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Ben Jealous Apologizes For Dropping F-Bomb When Asked If He's A Socialist

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WJZ) -- Democratic candidate for governor Ben Jealous cursed Wednesday when a reporter asked him whether or not he was a socialist.

Washington Post reporter Erin Cox asked the gubernatorial candidate about Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan calling him a socialist and whether he identified himself as a socialist.

Jealous answered Cox's question with some of his plans as governor, but when she pressed again, he dropped the f-bomb.

"Are you f—ing kidding me? Does that put too fine a point on it?" Jealous said.

Jealous said it and then chuckled as you can see in the clip below. WJZ bleeped out the curse word.

In the video, you can see the people behind Jealous reacting to his language.

The claim that Jealous is a socialist comes from an ad running in Maryland that opposes Jealous.

You can watch the ad by clicking this link.

Jealous was at a campaign event at the time. It was just after Congressman John Sarbanes endorsed him.

He later apologized to Cox on Twitter:

Cox said she didn't think Jealous was cursing at her.

Jealous answered questions at an event in Baltimore about the inappropriate language. He said

WJZ's George Solis: "What was it about the question itself you think set you off initially?"

Jealous: "Far right conservatives like Mr. Hogan and his backers use those and the folks at the RGA who have spent hundreds of thousands I believe over a million dollars attack me like to brand black leaders as socialists to try and discredit us," 

At his own campaign event in Baltimore County, Gov. Hogan claimed the only one trying to discredit is Jealous.

"I don't know what he's talking about," Hogan said. "I've never said anything about him."

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