Welfare recipients like stray animals?

A South Carolina politician is making a very public apology - and this time it's not Governor Mark Sanford.

After likening welfare recepients to stray animals,Andre Bauer, the embattled Republican's lieutenant governor, is hastily back-pedalling from remarks his rivals have called "immoral."

"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals," he said during a Town Hall meeting on Thursday.

"You know why? Because they breed! You're facilitating the problem if you give an animal or a person ample food supply. They will reproduce, especially ones that don't think too much further than that."

Bauer hopes to ascend to the state's highest seat in November's election, where he would succeed the sex-scandal scarred Mark Sanford, who's affair with an Argentine mistress made him the butt of late-night talk

The 40-year-old was quickly targeted by Democratic rivals for the remarks.

"I am disgusted by these comments," said state Sen. Vincent Sheheen. "His comments were immoral and out of line."

South Carolina schools Superintendent Jim Rex labeled them "reprehensible."

No stranger to firing off intemperate remarks, Bauer has offered something of an apology.

"Do I wish I'd used a different metaphor? Of course," he said. "I didn't intend to offend anyone."

Despite his choice of words, Bauer noted he feels welfare recipients should be required to submit to drug tests and attend parent-teacher conferences if they have kids in school.

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