Maine governor says will not resign amid racism flap(Reuters) - Maine Governor Paul LePage said on Wednesday he would not resign and was seeking spiritual advice after unleashing an obscenity-laden voicemail message on a political rival, as state lawmakers mulled whether to vote to censure the Republican. The famously combative two-term governor apologized for the second day straight to the people of Maine and to state Representative Drew Gattine after calling the Democrat a “little son-of-a-bitch, socialist cocksucker” in a voicemail message that has been widely circulated. “I will not resign,” LePage told reporters in his office in the state capital, Augusta, a day after discussing the possibility in a radio appearance. LePage’s angry voicemail followed an exchange with a newspaper reporter who asked about comments the governor had made blaming black and Hispanic people for the heroin trade in the Northeastern state. The reporter named Gattine as someone who had raised concerns about the comments, although both agree the Democrat never called the governor a racist. The voicemail ended with LePage urging Gattine to share it widely “because I am after you.” After meeting with Gattine on Wednesday, LePage said: “He never called me racist. He said I made racially comments. Maybe in my mind it is semantics but in his mind after talking to him it was clear that there was a real difference.” LePage, whose term runs through 2018, said he “will be seeking spiritual guidance with my wife and my children.” The Republican-led state Senate is still deliberating whether to call a special session to vote to censure LePage, said Majority Leader Michael Thibodeau. “We can’t continue to have the explosiveness that we’ve seen and so we’re in hopes that he’s going to find a way to correct that,” said Thibodeau, who would take over as governor if LePage stepped down. “We live in a time in America when racial tensions are high and we don’t need to be throwing gasoline on that fire.” Republicans in the state’s Democratic-led House of Representatives said they accepted LePage’s apology and were ready to move on. But House Speaker Mark Eves, a Democrat, called for a meeting of lawmakers to discuss LePage’s resignation or removal from office. “The governor’s comments today do nothing to address his increasingly erratic behavior that demonstrates he is unfit to lead,” Eves said in a statement. LePage on Tuesday morning mused on stepping down, saying he was not necessarily committed to finishing his term and adding: “It’s one thing not to have one party behind you, it’s another thing not to have any party behind you.” Hours later, he changed his tune, paraphrasing Mark Twain as he tweeted: “The reports of my political demise are greatly exaggerated,” before trying to change the subject with messages on a visit to a tissue factory. “Maybe my temperament for the poor and the underdog is over the top but I’ll live my life that way. I’m comfortable fighting for the underdog,” LePage said. “I’m just not a very good politician.” politicsNews
maine governor says resign amid racism flap reuters maine governor paul page said wednesday would resign seeking spiritual advice unleashing voicemail message political rival state lawmakers pulled whether vote censure republican the famously combative governor apologized second day straight people maine state representative drew getting calling democrat little socialist cocksucker voicemail message widely circulated i resign page told reporters office state capital august day discussing possibility radio appearance page angry voicemail followed exchange newspaper reporter asked comments governor made blaming black hispanic people heroin trade northeastern state the reporter named getting someone raised concerns comments although agree democrat never called governor racist the voicemail ended page urging getting share widely i after meeting getting wednesday page said he never called racist he said i made racially comments maybe mind semantics mind talking clear real page whose term runs said seeking spiritual guidance wife the state senate still delineating whether call special session vote censure page said majority leader michael thibodeau we continue explosiveness seen hopes going find way correct said thibodeau would take governor page stepped we live time america racial tensions high need throwing gasoline republicans state house representatives said accepted page apology ready move but house speaker mark eves democrat called meeting lawmakers discuss page resignation removal office the governor comments today nothing address increasingly erratic behavior demonstrates unfit lead eves said statement page tuesday morning used stepping saying necessarily committed finishing term adding it one thing one party behind another thing party behind hours later changed tune paraphrasing mark twain tweeted the reports political demise greatly exaggerated trying change subject messages visit tissue factory maybe temperament poor underdog top i live life way i comfortable fighting underdog page said i good politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Maine governor says will not resign amid racism flap(Reuters) - Maine Governor Paul LePage said on Wednesday he would not resign and was seeking spiritual advice after unleashing an obscenity-laden voicemail message on a political rival, as state lawmakers mulled whether to vote to censure the Republican. The famously combative two-term governor apologized for the second day straight to the people of Maine and to state Representative Drew Gattine after calling the Democrat a “little son-of-a-bitch, socialist cocksucker” in a voicemail message that has been widely circulated. “I will not resign,” LePage told reporters in his office in the state capital, Augusta, a day after discussing the possibility in a radio appearance. LePage’s angry voicemail followed an exchange with a newspaper reporter who asked about comments the governor had made blaming black and Hispanic people for the heroin trade in the Northeastern state. The reporter named Gattine as someone who had raised concerns about the comments, although both agree the Democrat never called the governor a racist. The voicemail ended with LePage urging Gattine to share it widely “because I am after you.” After meeting with Gattine on Wednesday, LePage said: “He never called me racist. He said I made racially comments. Maybe in my mind it is semantics but in his mind after talking to him it was clear that there was a real difference.” LePage, whose term runs through 2018, said he “will be seeking spiritual guidance with my wife and my children.” The Republican-led state Senate is still deliberating whether to call a special session to vote to censure LePage, said Majority Leader Michael Thibodeau. “We can’t continue to have the explosiveness that we’ve seen and so we’re in hopes that he’s going to find a way to correct that,” said Thibodeau, who would take over as governor if LePage stepped down. “We live in a time in America when racial tensions are high and we don’t need to be throwing gasoline on that fire.” Republicans in the state’s Democratic-led House of Representatives said they accepted LePage’s apology and were ready to move on. But House Speaker Mark Eves, a Democrat, called for a meeting of lawmakers to discuss LePage’s resignation or removal from office. “The governor’s comments today do nothing to address his increasingly erratic behavior that demonstrates he is unfit to lead,” Eves said in a statement. LePage on Tuesday morning mused on stepping down, saying he was not necessarily committed to finishing his term and adding: “It’s one thing not to have one party behind you, it’s another thing not to have any party behind you.” Hours later, he changed his tune, paraphrasing Mark Twain as he tweeted: “The reports of my political demise are greatly exaggerated,” before trying to change the subject with messages on a visit to a tissue factory. “Maybe my temperament for the poor and the underdog is over the top but I’ll live my life that way. I’m comfortable fighting for the underdog,” LePage said. “I’m just not a very good politician.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: maine governor says resign amid racism flap reuters maine governor paul page said wednesday would resign seeking spiritual advice unleashing voicemail message political rival state lawmakers pulled whether vote censure republican the famously combative governor apologized second day straight people maine state representative drew getting calling democrat little socialist cocksucker voicemail message widely circulated i resign page told reporters office state capital august day discussing possibility radio appearance page angry voicemail followed exchange newspaper reporter asked comments governor made blaming black hispanic people heroin trade northeastern state the reporter named getting someone raised concerns comments although agree democrat never called governor racist the voicemail ended page urging getting share widely i after meeting getting wednesday page said he never called racist he said i made racially comments maybe mind semantics mind talking clear real page whose term runs said seeking spiritual guidance wife the state senate still delineating whether call special session vote censure page said majority leader michael thibodeau we continue explosiveness seen hopes going find way correct said thibodeau would take governor page stepped we live time america racial tensions high need throwing gasoline republicans state house representatives said accepted page apology ready move but house speaker mark eves democrat called meeting lawmakers discuss page resignation removal office the governor comments today nothing address increasingly erratic behavior demonstrates unfit lead eves said statement page tuesday morning used stepping saying necessarily committed finishing term adding it one thing one party behind another thing party behind hours later changed tune paraphrasing mark twain tweeted the reports political demise greatly exaggerated trying change subject messages visit tissue factory maybe temperament poor underdog top i live life way i comfortable fighting underdog page said i good politicsnews