Man Dressed as Obama in Pimp Costume at GOP Event Sparks Anger

SUMMERVILLE, SC -- A seemingly innocuous debate viewing party in this South Carolina town took an unexpected turn on Tuesday night. The event, hosted by the GOP in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley Counties, was meant to be a show of support for Republican nominee Mitt Romney in his battle with Barack Obama for the White House. But during the event a man arrived wearing an Obama mask and dressed like a pimp.

He then had his picture taken in full costume with several people, including Charleston County GOP Chair and State First Vice Chair Lin Bennett. The man in the costume has not been identified.

Upon seeing the photo, some Democrats were outraged. One wrote a blog post, calling the conduct at the party “discriminatory” and “racist-leaning.”

But here's the twist. Bennett said the man in the suit is a Democrat and an Obama supporter. She told Patch that Tuesday's event was open to everyone and when the man arrived in costume, she was taken aback.

"People are so quick to call the GOP racist, when the other side does plenty of crazy stuff, too," Bennett said.