Days after the chairman of Ohio's Democratic Party leveled an expletive at Tea Party supporters at a public political event, he said he will not apologize.

Monday, as the United Steelworkers union was announcing its endorsement for a number of Ohio Democrats, including Gov. Ted Strickland, Chris Redfern used a variation of the F-word to describe opponents to his party's agenda.

"If your kids are going to graduate from college, now he or she gets health care, your heath care, while he or she looks for a new job," Redfern said. "It's in the very base terms we win these arguments. Every time one of these (expletive deleted) says, excuse my language..."

A NEWS9 reporting crew was invited into the union hall in Monroe County for the endorsement announcement, and the camera was rolling as Redfern directed the expletive at critics in the Tea Party, who, in his words, believe health care is a privilege, not a right.

Thursday, in an e-mail, Redfern said, "My comments from earlier in the week have become a national story, and many people in the Republican Tea Party have demanded that I apologize. I won't."

Redfern further wrote, "Do the Tea Partiers really think that what I said is worse than comparing President Obama to Hitler, or screaming that he's not an American? Do they think what I said was worse than denying a child health care because of a pre-existing condition? Give me a break. THEY should be the ones apologizing."

In the e-mail, Redfern then asks for a $10 donation to his "swear jar" to "help the Ohio Democratic Party and its candidates get our message out and stick it to our opponents."

He wrote, "I have been amazed by the outpouring of support the Ohio Democratic Party has received after I spoke out forcefully and unapologetically on behalf of working families."

When NEWS9 first contacted Redfern for an explanation of his comment, he said he was under the impression that the endorsement announcement was a private event. Redfern also said he saw the NEWS9 reporter and videographer but did not see the reporter holding a microphone and assumed his comments were not being recorded.

Thursday, Bob Connors of the group We The People-Ohio Valley, said his group "takes exception to political leaders resorting to foul language and calling the American people despicable names. We The People OV are proud of our nonpartisan positions and our civil debates on issues that are important to this great nation. Mr. Redfern not only used foul language he also repeatedly mischaracterized the Tea Party's position on health care and other issues."

Connors further said in written statement that "the notion that political operators openly use such profanity to describe people who disagree with them speaks volumes about the current political leadership in Ohio. Mischaracterizing what We The People stands for is a red herring used to manipulate unsuspecting union steel workers. We The People OV are asking for an apology but doubt one will be forth coming as Mr. Redfern has already stated clearly that he will never apologize."

NEWS9 has also sought clarification on a remark United Steelworkers Assistant District Director Dave Caldwell made during the same endorsement event Monday night.

Caldwell was accusing Republicans of trying to distract voters from economic issues by playing up social issues, especially gay marriage.

"The 13 states that were the battleground states were the only ones that had 'Issue Ones' on the ballot," said Caldwell. "And they never once talked about women, because freaks like me would think that's a good thing for two women to be hooked up. It's only when two guys are getting married that that's a bad thing."

When NEWS9 contacted Caldwell for clarification, he said his comments were an attempt at humorously trying to make a point about how political spin can distract from economic issues.

Previous Stories: September 22, 2010: Ohio Democrat Chair Fires 'F-Word' At Tea Party September 21, 2010: Steelworkers Meet Potential Severstal Buyer, Endorse Strickland