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When some of Wright’s remarks were publicized last year, Obama rescinded an invitation for Wright to speak at his Feb. 10, 2007, presidential announcement.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.
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If you are Black — you can say whatever you want –Damn America, Damn white people….
If you are White — you got SHUT UP !!!
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An obvious double standard held by Barack Obama. Proof that he is cut from the same cloth as many other politicians who admonish us into one direction but head down another when it comes to their own behavior.
I am a black american that is ashamed to hear the words of obama. The problem with the black race is that they blame the whites for not being successful. The problem is that they dont strive to be successful themselves and pick themselves up. The black race has no pitty from me or others like bill cosby. Dont complain about the white man putting you down. it is you putting yourself down.
My comment back to Kendra………….YOUR family and friends are NOT running for office…..the highest one in this land……………….Lying and Hatred are not acceptable…………If Obama and his minister have hate opinions, fine………….but I don’t want those kind as President of our country…………..George Bush is a religious man and has been crusified by the media, and the democrats for years………………..for no reason other than Hatred…………..well, take a listen to the black ministers in their sermons on hatred of the white man…………duh…………Wake Up America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People are so foulible. All of us.Have you made a horrible decision? Have you ever said something stupid? I know I have. Ever said something you wish you could take back? Ever said something you didn’t really mean? “My teenager is past curfew again. I’m going to bust his ass.” His ass isn’t busted. His ass is fine.He’s on punishment for the hundreth time this year.We aren’t electing robots. These people are as human and mistake ridden as we are. They have been raised by normal human adults making the same mistakes all of us parents make. Race is an issue in this country for this reason WE DON”T KNOW EACH OTHER! It’s that simple!!! It is OK for us to be different from each other. We should be celebrating our differences. We all bring our own beauty to the table. Why is it not OK to see the differences? They’re trying to tell all of us that seeing a difference means you’re racist. BS> The chips on the shoulders have to go!! We have to start from right now. We have to leave the past where it belongs. The candidates bring with them all the life experiences they carry. White people can’t understand BO’s perspective fully, OK so what? Black people can’t understand where HC’s coming from fully either.They may not be able to say the perfect words that offend no one (I’d like to know those words myself) They may make a remark or a decision they regret, but we have to take the whole package on all sides and weigh the good and bad, a persons entire character can’t be made up of one bad decision or comment. There is a big difference between feeling awkward with people who are a little different than you and hating them. Quit assuming people are bigots because they don’t know a lot of people of another color or because most of their friends are of the same race as them.If we would let our guards down long enough to say “OK I don’t have a lot of experience with people of different races, but I will take all the friends I can get, so teach me some things” we would all benefit.
Race in America is the only real advantage the average white has over any other ethic group. Doesn’t matter what their income. The poorest, uneducated white can always justify his superiority by merely being a member of the majority. White hatred in America will never disappear because a substantial number of whites, must feel superior than everyone else. Please note, it’s not the majority of whites, but a substantial number of them. Most white I’ve met in my 57 years are decent people. The ones who exhibit the most hate are the uneducated and lower income. They tend to blame all other ethnic groups for their state of being and refuse to accept that they are the main reason they’re uneducated and on the lower scale of income.
Obama’s white support comes mainly from those who are educated. These people actually have the capacity to think. That’s what educated people do, they think. The race issue, endures to the primitive of our society and to those who are smart enough to harness the destructive energy of these primitive beings.
We as a society and march forward and build a better tomorrow for people of all races, religion or political affiliation…. or we can remain divided, pull, tug, destroy each other and move more toward the primitive being. The Rush Limbaughs’ of America tend to lead these primitives toward a rationalization their plight in life is the result of minorities and not their white elite business leaders. They fail to realize that the only purpose for a Rush Limbaugh is to be the slight of hand magician.
I am not a Obama fan-boy and am waiting to see what falls from the closet when if it finally opens. Obama’s story is quite remarkable. From what I’ve read, he truly represents the best of what America can be. To say that he is a product of the American society is to say we are moving towards the “more perfect union”.
All though I don’t again w/ fox news view on how they see Obama, I am a faithful view, and I liked watching the Imus show. To compare Rev. Wright’s comments to Imus’ comments is totally insane.
Here’s a little tidbit of info the liberal media won’t tell you and
“Rev” Wright and other race baiters hoped you wouldn’t find out:
Until the year 1818 it was legal, in Alabama, for a black man to OWN a black woman.
My Dear CJ,
One cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ears no matter what you do with the material. In this instance you can use the entire English language in rewording what the Pastor said but you cannot change the original word or intent.
I do not say these things out of self-richeousness but rather an unimpassioned view of the actual words used. However, I do need to point out to you that those who have no defense will normally resort to name calling and other knee jerk defensive tactics.
Have a nice day and God bless you.
Obama needs to distance himself from this church ! I sugest we relocate them to their beloved home land.