BET's Johnson sorry for mocking Deeds

Black Entertainment Television (BET) co-founder Sheila Johnson has apologized for pretending to stutter at a campaign event where she mimicked Virginia's Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds.

As if negative TV campaign ads weren't enough, video (left) showing Johnson mock Democrat Creigh Deeds is now swirling around on the Internet

"We need someone who can really communicate and Bob McDonnell can communicate. The other people I talk to, especially his op-op-op-opponent, di-di-did this all through my interview with him," Johnson says in the video.

A Deeds staffer recorded the comments at a luncheon Johnson hosted for Republican Bob McDonnell a couple of weeks ago.

In response to the comment, Johnson told WAVY.com, "Two weeks ago I made reference to Creigh Deeds' inability to clearly communicate effective solutions to the serious problems facing Virginia. I shouldn't have done it in the manner in which I did and for that I apologize for any offense he, or others, may have taken."

During a campaign stop in Northern Virginia, Deeds supporters chanted, "Deeds not words, Deeds not words." Deeds had no problem sharing his vision with the crowd.

"I'm going to be the governor that's going to create jobs from one corner of Virginia to the next, I'm going to be the governor that finally brings people together, Democrats, Republicans -- people from all walks of life from all parts of Virginia to finally fix our transportation problems," said the Democratic candidate.

In Charlottesville, McDonnell built on his plan for small business. He shared his vision with shop owners.

"The way we turn the economy around is not with more taxation and regulation, not more federal programs, we've got to be able to create more jobs and have more entrepreneurship and to me that starts with small businesses," said Republican candidate Bob McDonnell.

Deeds' campaign released the following statement regarding the video:

“This is a cheap shot and a new low for this race. Virginians deserve better than personal attacks like this. Creigh Deeds isn’t the smoothest speaker in the race, but when he speaks he is authentic and means what he says. That's what people will respond to, not divisive personal attacks.”

McDonnell's campaign released the following statement regarding the video:

“Creigh Deeds has never had a problem voicing his false attacks about Bob McDonnell. What he has had difficulty expressing is any positive vision for Virginia’s future. Democratic businesswoman Sheila Johnson was noting that fact. Why the Deeds campaign wants to attack a prominent supporter of both Governor Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama, while reminding voters that she strongly supports Bob McDonnell for governor, is beyond us.”

Both camps promise to continue the positive and negative ads right up until election day.

Take a look at the video showing Johnson take a jab at Creigh Deeds to the left of this story.