What Obama 'Joke' Was Greeted With Overwhelming Boos at a Local Chamber of Commerce Dinner?

(Photo: Turlock Chamber of Commerce via CBS 13)

Local businessman Marty Jakosa was acting as the master of ceremonies during the 45th annual dinner for the Turlock Chamber of Commerce when he made an anti-Obama "joke" that was greeted with overwhelming boos by the audience, despite the chamber's frosty relationship with the president.

CBS13 has the story:

The joke began with Jakosa talking about President Obama following in the steps of past presidents such as Washington and Jefferson.

It went sour though when Jakosa got to Lincoln.

“Is that it? How about you be like Abe Lincoln and go to a play?” Jakosa said as the crowd gasped. “...That’s a cute joke.”

Jakosa may have thought it was cute, but some say a joke about killing the president just isn’t funny.

“He’s our president,” David Boulos said. “We respect that and we honor that.”

Chamber president Sharon Silva was reportedly on stage with other prominent members of the community-- including the mayor-- when the joke was told.

“I know for a fact he wouldn’t do or say anything intentionally to hurt or offend anybody. It was a joke, but it wasn’t the right kind of a joke,” Silva told FOX40, adding that she'll be looking for a new master of ceremonies next year.

Turlock wrote a profuse apology after the event, saying he was "truly, truly sorry" and "exercised extremely poor judgement."

"I would never purposely disrespect the office of the President of the United States,” he added.

CBS 13 has more on the story, including video of the incendiary remark: