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Obama Calls Kanye West A 'Jackass'
Rachel Slajda | September 15, 2009, 9:12AM
Pres. Barack Obama and Kanye West
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President Obama leapt to Taylor Swift's defense yesterday, calling out Kanye West for being a "jackass" at the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday night.
When Swift, a country singer, won the award for best female video, West took the microphone from her and praised Beyonce, who was also nominated for the award. (Watch the video.)
"Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a 'jackass' for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT'S presidential," tweeted ABC's Terry Moran.
Obama made the comment during a portion of an interview with CNBC, a portion that happened to be off-the-record. Moran's tweet was quickly deleted and ABC issued an apology to both the White House and CNBC.
Late Update: TMZ obtained audio of the president's comments. Listen.
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nellieh
September 15, 2009 9:57 AM
ABC got rid of Stossel and picked up this guy? No change! He is a reporter whose career is a quest for crap.
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CajunModerate
September 15, 2009 4:22 PM in reply to nellieh
What a bunch of whiners.
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Dorn76
September 15, 2009 10:00 AM
Twitter is the perfect venue for a twit.
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fbacon2
September 15, 2009 11:01 AM in reply to Dorn76
Where is TPM birddogging the unprofessional breach of conduct by Terry Moran and ABC? Come on, guys. If you're going to give oxygen to this story, here's your angle.
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Metzengerstein
September 15, 2009 10:12 AM
Off the record my ass. The President knew it would get out there. It was a perfect opportunity for a little Sister Souljah moment. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but there's nothing subtle about it. And it helps that Kanye West was a jackass.
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ru4862
September 15, 2009 10:20 AM in reply to Metzengerstein
Translation: the opportunity allowed Obama to put Kanye West in his place. I suppose the president is making up for the 'Gates' debacle, which is unfortunate, because i think the president was right for calling out the arresting officer Crowley.
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rebop
September 15, 2009 11:13 AM in reply to ru4862
Calling out clearly inappropriate behavior is not "putting someone in their place." What Kanye did was beyond rude, stepping on what should have been Taylor Swift's moment. There was time to criticize the decision later. President Obama was right to defend Skip Gates, but he is also right to criticize Kanye. The two situations are not at all the same. President Obama is not "making up" for anything, because he has nothing to "make up" for--he was absolutely right both times.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:12 PM in reply to rebop
Exactly.
I know nothing much about West, and nothing at all about Taylor West, and I'm not a fan of country and western music (which is actually made in a city, in the esast), but West ruined what was proerly her monment.
Jackass? I call him an asshole, a dipshit, and arrogantly stupid by playing into stereotypes he no doubt denounces as false. But I'm not president.
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jeffgee
September 15, 2009 10:26 AM in reply to Metzengerstein
At least mama's-boy tough-guy-in-his-own-mind Kanye can't say that the President doesn't care about black people. Maybe he'll try anyway, since his fragile ego will no doubt be bruised.
But, like Wilson, he apologized after he got the attention he wanted.
Be it West or Wilson, toddlerhood has no racial distinction.
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AnswerFrog
September 15, 2009 11:48 AM in reply to Metzengerstein
Off the record, you ass.
Terry Moran should be fired for violating journalistic ethics.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:14 PM in reply to AnswerFrog
He shouldn't be fired for violating journalistic ethics because he hasn't any to violate.
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ru4862
September 15, 2009 10:15 AM
I agree with the president. Kanye behaved like a 'Jackass.' That said, why is Obama's comment an off-the-record remark to a CNBC reporter? And how did a ABC reporter get access to the president's comment? That sort of comment should be said in the privacy of family or friends not some desperate reporter looking for a story. Obama put's too much trust in the hands of people, especially journalists.
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rebop
September 15, 2009 10:23 AM
Off the record that's what I called him too. It was just wrong on so many levels to step on that young woman's moment. I suspect Obama knew his "off the record" comment would get out there. There is nothing "unpresidential" about calling a jackass a jackass (off the record of course).
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agio
September 15, 2009 10:25 AM
Designer suit: $7,000
Salon styling, with hedge-maze haircut: $1,500
Limousine service: $2,300
Getting called a jackass by the President of the United States: priceless.
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steve3443
September 15, 2009 10:35 AM
Who cares? Come on TPM, aren't there more important things to report on?
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CharlesBrown
September 15, 2009 10:37 AM
There is nothing funny about this. I am not comfortable with a president who is privy to all national security data being so mouthy to guy who's pretty much a stranger.
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fbacon2
September 15, 2009 10:59 AM in reply to CharlesBrown
This is supposed to be sarcastic, right? Otherwise, your argument is that no president should be able to express an off-the-record opinion about an entertainer to an ABC reporter (no stranger, BTW), because he (gasp!) also has his finger on the button. That would be a...well...a jackass opinion.
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CharlesBrown
September 15, 2009 11:18 AM in reply to fbacon2
I said mouthy. As in he should have probably kept his mouth shut to, or be very careful around reporters (who as we all know are everyone's friends and family.) I didn't argue about the exact content of the opinion. You must be a complete retard to require me to explain that.
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SqueakyRat
September 15, 2009 11:29 AM in reply to CharlesBrown
Hilarious! Is it a national secret now that Kanye West is a jackass?
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CharlesBrown
September 15, 2009 11:37 AM in reply to SqueakyRat
Its even more hilarious that you still don't get it. I wasn't commenting about the content of the opinion, but about how he wasn't careful around reporters. Get it now?
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hunter
September 15, 2009 12:10 PM in reply to CharlesBrown
Uh, we got it the first time. Thing is, it was BS all three times. He wasn't blabbing the codes in the football you nunce.
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westsider8
September 15, 2009 12:22 PM in reply to CharlesBrown
Oh, you mean like how Bush called Adam Nagourney, a New York Times Reporter an asshole to Cheney, who responded "Big Time" in front of a microphone at a campaign event? Or like when Cheney told Leah to go f*** himself on the floor of the Senate? Or is it just mouthy when Obama does it?
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westsider8
September 15, 2009 12:23 PM in reply to westsider8
Obviously, that's supposed to be Leahy.
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samhell
September 15, 2009 4:07 PM in reply to westsider8
I think it is supposed to be Adam Clymer, too.
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nellieh
September 15, 2009 12:44 PM in reply to westsider8
Or Nixon claming, "Manson Guilty!" while the trial was still going on. ON TH RECORD! That's stupidity. Fortunately the judge didn't declare a mis-trial when he clearly could have.
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cletus
September 15, 2009 2:54 PM in reply to CharlesBrown
The last time I heard the word "retard" it came from a 14-year-old.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:17 PM in reply to CharlesBrown
Agreed. Kanye West being a jackass is a matter of national security and not to be mouthyied about.
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midnight rambler
September 15, 2009 2:16 PM in reply to CharlesBrown
I am not comfortable with a president who gives a shit about what happens at the MTV awards.
I am also not comfortable with a country that apparently cares enough about it to keep it on the headlines for two freakin' days. Seriously, why does anyone care about this retard? When I saw the headline on yahoo news I thought his "outburst" was to announce that he really was a gay fish.
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Kuyleh
September 15, 2009 4:33 PM in reply to midnight rambler
Why shouldn't the President be interested in what goes on at the awards? Why aren't you comfortable with the fact that he cares? Because you don't care? Gee, what a great reason...The President is free to give a damn about whatever he chooses to. If you have to criticize him, pick something a bit more your damn business than his music tastes.
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Jaymay
September 15, 2009 10:40 AM
If Kanye is a jackass, what does that make Joe Wilson?
I'd like Obama's off-the-record thoughts on that one.
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NuttyProf
September 15, 2009 12:00 PM in reply to Jaymay
he would have "very strongly worded" off-the-record thoughts, no doubt.
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Leftflank
September 15, 2009 10:46 AM
I don't know any of this dudes' songs but he's pretty well known for his big mouth, rude behavior & a quick apology. He's not from South Carolina is he?
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3star2nr
September 15, 2009 10:51 AM
is it safe to say Kayne acted stupidly
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CharlesBrown
September 15, 2009 12:03 PM in reply to 3star2nr
ya. He went a little wee-wee.
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ru4862
September 15, 2009 11:10 AM
I think the president should summon Kanye West and Taylor Swift to a ''Beer Summit"...lol.
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CharlesBrown
September 15, 2009 12:20 PM in reply to ru4862
That would be bad, because u would have 1.5 million jackasses lining up for free beer.
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JNagarya
September 15, 2009 1:20 PM in reply to CharlesBrown
Sure -- then all 1.5 million* will lie that the president lied to them that beer and teabags are a delicious combination.
_____
*Adjusted downward to 30,000.
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AnswerFrog
September 15, 2009 11:47 AM
Terry 'Moron' needs to be fired for this. Violating journalistic ethics with some snide, partisan smear?
Sorry, ABC, this isn't a slap on the wrist type of offense.
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fbacon2
September 15, 2009 1:19 PM in reply to AnswerFrog
No kidding.
This is the real outrage of the whole thing. One of the major broadcast networks has a news anchor break professional and ethical protocol via Twitter with the frigging president, and let's not forget this part, editorializes about it in the process.
This is a complete embarrassment for the network, and I hope Gibbs is cursing this clown out today.
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Seeryer
September 15, 2009 12:40 PM
Kanye West is a total JA and has been since the day he jumped on the scene. the guy thinks he is the Messiah of Music Awards. I wish Obama would come out and say KW is a bigger jackass than Joe Wilson. They both give Johnny Knoxville a run for his money.
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LarsThorwald
September 15, 2009 1:33 PM
I am reminded of the episode on "The West Wing" where, in advance of the general election, Bartlett was caught on camera between interviews saying that Gov. Ritchie (his opponent) had "a .22 caliber mind in a .45 caliber world."
C.J. figures out at the end of the episode that Bartlett did it on purpose, and asks the President if he did. Bartlett smiles.
I think this is one of those "off the record" tweets that will have no one at the White House caring one whit, because it's true, and it's the kind of thing a President wants to say on the record, but cannot.
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JDaSilvaJr
September 15, 2009 1:59 PM
What's the big deal if it was on the record or off the record? Are we so pollyanna in this country that the President can't call a jackass a jackass?
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blueinMO
September 15, 2009 2:40 PM
He is a jackass and I don't think it's worth the prez's time to acknowledge it, but the media will push it on him.
In any case, I think it was a set up. How convenient for Kanye to do something controversial the day before Jay Leno's new show debuts and then Jay gets to have him on his show!
Or am I just cynical?
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Partisancheese
September 15, 2009 3:08 PM in reply to blueinMO
You're cynical which means you're correct. Kanye's a jackass. It honestly doesn't matter if the President said that true, insignificant comment, and everyone's out for his or her own publicity. That's the way of the West, folks!
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plynch22
September 15, 2009 3:29 PM
Moran was going for some cheap pub, probably, but this will probably hurt him in the long run, certainly with the WH.
That said, there's nothing harmful in this for Obama. Can't believe people think so. If there's one thing everyone in the US can agree on right now, it is that Kanye West is a jackass. Perfect word choice, actually.
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