Experience some of the tea party activists up close and personal as I have done and you won't be the least bit surprised that one prominent member of their "movement" fowarded this racist picture of President Obama.

It was supposed to be "funny stuff."

But pressed on what was funny about an image that plays on racist stereotypes about Africans, McKalip declined to say, instead offering to talk about why he opposes Obama's health-care proposals.

"I have a busy day," he said eventually, before ending the call.