By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

President Barack Obama took the high road Thursday in responding to U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins' racially tinged comment that the GOP needs a "great white hope."

The Kansas Republican earned national headlines -- and a lot of national scorn -- because of her embarrassing comments made last week at a town hall meeting in Hiawatha. She said the GOP needed bright, sharp leaders to combat Democrats and Obama. She then named three white congressmen as potential leaders.

In Massachusetts, Obama's viewpoint became known Thursday after Jenkins apologized earlier in the day (with the lame "If I offended somebody..." excuse).

White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters:

I saw that report. I also saw that her spokesperson backpedaled and said that that was a poor choice of words. We obviously give Congresswoman Jenkins the benefit of the doubt."

And why not?

Without piling on, Obama keeps the spotlight on Jenkins and her poor choice of words. Smart politics on the president's part.

Jenkins maintained she didn't know the racial connotations behind the "great white hope" phrase.

The phrase goes back decades to the racist attitudes of white Americans who wanted to find a boxer to defeat the heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, who was black, in the early 1900s.