Ohio Democratic Chairman: Tea Partiers are "F***ers" UPDATE: Doubles Down

The chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party was caught using the f-word to describe the tea party during a union political forum Monday night.

During a passionate speech about health care, Chairman Chris Redfern was attempting to supply supporters with a potential response to critiques of the president’s health care reform law.

Video of the "passionate speech" can be seen HERE (content warning).

Two quick thoughts:

(1) File this anecdote away for the next time some Lefty feigns dismay over how fanatical right-wingers (like, say, Carl Paladino) are "coarsening" our "political discourse."  (And this one).

(2) Cut this guy some slack.  Be honest: If you were coming to grips with polling data this abysmal, you might accidentally let an F-bomb or two fly yourself, right?

UPDATE: Redfern doubles down:

Dear Friend,

Two days ago, I addressed a private crowd of Steelworkers in Clarington, Ohio, and I spoke passionately about the issues at stake in this election.

Now, our Republican Tea Party opponents are whining and calling language I used obscene. Let's talk about what is truly obscene:

* Tea Partiers in Ohio compare President Obama to Hitler.
* They shout at town halls that President Obama is not an American.
* They harassed a victim of Parkinson's disease in Columbus.
* And they engage in campaigns of lies and fear against our president, our governor, and others -- all with the goal of keeping us silent and sitting at home.

These tactics have no place in our politics, and I will NEVER apologize for speaking out forcefully against them. And let me be clear: I will not back down from the passion I feel about the issues impacting working families in this state.

Let's open the Chris Matthews playbook and demand that every Ohio Democratic elected official / candidate either publicly defend or repudiate their chairman.