Evan McMorris-Santoro September 14, 2010, 11:40 AM

Florida’s school children are getting a lesson in how the political winds affect the political backbone today. Last year, Jim Greer, then the chair of the Florida Republican Party, was happy to, as he says now, “placate the extremists who dominate” the GOP and publicly accuse President Obama of orchestrating a socialist plot by addressing the nation’s public schools via video.

Today, he’s apologizing for ever saying any such thing, and calling members of his former party racist.

It seems that after a year which saw Greer get booted from the GOP and disgraced by scandal, he’s had a change of heart with it comes to the president using his office to encourage and inspire the nation’s pupils. In a statement sent to Florida reporters today, Greer completely apologizes to Obama for slamming his 2009 speech. Greer says the vitriol he threw Obama’s way — and the national kerfuffle it caused — was part of his efforts to appease the party’s extremes. (What’s more, Greer suggests that it’s now the GOP that’s promoting ugliness, saying that “many” Republicans “have racist views.”)

Unlike last year, Greer says his kids are excited about hearing Obama’s speech to schoolchildren today.

“My children and I look forward to the President’s speech,” Greer says.

His full statement, as published in the Orlando Sentinel today:

I wanted to send you my thoughts about the Obama speech to kids …

“In the year since I issued a prepared statement regarding President Obama speaking to the Nation’s school children, I have learned a great deal about the party I so deeply loved and served. Unfortunately, I found that many within the GOP have racist views and I apologize to the President for my opposition to his speech last year and my efforts to placate the extremists who dominate our Party today. My children and I look forward to the President’s speech.”

Jim Greer

Barack Obama, Florida Republican Party, Jim Greer, Socialism