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New York - Fox News Channel Execs Downplay Pundit Glenn Beck's Remark 'Obama Is a racist' |
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The combustable Beck ignited a firestorm when, during a Tuesday morning appearance on FNC's freewheeling "Fox and Friends," he said the President's reaction to the Henry Louis Gates Jr. arrest situation in Cambridge, Mass., suggested a "deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture."
To his credit, "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade — who recently had to apologize for comments he made about racial issues — immediately responded, saying that most of the faces people see of the Obama administration are white, such as spokesman Robert Gibbs or chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.
"I'm not saying he doesn't like white people. I'm saying he has a problem," Beck responded. "This guy is, I believe, a racist."
Beck did not address the point further in his own show on FNC Tuesday night.
A Fox representative said there was no comment from Beck.
However, Fox executives made it clear that although they encourage free speech, the "racist" remark was Beck's and his alone.
"During Fox & Friends" [Tuesday] morning, Glenn Beck expressed a personal opinion which represented his own views, not those of the Fox News Channel," Bill Shine, senior vice president of programming for Fox News said in a statement. "And as with all commentators in the cable news arena, he is given the freedom to express his opinions."
Reaction to Beck's comments on the Daily News Web site ranged from outright approval to dismissing them as coming from a conservative white commentator trying to drum up an audience.
"Glenn Beck is another example of showboating, mostly male, mostly conservative radio and TV commentators who don't speak from fact but rather from their well-considered opinion of how much what they say will rile up their fan base and make them more famous and make them more money," wrote one reader.
"Beck just exposed himself as a racist to the whole world," wrote another. "Half of President Obama's family is white. I hardly think he hates white people. It is clear that Beck is insecure with himself as a white man if all he sees is color in people and not just a person. Many people still need to grow up."
Beck's comments on Obama came out of a discussion another President might have reacted to when asked about the Gates case.
Gates, a renowned Harvard professor was arrested July 16 on disorderly-conduct charges by Cambridge police who had responded to his home after a report of a break-in in progress. Gates and the police disagree on what happened next. The charges were dropped. But the case took on an elevated level of scruitiny after the
President, on prime-time television, said the police acted "stupidly."
After realizing he had inflamed the discussion, Obama backtracked and then invited Gates and the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley, to the White House for a beer.
The Gates-Crowley incident — heightened by the Obama comment — has raised the discussion of racial relations in the United States to a larger level.
Gates, who said he hopes to use his experience as part of a study of racial profiling for a PBS documentary, said he was pleased the President wanted to use the incident to create a teachable moment.
"If my experience leads to the lessening of the occurrence of racial profiling, then I would find that enormously gratifying," Gates said in a statement posted at Theroot.com. "Because, in the end, this is not about me at all; it is about the creation of a society in which 'equal justice before law' is a lived reality."
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Read Comments (17) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 29, 2009 at 03:09 PM Just Thinking Says:
Glenn explained exactly what he meant today on his radio program. nd he meant what he said, and I happen to agree. Thank God for free speach.
2
Jul 29, 2009 at 03:22 PM PMO Says:
Beck called someone else a racist? Pot, I'd like you to meet Kettle.
3
Jul 29, 2009 at 03:54 PM Anonymous Says:
Glenn Dreck, the boozer, the class clown, and the face of the Republican party today.
Its safe to say, that until the Republicans divorce themselves from these poor entertainers, they will be condemned to minority status indefinitely.
4
Jul 29, 2009 at 04:14 PM Moshe Says:
Let's not say racist, let's be politically correct. Obama is pro black, pro Muslim, pro Chavez, pro Ahmedenejad, pro Putin, pro Communist China, pro Communist. pro anything that's anti American
5
Jul 29, 2009 at 04:11 PM Charlie Hall Says:
“ Glenn explained exactly what he meant today on his radio program. nd he meant what he said, and I happen to agree. Thank God for free speach. ”
"White culture" is the kind of language usually heard from people like David Duke. And that culture does not include *us*.
6
Jul 29, 2009 at 04:27 PM Elections Have Consequences Says:
Actually, he went thru all the quotes today on his radio show and I have to say he is 1000% correct. You cannot tell me that Rev Wright's influence hasnt rubbed off on him. Obama HATES white people and only associates with the ones he "has" to associate with.
The pres blew it big time by saying he knew nothing about the Gates case but in THE NEXT SENTENCE say the cops acted stupidly. Pres thinks he could have a beer and all will be well but thank G-d people are waking up in this country and maybe just maybe there will be enough pressure for the other pols to wake up and do something.
7
Jul 29, 2009 at 04:24 PM anonymous Says:
what's wrong with him speaking the truth?
8
Jul 29, 2009 at 04:45 PM LOVING MONSEY Says:
isnt it amazing you say something negitave about this presedent your called a racist and a slew of other names .its as if this obama guy is god and could do no worng. yet presedent bush (love him or hate him) the liberal media bashed him eveyday and nobody said a word in protest and belive bush was called worse names then raceist.
9
Jul 29, 2009 at 07:03 PM Gelbano Says:
#8 Right on...I believe the libs called President Bush "terrorist"..where was the outrage then. The libs have absolutely zero credibilty.
10
Jul 30, 2009 at 08:10 AM Anonymous Says:
Despite the messenger, the message is the simple truth. We do have a racist president in the White House. This is a sad reality, which we dislike so much, that we don't want to face it. Especially poor folks like me who actually liked him and voted for him
But, his true colors are now obvious. He is a racist, anti white. He is also an anti-semite.
Wait all of you and see the mistake we made. I am the guilty one. I voted for him. I will not do so again.
Remember, just because we may not like the messenger, does not invalidate the message.
11
Jul 30, 2009 at 08:30 AM PMO Says:
I see all kinds of opinions being laid out here. Where are the facts? What anti-white comment has he made? What antisemitic comment has he made? I cannot find any. All I can find are partial quotes taken out of context by Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh. Wow... two entertainers whose job it is to stir up controversy to get listeners for their radio show. How about some real facts? Maybe you can find them, but I can't. All I see is people wanting to see what is not really there. I find that sad.
12
Jul 30, 2009 at 08:47 AM Just Ask Says:
“ Glenn Dreck, the boozer, the class clown, and the face of the Republican party today.
Its safe to say, that until the Republicans divorce themselves from these poor entertainers, they will be condemned to minority status indefinitely.
”
I don't know where you get your news from but "the face of the Republican Party?" If you've ever listen to Beck he says he is Not a Republican he's actually a Conservative. Now he might be the "face of the Conservative Party" but I just don't know......
13
Jul 30, 2009 at 08:42 AM Anonymous Says:
so let me get this straight, Kanye West can go on National TV and say President Bush hates black people and no one says anything in fact he goes on to win numerous awards. But Glenn Beck says Obama is a racist who has problem with whites and he gets scorned. Obama's own words condemn him on this one. Even as far as his family being half white, he said his grandmother was a typical white person, in that she looked down at black people, or that he told a group of jews in Florida that he understand that they as a group are wary of blacks. Both of those statements are based on judgments or a group based on stereotypes and racial generelizations. ie. racism...
Between his own words, and those of his pastor and mentors, and associations with Luis Farrakhan and his ilk, Obama is a racists. the sooner the world acknowledges this the better...
14
Jul 30, 2009 at 10:44 AM PMO Says:
“ so let me get this straight, Kanye West can go on National TV and say President Bush hates black people and no one says anything in fact he goes on to win numerous awards. But Glenn Beck says Obama is a racist who has problem with whites and he gets scorned. Obama's own words condemn him on this one. Even as far as his family being half white, he said his grandmother was a typical white person, in that she looked down at black people, or that he told a group of jews in Florida that he understand that they as a group are wary of blacks. Both of those statements are based on judgments or a group based on stereotypes and racial generelizations. ie. racism...
Between his own words, and those of his pastor and mentors, and associations with Luis Farrakhan and his ilk, Obama is a racists. the sooner the world acknowledges this the better... ”
Obama speaking of his grandmother was 100% correct. In the years she was growing up, the "typical" white person (not EVERY) did not like blacks. They did not let blacks in their stores or restaurants. Schools were segregated. "Separate but Equal" was the policy. It was very common at that time to see signs "No Jews or Colored Allowed". That was a very honest portrayal of that time in history and does not reflect Obama's opinions about anything... he just stated the facts.
Secondly, when speaking to elderly Jews in FL (of the same generation as his grandmother), he was being equally honest. I'll be honest in saying that my grandmother was always worried about "colored" people moving in. Yes, even in the 1990's my grandmother still used the word "colored" and even used "negro" on more than one occasion, although shvartz was the one she used most. There is, in fact, fear in that generation. Why should we deny it? It is most certainly true.
As for Kanye West, he is an entertainer. Nobody takes him seriously. Do you look to goyishe entertainers for a moral compass? While most people of intelligence know better, Glen Beck claims to be an honest "newsperson" who is just reporting what he sees. Most of us know it is just a show, and by saying these things, he will surly drive up radio listeners and TV viewers with the controversy. Every time someone like Beck or Limbaugh starts losing ratings share, they come up with some other phony scandal to stir up so more people will listen to "hear what they are going to say next". That is the number 1 reason people listen to both Limbaugh and Howard Stern according to media polling. It is not about the content. It is about shock value. Unfortunately, the uneducated and simple minded among us will always choose shock value and sound bytes over facts and substance. It is a genuine shame.
15
Jul 30, 2009 at 01:55 PM Student Says:
First, you are making it sound like Obama's grand mother was a racist. Let me remind you, racists don’t take in black people to live with them, even grand children.
Second, it’s not the point if some one takes Kanye seriously or not. The e fact is he said it in public in front of millions watching and no one in the media said a word. Rosh Limbaugh and Glen Beck don’t claim to be, to quote you "honest newsperson" They are news commentators with their view, they don’t deny it. There is a difference when so called journalists go out there and claim to be neutral and than put in their own twists, or when you go out there and say openly I’m a conservative, and this is a conservative program.
Now about Geln Becks comments, I happen to somewhat agree with him. Obama has cerrtain hatred to white people. look on who his friends are, people like Farrakhan, at the people he called his mentors like Rev Wright, and on the comments he makes here and there "It is this world, a world where cruise ships throw away more food in a day than most residents of Port-au-Prince see in a year, where white folks’ greed runs a world in need, apartheid in one hemisphere, apathy in another hemisphere…That’s the world! On which hope sits" This is out of his book "Dreams of my Father" ill let you be the judge
I’m not saying he is a full fledged racist and hates white people, but he definitely has his views, which might be hateful at times. Just look how he runs around hugging all these Shavaz types, I mean please.........................
16
Jul 30, 2009 at 02:41 PM Barry Says:
“ Obama speaking of his grandmother was 100% correct. In the years she was growing up, the "typical" white person (not EVERY) did not like blacks. They did not let blacks in their stores or restaurants. Schools were segregated. "Separate but Equal" was the policy. It was very common at that time to see signs "No Jews or Colored Allowed". That was a very honest portrayal of that time in history and does not reflect Obama's opinions about anything... he just stated the facts.
Secondly, when speaking to elderly Jews in FL (of the same generation as his grandmother), he was being equally honest. I'll be honest in saying that my grandmother was always worried about "colored" people moving in. Yes, even in the 1990's my grandmother still used the word "colored" and even used "negro" on more than one occasion, although shvartz was the one she used most. There is, in fact, fear in that generation. Why should we deny it? It is most certainly true.
As for Kanye West, he is an entertainer. Nobody takes him seriously. Do you look to goyishe entertainers for a moral compass? While most people of intelligence know better, Glen Beck claims to be an honest "newsperson" who is just reporting what he sees. Most of us know it is just a show, and by saying these things, he will surly drive up radio listeners and TV viewers with the controversy. Every time someone like Beck or Limbaugh starts losing ratings share, they come up with some other phony scandal to stir up so more people will listen to "hear what they are going to say next". That is the number 1 reason people listen to both Limbaugh and Howard Stern according to media polling. It is not about the content. It is about shock value. Unfortunately, the uneducated and simple minded among us will always choose shock value and sound bytes over facts and substance. It is a genuine shame. ”
#14. Since you don't know Obama's "typical white" grandmother, you're making a judgement call without knowing and who says his grandmother was a typical white or anything else. The fact that she took him in and raise him should tell you something about her.
Believe it or not, elderly Blacks are also fearful of Black youth and too often, with good reason. Does that make those elderly Blacks racist? If they are afraid, can you blame elderly Jews?
Limbaugh and Howard Stern may entertain, but there is a vast difference between them. It's easier to dismiss anything said by a conservative radio talk show host as "shock value, or racist, or whatever." I bet you never listened to it for more than 5 minutes. It's certainly easier than dealing with issues. Try CNN, they are "always" truthful, even when they make things up.
As far a terms used for Blacks, you will get difference requirements from different groups. You are supposed to guess which term won't offend someone. I remember some fool commentator in the Summer Olympics some years ago who, when a Black from England won a race, said "XX is a British African-American."
17
Jul 31, 2009 at 09:20 AM PMO Says:
“ #14. Since you don't know Obama's "typical white" grandmother, you're making a judgement call without knowing and who says his grandmother was a typical white or anything else. The fact that she took him in and raise him should tell you something about her.
Believe it or not, elderly Blacks are also fearful of Black youth and too often, with good reason. Does that make those elderly Blacks racist? If they are afraid, can you blame elderly Jews?
Limbaugh and Howard Stern may entertain, but there is a vast difference between them. It's easier to dismiss anything said by a conservative radio talk show host as "shock value, or racist, or whatever." I bet you never listened to it for more than 5 minutes. It's certainly easier than dealing with issues. Try CNN, they are "always" truthful, even when they make things up.
As far a terms used for Blacks, you will get difference requirements from different groups. You are supposed to guess which term won't offend someone. I remember some fool commentator in the Summer Olympics some years ago who, when a Black from England won a race, said "XX is a British African-American." ”
I must disagree on every point you made.
1. Obama described his own grandmother as a "typical white" person. He said she was somewhat fearful of Blacks. I did not make that up.
2. By "Black Youth" I assume you mean those that live in the ghettos of our inner cities. Out here in the suburbs I have far more to fear from the hateful, antisemitic whites than I do from Blacks.
3. Limbaugh and Stern are exactly the same. Their content may be slightly different, but it is all designed to shock. Polls show that people listen to them both for the exact same reason: "I want to hear what he will say next". It is all about the shock value. What does 'racisim' have to do with conservatism? What does the "birther" group have to do with conservatism? I'll tell you... NOTHING. Limbaugh may as well be doing his shows about chasing UFO's. Conservatism describes a belief in small government and the power of the individual. Limbaugh's show has never really been about that... he plays on people's ignorance in order to shock and gain attention. That is how he gets PAID. What is talked about is irrelevant. How many people listen to him say it is all that counts. He is paid for ratings, not intelligence... just like Howard Stern.
4. As for CNN, they are just as bad on the opposite extreme.
IMHO, there are very few honest political journalists left. Chris Wallace and Joe Scarborough are the only ones I can think of since Britt Hume and Tucker Carlson are no longer on the air. The rest are all phonies who use gimmicks and shock value to entice ignorant viewers instead of real, intelligent, HONEST debate.