September 25, 2009 12:45 PM
- Text
Students' Obama Song Used For GOP Fundraising
The Republican National Committee has sent a fundraising email to supporters tied to what it calls the "fanaticism" displayed in a video of New Jersey elementary-school students singing a song praising President Obama. (Watch it at left.)
RNC Chair Michael Steele writes that the video shows "the indoctrination of our nation's greatest treasure -- our children."
"Friend, this is the type of propaganda you would see in Stalin's Russia or Kim Jong Il's North Korea," Steele writes. "I never thought the day would come when I'd see it here in America."
The video, which shows students learning songs praising Mr. Obama for his "great accomplishments" and efforts to "make this country's economy No. 1 again," was posted on the conservative Drudge Report and reported by Fox News, prompting anger from conservatives.
"This is the type of fanaticism Republicans are up against as we fight to stop the Obama Democrats' radical leftist transformation of America," Steele writes in the fundraising email. "The only way our Party can defeat their liberal ambitions is by electing more Republicans in the upcoming 2009 state elections and the critical 2010 mid-term elections."
School administrators say students were taught the songs in the video, entitled "School Kids Taught To Praise Obama," in conjunction with February's Black History Month. The recording and release of the video, administrators said, had not been authorized.
A spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Education released a statement saying that "the commissioner has directed the superintendent to conduct a thorough review of what happened."
The goal, she said, was "to ensure that students can celebrate the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month without inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom, as well as ensuring the privacy of children is not violated," as the Daily Journal reports.
The spokeswoman added that the teacher behind the video retired at the end of last year.
Steele concludes in his fundraising email that "the indoctrinating of the most impressionable members of our society is unbelievable unless you see it with your own eyes."
"Please watch the video of young school children literally singing the praises of Barack Obama that their teachers have taught them," he writes. "Share it with your friends, family, neighbors or anyone you think may be concerned by this. Then make a donation of $10, $25, $50 or $100 to support the RNC's efforts to fight this leftist propaganda and elect more Republicans this year and next."
RNC Chair Michael Steele writes that the video shows "the indoctrination of our nation's greatest treasure -- our children."
"Friend, this is the type of propaganda you would see in Stalin's Russia or Kim Jong Il's North Korea," Steele writes. "I never thought the day would come when I'd see it here in America."
The video, which shows students learning songs praising Mr. Obama for his "great accomplishments" and efforts to "make this country's economy No. 1 again," was posted on the conservative Drudge Report and reported by Fox News, prompting anger from conservatives.
"This is the type of fanaticism Republicans are up against as we fight to stop the Obama Democrats' radical leftist transformation of America," Steele writes in the fundraising email. "The only way our Party can defeat their liberal ambitions is by electing more Republicans in the upcoming 2009 state elections and the critical 2010 mid-term elections."
School administrators say students were taught the songs in the video, entitled "School Kids Taught To Praise Obama," in conjunction with February's Black History Month. The recording and release of the video, administrators said, had not been authorized.
A spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Education released a statement saying that "the commissioner has directed the superintendent to conduct a thorough review of what happened."
The goal, she said, was "to ensure that students can celebrate the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month without inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom, as well as ensuring the privacy of children is not violated," as the Daily Journal reports.
The spokeswoman added that the teacher behind the video retired at the end of last year.
Steele concludes in his fundraising email that "the indoctrinating of the most impressionable members of our society is unbelievable unless you see it with your own eyes."
"Please watch the video of young school children literally singing the praises of Barack Obama that their teachers have taught them," he writes. "Share it with your friends, family, neighbors or anyone you think may be concerned by this. Then make a donation of $10, $25, $50 or $100 to support the RNC's efforts to fight this leftist propaganda and elect more Republicans this year and next."
-
Brian Montopoli Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »
Popular Now in Politics
- Santorum sweeps Missouri, Minnesota, Colorado
- Contraception issue heats up as Santorum gains
- Archbishop Dolan urges Obama to back down on birth control
- After Tues. sweep, Santorum seeks to gain speed
- STOCK Act passes in House
- Obama campaign blurs the line with super PAC
- GOP contests under way in Minn., Mo. & Colo.
- Fallon vs. Obama in fitness challenge
- Romney, Gingrich blast Prop 8 ruling
- Callista Gingrich: The quiet wife
- Congressional approval hits another all-time low
- Clint Eastwood gives America a pep talk
- Obama campaign throws support to Obama super PAC
- What Does 'GOP' Stand For?
- Rick Santorum finally gets his moment
- Dems fight back in contraceptive battle
- Obama leads Romney in Virginia poll
Latest CBS News Headlines
on Facebook
on CBS News
- Mexico City modern metro meets ancient Aztec life
- NRC approves first new nuclear plant in 3 decades
- VP Biden touts US economic resiliency at Ohio stop
- Emergency exercise preceded Ind. fair disaster
on Facebook
- Adele opens up about vocal cord surgery
- Mo. teen gets life in prison for murder of 9-year-old girl
- "American Idol": Jim Carrey's daughter out, and then disaster
on CBS News





