vicky vargas has more. >> reporter: this is the picture embedded in an e-mail that has become ground zero in a political battle. friends say marilyn davenport was acting as an individual when she sent the photo of the president's face imposed on a monkey. she added the words "now you know why no birth certificate kwsmt ts. >> this is not a democrat or republican thing. it is a human thing. >> reporter: tim whitaker says the woman apologized. she wrote she was sorry if she offended anyone but makes it clear she has no plans to resign from the gop central committee. >> she's horrified by the backlash. she is repen tif. it's never going to happen again. there's no reason to call for any sort of resignation on this. >> reporter: critics say it is not davenport's first brush with racism, that she backed the onetime mayor of los al mee dose when he sent this e-mail showing a watermelon patch in front of the white house. she backed dick nicholls when he refused to put more grass on the beach because, quote, it attracts mexicans and there are already too many mexicans on the beach. >> to me