Montreal Gazette Retracts Comment Accusing Thomas Of Racism

BOSTON (CBS) - A Montreal newspaper has retracted a statement from Sunday that strongly suggested that Bruins goalie Tim Thomas declined to attend the Bruins' trip to the White House because President Barack Obama is black.

The Gazette ran a column by Jack Todd on Sunday that said Thomas' decision to skip the Bruins' visit was a decision based on race, not on political beliefs.

"What's worse, you know Thomas would not have done this with the liberal Democrat Bill Clinton in the White House," Todd wrote. "Truth is, he felt free to dis Barack Obama, because Obama is black."

The comment created a stir on Sunday, and on Monday, the line was removed from Todd's column on montralgazette.com.

"Note: The Gazette apologizes for previously posting an unedited version of this column," the website said.

Thomas declined to attend President Obama's welcoming of the Bruins last Monday, claiming the government "has grown out of control."

"This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country," Thomas said at the time. "This was about a choice I had to make as an individual."