Strategist in RNC reboot calls Obama a "socialist"

Henry Barbour, the nephew of former governor Haley Barbour, was an author of the RNC's plan to reshape the party

Published March 19, 2013 1:12PM (EDT)

Henry Barbour, the nephew of the former governor of Mississippi and an author of the RNC's plan to reboot the party and broaden its appeal, thinks President Obama is a "socialist."

"We all want to make America strong economically and militarily and every other way but you can't do that if you're not in office," he told The Hill. "We've got a socialist in office right now — how's that working for us?"

When pressed on his choice of words, Barbour said: "I don't care. I mean, look, I think he's a socialist. I'm not saying he doesn't love our country," he said. "No, I don't care."


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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Barack Obama Haley Barbour Henry Barbour Mississippi Rnc Socialism