Bizarre, Politics, Society

The Tweet That Got Away: Obama Calls Kanye West a “Jackass”

225px-official_portrait_of_barack_obama220px-Kanye_West_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_FestivalIn the rush to tweet the news by leading networks, journalists can sometimes find that technology moves a bit faster than editors. It appears that President Barack Obama made an off-the-record comment that called Kanye West a “Jackass.” It ran on a twitter from ABC’s Terry Moran and appears to have led to a ballistic response by the White House. Now, there is the video below of the President’s unguarded moment.

Here is the tweet:
ABC’s TerryMoran: “Pres. Obama just called Kanye a “jackass” for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won..”

Here is the video of the incident:

ABC released the following statement:

“In the process of reporting on remarks by President Obama that were made during a CNBC interview, ABC News employees prematurely tweeted a portion of those remarks that turned out to be from an off-the-record portion of the interview. This was done before our editorial process had been completed. That was wrong. We apologize to the White House and CNBC and are taking steps to ensure that it will not happen again.”

Of course, Lyndon Johnson could use Jackass as a verb, noun, and adverb.

250px-Donkey_1_arp_750pxThe use of “Jackass”, as I have previously noted, is something of a slight to the good people who live in Jackass, Arizona. The White House may want to issue a statement that the President that actually suggesting that West acts like a citizen of the Arizona community, though that might not play well in the next campaign.

My only complaint about this comment was not its obvious accuracy, but the fact that it was made off-the-record.

For the audio, click here.
For the story, click here.

18 thoughts on “The Tweet That Got Away: Obama Calls Kanye West a “Jackass””

  1. I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike.

  2. The old canard about bringing a knife to a gunfight is applicable here. The punditry and the politicians who talk of bi-partisanship are deliberately being historically ignorant. The term itself was always used as a cover for the “powers that be”
    pushing corporatist policies. In the Cold War it marginalized those who questioned premises and was true in Viet Nam too. The very term “party” and “partisan” bespeaks a specific point of view that one would hope to be ethically consistent.

    Unfortunately, our punditry establishment, led by such as David Broder who maintains an almost complete record of failed policy statements, has latched onto to “bi-partisanship” as a mantra for maintaining their own very comfortable status quo. The media hacks who populate TV, lacking any depth of insight, take up the bi-partisanship chant to try to appear to have gravitas. That is why Keith and Rachel stand out, because they might not always get it right but they at least have the depth of knowledge and freedom of thought to ponder, rather than regurgitate the issues.

  3. Yes, I did miss something.

    Kanye West is a jackass. I assert the truth defense as well.

  4. Yep.

    The Dems a buncha spineless candy-asses. They could have put the criminals in the GOP (and consequently the GOP) out of business for good, but nooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

    Bi-partisanship only works when the other side isn’t co-opted by EVIL, you simps in the DNC.

    Thanks for bending over for the bad guys just as much as you just did for your employers, the Insurance and Pharmaceutical Industries of America.

    You suck!

    I think that about covers it. Did I miss anything?

  5. I agree with Roland, erykah and foo that the President is quick to criticize supporters, but hesitates at excoriating opponents
    who deserve it. However, the import of the VMA Awards is to me dubiously a source of interest. Why do Americans find such fascination with junk awards and celebrity activities? This to me is most indicative of a decline in the nature of American discourse. I don’t believe that people are stupider, I think they have become more ignorant.

  6. where’s the “ballistic response by the whitehouse”? i’ve read every report on this but i have yet to see it described as such

  7. Excellent point Roland. Dems can bitch at their own family, but a Repub intruder gets tea and biscuits.

  8. Roland:
    My thoughts exactly. This is nothing. Now had he called Wilson and the rest of the republican obstructionists a jackass that would be saying something.

  9. West was a major dumb ass and JERK. That being said, Kanye must obviously be a Democrat, Obama doesn’t have the balls to say anything negative about Republicans. He only criticizes and turns his back on his supporters.

  10. NPO 1, September 15, 2009 at 10:37 am

    to nal,

    Taylor cannnot drink yet, she’s only 19.
    ********************

    It does not apply to the Federal Government. The 21st Amend only applies to states. Hence, no minimum age or so long as not a minor and how you define minor depends on a number of state factors.

    To be the safest they may break a beer on Federal Property or an Indian Reservation.

    “There is no Federal law specific to underage drinking and access to alcohol on Indian reservations. Indian tribes are domestic dependent sovereigns that have the right of self-government. As such, approximately 200 tribes across the nation have enacted their own laws for underage drinking and access to alcohol.”

    Military Installations etc are exempt.

    Link to CFR from APIS:

    http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?Type=BAS_APIS&SEC={B7EBF080-DB1F-4092-9897-E3F083BB3075}&DE={E5F073E0-9157-4904-B83C-1A52D792C8CD}

  13. oh, please! way to go terry moran. we like to hear news before it goes through the “editorial review process.” bleh! hahaha! funny comment, NAL!

  17. Having just seen the video of West’s actions at the MVA, I’d say the President was being very diplomatic and customarily understated.

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