Maine Gov. Paul LePage has been known to stir up a bit of controversy with a provocative remark. But a comment made last week about President Obama is raising eyebrows, even among those who are likely no longer surprised by anything he says.

At a Republican fundraiser, LePage declared that the president "hates white people," two lawmakers confirmed to the Portland Press Herald. And that's why he hasn't highlighted his biracial heritage, according to LePage, even though it could have made him the best president.

"Yeah, he said it," one of the sources said. "It was one little thing from a speech, but I think most people there thought it was totally inappropriate."

The state's new Republican party chairman, Rick Bennett, a guest of honor at the event, told the Bangor Daily News that the governor said the president didn't take advantage of his heritage to unify the nation on race.

He also said LePage is not a racist, citing a Jamaican student who lived with the governor to attend high school in Maine.

But according to another attendee, it was just a "typical, off the cuff, off the script Paul LePage comment."

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(Photo: Courtesy of Paul LePage/Jim Bowdoin)