Obama: Kanye Is A "Jackass"

[GrantDem]

Source: Huffington Post

During a CNBC interview on Monday, President Obama called hip-hop artist Kanye West a "jackass" over his behavior at the MTV Video Music Awards. (Watch video of Kanye at the VMAs here.)

Obama's colorful remark was actually made in an off-the-record portion of the interview that was tweeted -- and then deleted -- by ABC News reporter Terry Moran.

"Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a 'jackass' for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT'S presidential," Moran wrote.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/obama-kanye-is-a-jackass_n_286623.html

[FrenchieCat]

1. So if it was "Off-Record", why Am I reading about it?

[Cha]

4. Because the idiot who's whining about

"presidential" doesn't have any journalistic integrity.

[marshall]

53. Same reason you read about Congressman Duvall's sexual escapades

Nothing is ever really off the record.

[Cha]

2. Fuck you MORON...if it's even true..it's OFF RECORD..now

that's journalistic integrity, asshole.

[K8-EEE]

55. Yeah THAT'S "journalism...."

This guy is as big of a jackass as Kanye!

[MadBadger]

3. Big Big Mistake by Terry Moran

[Skittles]

17. VERY big

befitting of his surname

[Pirate Smile]

5. The person who comes off as a jackass in this, other then Kanye West, is Terry Moran.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

6. Breaking "off the record" with a Tweet, now THAT's journalistic integrity!

[atlgadem]

7. Of the record or not, he is......

a jackass just like prezbo said, off the record. BTW, why was his "cops acted stupid" remark not "off the record"?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. Because Obama was speaking ON the record in that case, in a press conference/interview.

[Maru Kitteh]

60. prezbo??? - Hey, does anybody else smell that? I smell a funny smell.

It's a kind of damp, mossy smell, but with overtones of bad breath, unwashed underwear and Cheetos. It seems to be coming from nearby this post somewhere.

[hfojvt]

61. is that what they call him? Prezbo.

I kinda like it. President Barack Obama shortened to prezbo. John Brunner calls the President "Prexie" in "Stand on Zanzibar" and "The Sheep look up". Prezbo has some potential. Just like Bo Derek, he's a perfect 10. And also "Bo knows ..." As in "Bo knows economic stimulus" and "Bo knows fiscal responsibility" and "Bo knows health care reform."

Hey, prezbo sounds like the kinda President you could have a beer with. If they wanna call him that, I say we take it from them and run with it.

[Seen the light]

8. Um, am I supposed to be upset at Obama or Moran for this?

FUCK YES OBAMA! YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

This is, politically, one of the smartest things Obama has ever said.

[brianna69]

10. This is a total breach of protocol by ABC.

[Seen the light]

14. Why are people upset about this?

Was it a breach of protocol? Yes, but it's one of the greatest things he's ever said. I literally laughed out loud in joy when I saw that he had said this.

[brianna69]

22. I'm not upset about what he said.

I am pissed that Terry Moran tweeted a comment that was made off the record. That is a serious breach of journalistic protocol.

[Pool Hall Ace]

67. Yes, it is. I wonder if he began the tweet with OMG LOLz!!

Journalist, my ass.

Oops, CoffeeCat already said this.

[ecstatic]

48. I wonder what he said off the record about Joe Wilson

Obama never calls anyone names publicly. Moran had no right to make Kanye the first person ever to be called a name by the President.

[atlgadem]

16. You make it sound as if ABC news has...

.....ethics. News flash, they don't.

[LakeSamish706]

11. President Obama is absolutely correct... Kanye West was a Jack ass with his behavior. n/t

[Indigent]

12. There's no evidence Obama said this

Just hearsay.

Is there audio or video?

[atlgadem]

19. Well if he did say it.....

I applaud him for it because Kanye IS a classless jackass. Suppose Kanye was white and Taylor was black, I am sure the news would be much different and cries of racism would be echoeing through the land.

[atlgadem]

20. Well if he did say it.....

I applaud him for it because Kanye IS a classless jackass. Suppose Kanye was white and Taylor was black, I am sure the news would be much different and cries of racism would be echoeing through the land.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. So lemme get this straight. Not only did Terry Moran break "off the record" confidentiality,

thus hopefully guaranteeing they will never hear OTR remarks in confidence from anyone with half a brain in the future (certainly not the President), but felt the need to "cash in" by editorializing on Obama's remark?

WTF?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. Don't, or shouldn't, journalists get fired over this kind of violation?

It's total abuse of OTR confidentiality.

[Hansel]

32. Remember when they went to jail to protect criminals who outed CIA agents?

Awe the good old days?

I mean the going to jail part, not the protecting idiot politicians.

[hollowdweller]

18. I don't see it as a big deal.

Either that he said it or that it was reported. Sounded like the reporter was trying to put some spin on the comment in order to sort of counter the Democratic claim that the republicans were being uncivil, but I don't think they were very successful.

[Bicoastal]

24. It's not like the Republicans are going to turn around and defend Kanye...

[DCKit]

56. Some (other) Moran is going to try, though.

If only to attempt to prove the Teabaggers/Birthers/FReepers aren't racist.

All rise in defense of Kanye!

[brianna69]

26. There is nothing wrong with what Pesident Obama said

The problem is the total breach of protocol done by Moran via twitter of all things. Hopefully no one makes any off the record comments to him ever again. I know POTUS won't.

[Bicoastal]

21. This would probably be a bigger story...

...if calling Kanye West a "Jackass" wasn't the equivalent of calling Dick Cheney a "Meanie."

I give this story a few hours.

[RandySF]

23. I'd like to see more of this from Obama ON the record.

[Posteritatis]

28. I sort of want to see a president use the word "fuckhead" in an SOTU someday. (nt)

[bertman]

30. WORD!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


And, in latest breaking news, President Obama today during a nationally-televised press conference, referred to "that fuckhead, Rush LImbaugh". More at seven.

[CitizenLeft]

44. ROTFLMAO!!!

I'd pay to see that! :rofl:

[Pavulon]

25. kanye does like fishsticks

and is an ass. getting put in check by the potus , priceless.

http://binside.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834fd7f7353ef0115700eca45970b-400wi

[Blacksheep214]

27. Anything in an attempt

to stir up controversy!

Obama is correct and Moron is a jackass also.

[kstewart33]

29. I'm guessing that's the last interview Moran will get with anyone at the WH.

Tweet away, Moran, tweet away.

[misanthrope]

31. The fact that he would know or care what some pop icon did...

...on a superficial "awards" show is disturbing in and of itself. I somehow think he has bigger fish to fry than such vacuous preoccupations.

[MadBadger]

33. You win the award for dumbest criticism of the President of the Day.

Congrats

[misanthrope]

37. I'd like to thank all those who made this possible...

...E!, Bravo, CNN, MSNBC, Army Archerd, Oprah, Rona Barrett, MTV, Marshall McLuhan, GE, Madonna, Viacom, the FCC, Captain Kangaroo and the Today Show. Thank you. You like me! You really like me!

[MadBadger]

39. Maybe Obama was talking about you, and not Kanye

[misanthrope]

40. You have shattered my world and self-esteem, anonymous stranger on the InterWebs...

...How will I ever leave the house again?

[tblue37]

54. I have never seen any of those award shows, yet I too know what happened. I read the newspapers, and

it was reported. I suspect this president also reads newspapers. But he also likes music, it seems, so why shouldn't he watch a music awards show if he feels like it? He can't work all the time, you know.

[WildEyedLiberal]

57. Because he's supposed to be crying 24/7 for all the injustices of the world

Like all good progressives apparently do. Any leisure time or - gasp - "fun" takes away from valuable time that could be spent contemplating death, destruction and despair.

[bullwinkle428]

34. Obama's "Sister Souljah moment"

[SemiCharmedQuark]

36. Please tell me you are joking.

[bullwinkle428]

49. Apparently, I'm not the only one here at DU that got that initial impression:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8653973&mesg_id=8654047

[SemiCharmedQuark]

50. Kanye's behavior was completely apolitical, he admitted he was wrong, and it wasn't a speech

So what is the connection? That they are both black musicians? That's not enough for a SS moment.

[Hansel]

35. Good. He is. nt

[rucky]

38. I have completely run out of outrage on this issue.

and didn't have much to begin with.

[Archbishop]

41. Mr. President speaks the truth n/t

[CoffeeCat]

42. So unprofessional....

I worked in PR for many years--and when someone tells a reporter that something is "off the record" you damn
well don't report it. It's just not done.

Plus, it's probably said frequently when it comes to the President of the United States.

Reporters have NOTHING if people can't trust them. It's just understood that you don't do this.

What I don't understand is how Moran had the balls to do this to the President. This wasn't some
fly-by-night CEO that he was dissing. This wasn't someone that Moran wouldn't need to talk with
again. This was the PRESIDENT. He just destroyed the relationship between himself and the POTUS.
Irreversible damage.

Plus, look at what he reported--some silly comment. Moran damaged his rapport with the leader of the
free world so he could report on a comment about Kanye West. Helloooooo?

Moran looks like a complete buffoon. What...did he get so caught up in Facebooking and Tweeting that he lost
all sense of decorum? "OMG, I just like had to tell my bffs what I heard Barack say. Like OMG!!! LOL!!!"

Nimroddery at its finest.

[tridim]

43. That's an ego killing statement. Take the hint Kanye.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

45. *lol* How ironic a "jounalist" named "Moran" behaves like a complete "MORON"!

:rofl:

I doubt very many people will be as bothered with the Prez calling an asshole a "jackass" as much as they'll be disgusted by some so-called "news reporter" pulling this off-the-record bullshit.

No wonder everyone HATES the "media"!!!

Geez!!!

[TicketyBoo]

46. If he said it,

it's just more proof that Joe Wilson is wrong — President Obama doesn't lie.

[dem mba]

47. ha I checked out FR and most of the posters agreed with Obama

hating Kanye brings people together.

[ddeclue]

51. Apparently Terry IS a "Moran" and doesn't know what "off the record" means...

I guess she'll be sitting in the lavatory next time she flies AF1.

:rofl:

[TicketyBoo]

63. She who?

(Terry Moran is a he.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Moran

[backscatter712]

52. I agree with Obama. Kanye was a jackass.

You've seen the video, I presume?

[Rex]

58. Moran!

[Maru Kitteh]

59. Terrycloth Moron tweets OTR remarks w/o engaging brain - Now THAT's professional!

idiot

[bitchkitty]

62. Not just a jackass, a very rude jackass. n/t

[WVRICK13]

64. IF This is Fact

I have to question why our President is so quick to speak out against a black celebrity and not the white Republican assholes in Congress. What happened during an awards ceremony has no effect on the lives of normal citizens yet what happens in Congress is crucial to the country as a whole. Just curious.

[Skidmore]

65. People need to tell celebrities who behave badly that they

are jackasses, loudly and clearly. Good on Obama for speaking truth. If the public is too squeamish to hear truth, tough crunchies. We've let too many celebrities get by with too much bad behavior. Period. Celebrities ranging from the vacuous and stupid to the hateful. Spears to Limbaugh. I don't care what their political beliefs are, they deserve to be called on it.

[Hubert Flottz]

66. "Get A Brain Moran!"

[cbdo2007]

68. That's why I like Obama - he calls it like he sees it.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

69. Clearly, Obama is a racist

:sarcasm: