Former Education Secretary Defends Remarks

[cal04]

Former Education Secretary Defends Remarks Linking Crime, Black Abortions

Former Education Secretary William Bennett on Saturday blamed the news media for distorting his remarks about aborting black babies, saying he had intended to make "a bad argument in order to put it down." Bennett, making his first public speech since the comment aired on his radio show last month, said the meaning of his remark linking the crime rate with black abortions was reversed in many news reports.

"I was putting forward a bad argument in order to put it down," Bennett said, drawing sustained applause from nearly 4,500 people attending the Bakersfield Business Conference. "They reported and emphasized only the abhorrent argument, not my shooting it down." Bennett's comment on his show, "Morning in America," came in response to a caller's question regarding a recent book that suggested an increase in the abortion rate has helped reduce the crime rate. Bennett said: "I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."

Bennett, who is an abortion opponent, went on to say that such abortions would be "an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky." Dozens of residents marched in protest outside the convention center where Bennett spoke, many saying they wanted to make sure he did not feel welcome in their community. Before the speech, local black leaders met with Bennett for an hour. "He heard our outrage and our hurt, but he didn't say he was sorry," said Irma Carson, a Bakersfield councilwoman.

"We didn't take (his comment) out of context, because there's no context in which those comments would fit." Many in the largely white crowd attending Saturday's conference said it was clear to them that Bennett was using an extreme example that did not represent his views to make a point. Doretha Jones said it was "obvious" that Bennett's radio remarks were "just a discussion of a possibility that could be espoused by human beings who don't have any feelings for babies or for blacks."

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBYG8FQKEE.html

[valerief]

1. Yeah, a former Secretary of Education hasn't yet grasped the

concept of a sound bite.

He can't imagine how delivering that sound bite could be interpreted as offensive.

He can go back to his drug-running. I mean, drug-czaring. No one listens to him anyway.

[pretzel4gore]

2. 4500 pigs applaud him...

yech

[Tempest]

18. In Bakersfield, it's called a "rightwing love fest"

And that's by the people who sponsor the event.

It took up most of the first section of today's Californian.

Hannity spoke and blamed everything on the Clintons.

This year's conference is the last one. It's closing up shop after 21 years.

[Cocoa]

3. the controversy wasn't about his linking crime and black abortions

it was linking race and crime. The abortion part is a red herring, the significant critics of his remarks concede that Bennett very obviously was NOT advocating

The controversial part, which Bennett has failed to even address once after two weeks of 3-hr radio programs, was his belief that black crime is caused by them being black. No he didn't say it like that, but that's very much the thinking behind his assertion.

And neither him, nor any of his defenders, have addressed it yet.

[pretzel4gore]

20. exactly. if you 'kill' all the blacks, ergo, no criminals

unfortunately, in georgebuSHAMEerica, logic is clocks ticking backwards and mongoose stepping on sidewalk cracks w/out any problems!
"if i were a criminal...
and you were a newslady
would you marry me anyway
would you have my elephant baby?"
>song stolen from b darrin

[Jim__]

4. I guess the self-proclaimed Mr Virtue still can't see that his remarks

are racist.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. I like that Doretha Jones quote:

"just a discussion of a possibility that could be espoused by human beings who don't have any feelings for babies or for blacks."
Yeah, I bet billy boy really has "feelings for blacks", just like George Bush. He ought to be on that Dave Chappelle game show: "I Know Black People". :sarcasm:

[electricray]

6. A little off topic, but my favorite Chappelle skit was...

the one where he was a blind, black, "white" supremacist. That was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

[awoke_in_2003]

9. That was funny

but I don't think he could ever top the Rick James episode. Too bad we will never know, unless he decides to return to Comedy Central.

[sabra]

7. Bennett Defends Remarks on Black Abortions (blames media)

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/10/08/ap/headlines/d8d48j2o1.txt

Bennett Defends Remarks on Black Abortions

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Former Education Secretary William Bennett on Saturday blamed the news media for distorting his remarks about aborting black babies, saying he had intended to make "a bad argument in order to put it down."

Bennett, making his first public speech since the comment aired on his radio show last month, said the meaning of his remark linking the crime rate with black abortions was reversed in many news reports.

"I was putting forward a bad argument in order to put it down," Bennett said, drawing sustained applause from nearly 4,500 people attending the Bakersfield Business Conference. "They reported and emphasized only the abhorrent argument, not my shooting it down."

...

Bennett said: "I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."

[Catherine Vincent]

8. Why didn't he just admit that he fucked up?

And that he won't do it again. Is that all the conservatives have is blame the media? Geeze!

[Tomee450]

22. If anyone thought

Bennett would apologize, they haven't been watching him over the years. He is not the type of person who would ever apologize to people he believe to be beneath him.

[MrBenchley]

11. Fight, Bill, Fight!

I hope he keeps this in the headlines for months...

[cassiepriam]

10. At this point he needs to apologize and shut up... nt

[MarkTwain]

12. RIP: The Bakersfield "Business" Conference....

.... just yet another right wing sham "CONFERENCE" (read: over-priced paid platform for right wing idiots)..

Kind of ironic that the racist bastard, Bennett, had to whore himself to a "conference" that is closing its own doors. Hopefully prophetic for Bennett as well.


After 21 year Business Conference says goodbye
KGET-TV
BAKERSFIELD -

After years of dwindling attendance organizers say 2005 will be the last year of the Bakersfield Business Conference.Posted 10/04/05

The annual event brought political, social, business and entertainment headliners together, literally under one big tent. But it will become history according to Conference Organizer George Martin. "We don't want people to think it's been downgraded," he said.

It started two decades ago as a little gathering of mainly conservative speakers at Stockdale Country Club.

- SNIP -

This year's conference will only be expected to fill out the Convention Center, with a capacity for just 45-hundred attendees, at $425 a ticket. There will be no more world leaders, steak lunches, ferries wheel, nor plant sales after the event.

- SNIP -

For the very last Bakersfield Business Conference, Martin has put together a line-up of heavy-hitters, picked from a best of list of past speakers. They include Steve Forbes, Sean Hannity, James Carville and Terry Bradshaw and the headliner this year, former attorney general John Ashcroft

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9596296/

[sarcasmo]

13. Bennett blames media for stir over remarks.

Blame game, imagine the Repuke playing the blame game.


snip> "They reported and emphasized only the abhorrent argument, not my shooting it down


snip >
Bennett, making his first public speech since the comment aired on his radio show last month, said the meaning of his remark linking the crime rate with black abortions was reversed in many news reports.

link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051009/ap_on_re_us/bennett_race

[zanne]

14. Acting like a spoiled little boy...

who can't admit he's wrong and will not apologize.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

15. Remove Bennett from his program

Do you know if anyone has begun any writing campaigns asking to have Bennett removed as show host from whatever radio program he hosts? I'd like to partake.

[BrotherBuzz]

23. The owners of Salem Radio Network LOVE what he said...

Salem Radio Network is a white-wing fundy operation and is highly profitable with over a hundred stations. They cater almost exclusively to the consertative white male bigoted fundamentalist audience. Bennett was preaching to the choir, so to speak.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. Of course it was the media's fault. They were doing their job for once.

They actually publicized the information accurately. They didn't explain or make excuses for Bennett. They let the consumers of the media decide for themselves.

No wonder Bennett is having a fit. He was counting on the status quo since the stain on the blue dress.

[rocktivity]

17. Rocknation Blames Bennett For Remarks

:evilgrin:
rocknation

[nvliberal]

19. I always prefer the local angle to AP

or national media on practically any story:

Bakersfield Californian (registration required)

[Dr Fate]

21. Aborting black babies will reduce crime. You said it. In that context.

n/t

[truthisfreedom]

24. he can't spin his way out of this. revisionist history won't help him...

what he said was most certainly not what he is claiming now. if you read it, it ends with a re-difinition of his premise... aborting all black babies will reduce crime. that is what hangs him... he can't begin to pretend that he didn't both begin and end with that premise, stating it as FACT.

[Hotep]

25. bennett is a piece of regurgitating racist dog shit!