Before Wright Firestorm, Obama Called for Imus Firing
Barack Obama had been a presidential candidate for more than a year before he outright repudiated his long-time pastor for racially charged, anti-U.S. sermons. But when talk show host Don Imus was in hot water 11 months ago for racially insensitive comments, Obama was the first candidate to call for his firing.
When asked about the different responses to his pastor and to Imus, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor questioned the premise of the comparison and defended Obama’s response in each case.
“He spoke out both times, so it’s entirely consistent,” he told FOXNews.com Tuesday.
Click here to see the original ABC News interview with Obama.
Click here to see Obama discuss the Imus fallout on MSNBC.
Obama — who in a major speech Tuesday decried controversial remarks by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. dating back to 2001 — called for Imus to be fired just one week after Imus made the remarks in April 2007, two months after Obama had announced his candidacy.
“There’s nobody on my staff who would still be working for me if they made a comment like that about anybody of any ethnic group. And I would hope that NBC ends up having that same attitude,” Obama told ABC News in an April 11 interview.
Imus ignited public outcry for calling members of the women’s basketball team at Rutgers University “nappy-headed hos” on his popular morning talk show.
The controversy dogged Imus, even after he issued an apology to the team and met with the players personally seeking forgiveness.
The public atonement wasn’t enough to save his job. He was fired by CBS Radio and by MSNBC, which produced the TV simulcast, but since then he has returned to radio with a show on WABC-AM in New York that started in December.
Obama said in the 2007 ABC interview he would never appear again on Imus’ show.
“He didn’t just cross the line,” Obama said. “He fed into some of the worst stereotypes that my two young daughters are having to deal with today in America.”
In the case of Wright, Obama denies ever personally hearing his pastor give sermons that blamed the U.S. government for HIV and cast the country as institutionally racist. But Obama has had a 20-year relationship with Wright, and on Tuesday he said he knew Wright had made controversial remarks.
When some of Wright’s remarks were publicized last year, Obama rescinded an invitation for Wright to speak at his Feb. 10, 2007, presidential announcement.
Obama didn’t outright condemn Wright’s views until last Friday, but Vietor said Obama had started putting the issue to rest long before now.
“He denounced specific comments months ago and he gave a thoughtful speech today,” Vietor said Tuesday.
You are exposing part of the Obama he doesn’t want us to see. There is so much more to say.
Fox News still hasn’t figured out that Reverend Wright was quoting a guest on a Fox news show when he said those “inflammitory comments” about 9/11… Reverend Wrights sermon was edited by someone to make him sound like a seething, venomous racist that hates America… If you watch the whole sermon on Youtube, you hear the reverend say he is quoting U.S. Ambassador Peck… on a Fox News show…
Fox news continues to make references to Rev Wright and Barack Obama being America hating racist….
You are a racist if you make racially derogatory comments and use stereotypes about ANY ETHNIC GROUP, not just blacks. People do not seem to get this. When Obama stereotypes his grandmother as a ‘typical white person’ because she’s afraid of a black panhandler, in order to be balanced, he needs to stereotype his father is a ‘typical black man’ who deserts his family. But he would never do this because he would be making a racially charged comment towards blacks and, in this society, this is the only legitimate form of racism.
After all this stuff with Pastor Wright, I’m going to be a ‘typical white person’ and not vote for Obama.
I’m a super-conservative, but the truth is that every thing Obama said the other day about the way race relations in these United States are today is TRUE! Those who deny that are doing just what he said–sticking their heads in the purposeful sand for some kind of self-gain or -preservation. BUT (and I mean a big BUT) that doesn’t mean he should be president! Absolutely not! Obama would be the worst president we could ever have. Just for starters he would be the ultimate gun control nut. He would push for higher taxes to pay for social programs the likes of which most Americans would never dream possible. He would emasculate the industrial base of this country (and, all the jobs that went with them.) Under Obama, all incentive to work would go the same way it did in the Soviet Union after Lenin and Stalin played their little deadly (no pun intended!) games. Yes, we must get honest about the race problem; but, no we won’t be able to tolerate a guy like Obama fixing it!
Lets get an African American whos a true patriot and hero and not of questionable origins and affiliations. Someone who doesnt have a victim mentality and made something of himself despite whatever struggles he may have faced because of his color. Someone who is actually qualified to be our president and respected here and abroad. Someone whos more qualified than the other three canidates all put together . Obama will never get my vote but Colin Powell has it the second we can get him to run. Any ideas????
Obama is now, in my opinion, a racist just like his pastor. He always says “typical white people”, but never says “typical black people. It is hard to hide your true feelings. There are more millionaire black people today in very influentual positions, and they still harbor resentment for something that happened one hundred fifty years ago. After all, didn’t all Americans have it rough before we beat the British. We should still be complaining about that.
Obama is a hypocrite! God Damn America is not the same paradox as ‘nappy headed ho”.Imus is not running for president.Oprah surely decided not to hear wright’s preaching.Obama is coming in just as Hitler did fooling everyone by his smooth talking speeches.Hitler fooled alot of people.Aliar is hard to figure!
i most say with Clinton and Mc cain we atlease know what we are getting, however Obama will stick with a lie and try to turn it on the public. i honesty believe if Obama makes it to the white house his true colors will show.