U of Georgia Dean Apologizes for Calling GOP Candidate 'Nice Guy'

Charles Davis, the dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia, issued a formal apology after he tweeted out that GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp is a “nice guy.”

Charles Davis, the dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia, has apologized for calling GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp a “nice guy” in a since-deleted tweet.

“I went to high school with GOP guv candidate @BrianKempGA,” Davis wrote in the tweet, which he deleted before making his apology. “We played YMCA ball from childhood. Politics be damned. He is a nice guy, always was. Kind to a fault. He’s a friend, always has been, and will be when we’re old(er) and grey(er). That’s how all this should work, people.”

It’s too bad the Dean had to learn the hard way, but twitter is a place for mercilessly dragging your enemies, not recalling benign memories of childhood friends. Proceed accordingly. pic.twitter.com/zi70vd7Rci

— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) July 31, 2018

David immediately faced a backlash for his kind words. “You’re a straight, white man,” one user tweeted in response to David. “Of course he was nice and kind to you. Racists are generally nice to their own kind. Why don’t you say what you really mean; politics be damned. You’d never vote for a black woman and would rather vote for the white racist.”

After the blowback, Davis ultimately deleted the tweet and offered an apology. He claimed that the responses to his decision to praise Kemp proved to be a learning experience for him.

“I’d like to apologize to anyone offended by my tweet shout out to Brian Kemp,” Davis wrote. “It was ill-timed and poorly written. I’ve read and learned so much from you all and will endeavor to be more thoughtful.”

I’d like to apologize to anyone offended by my tweet shout out to Brian Kemp. It was ill-timed and poorly written. I’ve read and learned so much from you all and will endeavor to be more thoughful.

— Charles N Davis (@GradyDeanUGA) July 27, 2018

“You said nothing that warrants an apology in my eyes,” one user wrote in response to Davis’ apology. “I don’t think I personally could vote for Kemp, but people becoming “offended” that you would share your experience on growing up with the man should chill out. The marketplace of ideas is vital to our democracy.”

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