Mike O'Neal, Kansas House Speaker, Apologizes For Email Calling Michelle Obama 'Mrs. YoMama'

Kansas House Speaker Mike O'Neal (R-Hutchinson) apologized Thursday for forwarding an email referring to First Lady Michelle Obama as "Mrs. YoMama" and comparing her to the Grinch.

The subject line of the email reads "Twins separated at birth?" It includes side-by-side pictures of Michelle Obama and the Grinch with similarly windswept hair. According to the Lawrence Journal-World, the forwarded part of the email reads, "I'm sure you'll join me in wishing Mrs. YoMama a wonderful, long Hawaii Christmas vacation -- at our expense, of course."

(See the image of the First Lady and the Grinch here.)

O'Neal forwarded the email to House Republicans and added the text, "Sorry, just had to forward the latest holiday message! I've had worse hair days but this is pretty funny."

He said Thursday he was sorry to those he offended, adding that he missed the text in the body of the email. He said, however, that the picture "made me laugh." Earlier his communications director defended him, saying that political cartoons are a "part of American culture."

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) recently apologized to the First Lady for saying that she had a "large posterior" and "big butt."

Marilyn Davenport, an elected member of the Orange County, Calif., Republican Central Committee, forwarded an email picturing President Barack Obama's face on the body of a baby chimpanzee in April. She was censured by the committee and apologized, but refused to resign for it.

Comments

[skipdude37]

09:57 PM on 01/20/2012

What do you expect from the Grand Dragon of the Kansas KKK.

[smardy]

08:40 PM on 01/20/2012

Since you're all giving out your opinions here's mine. I think Michelle and Barack are a very handsome couple. She has beautifulstyle can wear sleeveless dresses and looks wonderful, they are a great family together with their pretty daughters too and i know the daughters will grow up to be famous in their own way, I like them all.

[ghbgrant]

07:08 PM on 01/20/2012

It makes me so sick to my stomach to knnow that people like this represent states. They say nasty hateful things about us and just get asked to apologize. The damage has been done and the apology is fake. Everytime i turn around some idiot is on the news apologizing for something negative they've said against African Americans. It pisses me off because we're teaching those idiots that they can say whatever they like and they'll only have to say, "sorry". So much, so much, so much more i would love to say. God bless them!

[jameel1]

11:35 PM on 01/15/2012

It sickens me to know that in 2012 these people still live in fear that the blck man is coming wake up idiot's . Those of u who wish to continue to disrespect the office of the president of the united states will be executed by any means necessary!!!!!!!!!

[rklahti]

02:01 PM on 01/15/2012

The speaker is an idiot.

[Joni Geller]

11:34 PM on 01/14/2012

You sir are not an honorable man! Any man who attacks another man's wife, and then later sends out an e-mail with a prayer for Obama's death has some real issues!

How dare your sir pray for another American's death! You depict what is the worst in our country. You are no better than the men who conspired to kill Lincoln, or the man who pulled the tigger that killed Kennedy. You have the right to say whatever you want, but a man who yells FIRE in a crowded theater should be held accountable for the people who hear this, runs to the exit, and is trampled to death.

[skillet 7188]

08:02 PM on 01/14/2012

This is the same guy who forwarded the Psalm 109 prayer for Obama to die! This guy either belongs in Hazelden or Bedlam, either would be acceptable.

[Vapula]

05:39 PM on 01/14/2012

O'Neil is the representative of Kansas. I would hate to have my home represented by a foul mouthed lout because it would indicate that I am that sort of person which is not something I am or would aspire to be. But if the people of Kansas elected and supported this buffoon then that is indicative of what the people of Kansas are like and a reason I would not have anything to do with Kansas.

[Luv2Purple]

05:50 PM on 01/13/2012

what aSCUMbag mike o'neil is!!!

[Joni Geller]

11:46 PM on 01/14/2012

You know in the end there are more people who believe you're right, and that's a relief.

[etherical]

07:41 AM on 01/11/2012

it is too bad the irish arent treated the way we used to be.......most of us have turned into the very type people that used to enslave us.....as well as kill us off........then mr oneil me thinks youd be talking out of another side of your face...........got that magic w to put in the box on that lil ole paper that proved youd been born....and then turned into complete puke....like way too many others .....

[IndependentRule]

11:24 PM on 01/09/2012

What a wimp......

[Shawn Marie Hardy]

07:06 PM on 01/09/2012

He's sorry, is he? He's sorry because he got caught.

[USAproud1989]

12:51 PM on 01/09/2012

The funny part is that this so called apology is a fake. He was in Mexico vacationing with his family. He never apologized for anything.

[PunniSeed Plant]

11:04 AM on 01/09/2012

Why is he not working for the American people. Get back to work.

[Luv2Purple]

05:51 PM on 01/13/2012

ignorant, hateful racism is not ever funny or humorous....not ever. you can shovethat corncob upyourown!

[Janice Loughe]

02:37 PM on 01/15/2012

Accidentally marked this as a favorite when I actually meant to reply.

Mrs. Obama would not find this funny. She would remember him in her prayers and continue to pray that one day O'Neal and people like him would stop embracing racism and start loving all of man kind.