning News had reported Anderson stated his participation in the protest was not a mayoral function.

Anderson denied that, saying he always made it clear he was speaking as mayor,otherwise he wouldn't have been wearing that dark suit.

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