Racially insensitive comment by Bill O’Reilly?

msnbc.com ^ | April 15 | A Scarborough Country interview

[modern_orthodox]

We all make mistakes. And we all say things we regret sometimes. But tonight, many conservatives on Capitol Hill are shocked by a racially insensitive comment that was made by the most powerful figure in cable news — Bill O’Reilly. Lloyd Grove reported this column in his column “The Reliable Source,” which appears in “The Washington Post,” and talked to Joe. LAST SATURDAY, Fox’s Bill O’Reilly was emceeing a benefit for disadvantaged school children in Washington, D.C., something that he should be commended for. But apparently O’Reilly found himself filling time before an African-American boy’s group named “The Best Men” were to come on stage. And he said this to the entire audience, quote, “Does anyone know where The Best Men are? I hope they’re not in the parking lot stealing our hubcaps.”

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Did Mr. O’Reilly really make that statement in front of a Washington audience?

LLOYD GROVE, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: I’m afraid so, Joe. He did. And a lot of people didn’t hear it because it was a noisy room with a bunch of people in it and weren’t paying attention. But those who did are certain he said it. And I talked to Bill yesterday, and he didn’t deny it. He just said any talk about it was foolishness and ridiculous.

SCARBOROUGH: It’s interesting that you said that he just dismissed it and said it was foolish. When Trent Lott got into the mess he got into this past winter for his remarks that he made at Strom Thurmond’s birthday party, Mr. O’Reilly said, “Excusing bad behavior by the powerful is a dangerous game. Trent Lott offended millions of Americans and probably didn’t even realize he was doing it. There comes a point in every person’s life when they either surrender to prejudice and ideology, or they become independent thinkers. It’s easier to surrender. The people of the United States must hold those in power responsible for what they do and say.” Now, isn’t what Bill O’Reilly said the other night about the same as what Trent Lott said in an off-the-cuff remark this past winter?

[Intolerant in NJ]

O'Reilly explained the whole deal this weekend with Tim Russert. I doubt anyone watched, so maybe find the transcript...I watched - O'Reilly explained it as banter and "a riff" while he was waiting for the singers to show up - pretty much what Lott was doing at an old man's birthday party - nice to see O'Reilly hoisted by his own petard, as they say......

[maclogo]

Yeah, I think Bill should have been more Positive...

The Best Men will be here in a few minutes. They’re in the parking lot upgrading the hubcaps on my car.

[RinaseaofDs]

I don't. In context, the remark was fine. I've never known blacks to steal hubcaps. It's one thing if he said that they got stuck behind a watermelon truck, but stealing hubcaps is something mischievious kids do. Not just black mischievious kids, all mischievious kids.

Even Lott's remark was ridiculous in its size and enormous in its impact.

[mhking]

[shrug] OK. Maybe he did; maybe he didn't. Either way, O'Reilly is on the record as not being racist in any way, shape or form, and has no history of such (unlike a certain US Senator from West Virginia). He apologized to anyone who took his comment the wrong way. End of story. Next!

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[Dave S]

FYI--WP reporter Lloyd Grove is also the same guy Tim Robbins threatened to beat up because Grove had interviewed Susan Sarandon's mother.

Apparently he is an equal opportunity "gotcha" guy. A real sweatheart.

[hchutch]

At least the man is consistent.

Unlike others I can name... Susan Sarandon was all for free speech - unless it was for Dr. Laura.

Don't get me wrong, I find Dr. Laura to be a little preachy, but I usually agree with a lot of what she says.

I did not like the campaign to silence her show, either, and found that to be a low blow aimed at her.

[BJungNan]

I hadn't seen this before, and a quick search on FR didn't dig it up. What d'y'all think?

Foolishness and ridiculous to make an issue of it. Move on.

[BJungNan]

If he was at an irish kids benefit, and said, 'Lets hope they are not out in the parking lot planting a bomb in a car'''.... that would be acceptable to some of you who are making excuses...

Do black kids steal hubcaps, is that what your saying? I'm not sure I get your point. Or are you trying to say that Irish kids plant bombs in cars. I don't get it.

[rdb3]

Were they in the parking lot stealing hubcaps??

You'd like to think so, wouldn't you?

And today was a good day...

[rdb3]

Lott had made his comments numerous times before in front of congressmen and TV cameras without anyone finding them at all outrageous - until it became politically expedient to become outraged.....

I don't think so. What Lott said was absolutely stupid. I hadn't heard him say this before, either. I'm not saying he didn't. Still, it was dumb.

And today was a good day...

[Toespi]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves okay? First, he is not an elected official can not be impeached and is as responsible for his statements as the Dixie Chix are theirs and secondly, IF O'Reilly made the comment we will hear from him.

[eddie willers]

O'Reilly's statement was a faux pas, and insensitive to the boys. But it was not racist or unfair. He cannot be faulted for having an opinion that is statistically factually credible

Good post.

[rdb3]

I don't have a big problem with what O'Reilly said. But check this out. Have you noticed how some here hide behind the "unPC" mantra to spout absolute nonsense?

And today was a good day...

[rdb3]

I'm not talking about O'Reilly. I was talking about what Lott said.

And today was a good day...

[mhking]

Have you noticed how some here hide behind the "unPC" mantra to spout absolute nonsense?

Oh, it's not surprising -- more sad and pathetic than anything else...

[Mears]

I also am sick of the PC crap and also don't think he meant to be offensive.

The problem was that he said it in a public forum and he should have known that it was going to cause all sorts of problems. That's the way it is today,everyone has "issues" and by God you had better not hurt anyone's feelings.

The whole brouhaha over his comment proves my point.

[visualops]

It's a dang joke.
It's got nothing to do with race, and those who would perceive it that way are the racists.
I am saddened, deeply saddened, that the liberals have no sense of humor.

[Intolerant in NJ]

...stupid...Check out this frame from a C-Span broadcast in October, 2000, on the steps of the Capitol, as rebroadcast last December 19 by Fox with accompanying transcript - Link - if in fact what Lott said was so stupid, I wonder why Dennis Hastert, sitting next to Thurmond, or maybe one of those congressmen standing around in the back (especially the tall black man in the second row)didn't say something to him about it - or perhaps they did, and Lott is just too stupid to remember that they warned him about his supposedly outrageous comments - but then I wonder why he was reelected leader of the Senate republicans twice since that time in 2000 - there are quite a few "stupid" people running around, it seems, but I'm not convinced Lott is one of them.......

[StopGlobalWhining]

I hadn't seen this before, and a quick search on FR didn't dig it up. What d'y'all think?

Oh stop it please. Stop falling into the traps the left is setting to try to destroy anyone who does not agree with their hate-filled orthodoxy.

Stop being one of their useful idiots.

[j_tull]

If he was at an irish kids benefit, and said, 'Lets hope they are not out in the parking lot planting a bomb in a car'''.... that would be acceptable to some of you who are making excuses

You are correct. I'd laugh at that one too.