Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele and former Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts have issued a statement calling for Howard Dean to apologize over remarks he made while addressing the Democratic Black Caucus last Friday.

First, the offending statement: “You Think The Republican National Committee Could Get This Many People Of Color In A Single Room? Only If They Had The Hotel Staff In Here.”

From the Steele/Watts release:

We are simply outraged over recent racially insensitive remarks made by Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Howard Dean. In his comments to the Democratic Black Caucus, Dean equates African-Americans who support Republicans to 'hired help.' This kind of backward thinking reminds us of a horrible time in history when blacks were only seen as servants.

Democrats wonder why they are losing electoral ground among African-Americans and other minorities. They need to look no further than the comments of their newly elected leader.

We are demanding that Howard Dean apologize for his racially, insensitive and intolerable remarks.