September 02, 2005
Rapper West piles on with the race card
Rapper Kanye West, a participant in tonight's Hurricane Relief benefit on five of the NBC Universal networks (NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Telemundo & PAX), decided that it was the right time to make a political statement of his own -- while in the middle of soliciting funds for disaster relief.
"George W. Bush doesn't care about black people," West said.NBC, to their credit, quickly cut away from West, but the cowpie was already in the living room, so to speak.
West was on screen with Mike Myers, and was very nervous to begin with. It was obvious that he was straying from the script on the teleprompter as he nervously rambled on about the perceptions of white versus black looters (as we talked about here day-before-yesterday).
When West dropped his bombshell, Myers looked mortified and embarrassed.
I'm sure Air America and Michael Moore are looking to congratulate him for his idiotic stunt. I'm also sure that the Red Cross and NBC officials are less than happy with it.
Watch the video (35MB MPG; courtesy JuiceNewsDaily.com) and decide for yourself.
UPDATE: NBC released a statement regarding West's comments this evening.
"Tonight's telecast was a live television event wrought with emotion. Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks. It would be most unfortunate if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion."The West Coast feed of the benefit included West's comments, but cut out the Bush comment. Posted by mhking at September 2, 2005 10:14 PM | TrackBack
How about commenting on Jesse Lee Peterson's race card throwing. He's commenting that Blacks aren't doing anything.
How about this?
http://www.visioncircle.org/archive/004543.html
Posted by: DarkStar at September 2, 2005 10:22 PMQuit hijacking the subject, Ed.
While it's great to see black organizations step up to the plate to help with Katrina relief, the issue is Kanye West playing the race card and attacking Bush.
West is entitled to his opinions, but to go off-script and into a diatribe during a non-partisan fundraiser is bad form.
The crisis in the Gulf States is neither a black or white issue, but a HUMAN issue. Human beings of all colors and classes were equalized to homeless and destitute in one fell swoop; the last thing that's needed here is to use race as a petty wedge -- which is what prominent left-wing blacks are sadly doing.
FWIW, Peterson is helping the relief effort by directing web visitors to pray for the victims and linking to FEMA. At least give him credit for that.
Posted by: D.C. Thornton at September 3, 2005 01:42 AMUNBELIEVABLE. I watched the video because I couldn't quite believe that someone would say such a thing...but it's true. What a complete, total idiot.
Posted by: david at September 3, 2005 02:07 AMThe crisis in the Gulf States is neither a black or white issue, but a HUMAN issue.
Exactly, which is why I wrote about Peterson making it a Black issue by saying Blacks ain't stepping up.
That's playing the race card. My comment was about the race card being played. Point out all of 'em, not just "liberals".
That's not thread jackin'.
From August 28, 2005:
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?base/news-18/1125239940201382.xml&storylist=louisiana
Mandatory evacuation ordered for New Orleans
8/28/2005, 10:48 a.m. CT
The Associated Press
Quote:
"Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding."
Still waiting for DS to criticize a black man for his racism towards a white person.
Tick...tick...tick...
Posted by: Steven J. Kelso Sr. at September 6, 2005 10:14 PM