Here is the video of Congresswoman Jenkins making the comments about the Republicans looking for a Great White Hope. She also later issues an apology to anyone who completely misunderstood her comments or took them in a negative way when they were only meant in the most positive of ways. Which is the usual right wing tactic for apologies in these sort of situations......
'we are sorry if you made the gross mistake of misinterpreting and jumping to the wrong conclusions about something harmless that we said so its all your fault and not ours'.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#32589732
Wikipedia points out that
"The Great White Hope," a phrase that originated in the early 1900s, is a reference to any boxer whom whites hoped would finally defeat then-World Heavyweight Champion Jack Johnson, who was black.
So lets see now..... a century ago, a black man took over a prestigious title that white Americans had considered their own property and white racists created the term Great White Hope for any white boxer who could defeat the black boxer and return the prestigious title back in the hands of those who had previously held it as their right. Now, a black man takes over the prestigious title of President of the United States- a title that white Americans had considered their own property and white racists are now using the term Great White Hope in the search for a politician who can defeat the black president and return the prestigious title back in the hands of those who had previously held it as their right.
Yup, there are obviously far more charitable meanings to be applied to this usage other than the obvious one of race.
When you put this together with all the other stuff coming out of the right wing, it is indeed something to be concerned about and indicates how the national temperature is being raised creating a very hostile environment for the President.