President's opinion of Kanye West sparks

[__Kratos__]

NEW YORK – President Barack Obama's candid thoughts about Kanye West are provoking a debate over standards of journalism in the Twitter age.

ABC News says it was wrong for its employees to tweet that Obama had called West a "jackass" for the rapper's treatment of country singer Taylor Swift. The network said some of its employees had overheard a conversation between the president and CNBC's John Harwood and didn't realize it was considered off the record.

The network apologized to the White House and CNBC.

Harwood had sat down with the president to tape an interview following his appearance on Wall Street on Monday. Although they are competitors, CNBC and ABC share a fiber optic line to save money, and this enabled some ABC employees to listen in on the interview as it was being taped for later use.

Their attention was drawn to chatter about West, who was widely criticized for interrupting Swift as she accepted an award at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards to say that Beyonce deserved it.

During what sounds like informal banter before the interview begins, Obama is asked whether his daughters were annoyed by West's hijacking of Swift's acceptance statement, according to an audio copy that was posted on TMZ.com.

"I thought that was really inappropriate," Obama says. "What are you butting in (for)? ... The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person. She's getting her award. What's he doing up there?"

A questioner chimes in, "Why would he do it?"

"He's a jackass," Obama replies, which is met with laughter from several people.

More of the article here: Link

Tmz has the audio of the conversation on their website - Link

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Kanye West is going to cry that that the first black president called him a jackass

And don't forget, Comedy Central has the gay fish episode of south park playing tonight!

[_Only]

NEW YORK President Barack Obama's candid thoughts about Kanye West are provoking a debate over standards of journalism in the Twitter age.

ABC News says it was wrong for its employees to tweet that Obama had called West a "jackass" for the rapper's treatment of country singer Taylor Swift. The network said some of its employees had overheard a conversation between the president and CNBC's John Harwood and didn't realize it was considered off the record.

The network apologized to the White House and CNBC.

Harwood had sat down with the president to tape an interview following his appearance on Wall Street on Monday. Although they are competitors, CNBC and ABC share a fiber optic line to save money, and this enabled some ABC employees to listen in on the interview as it was being taped for later use.

Their attention was drawn to chatter about West, who was widely criticized for interrupting Swift as she accepted an award at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards to say that Beyonce deserved it.

During what sounds like informal banter before the interview begins, Obama is asked whether his daughters were annoyed by West's hijacking of Swift's acceptance statement, according to an audio copy that was posted on TMZ.com.

"I thought that was really inappropriate," Obama says. "What are you butting in (for)? ... The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person. She's getting her award. What's he doing up there?"

A questioner chimes in, "Why would he do it?"

"He's a jackass," Obama replies, which is met with laughter from several people.

More of the article here: Link

Tmz has the audio of the conversation on their website - Link

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Kanye West is going to cry that that the first black president called him a jackass

And don't forget, Comedy Central has the gay fish episode of south park playing tonight!

I'm sure the president's comment will have pundits on CNN arguing for weeks, but who cares? The president is a human being who has common sense, and displayed it while saying off the record that Kanye is a douche (more or less). It also has nothing to do with anything the president and his administration stands for in relation to running our country, so noone should make this connection. But I'm sure it will be connected somehow, because that's what our media does.

And Kanye West is indeed a gay fish. Maybe South Park should also do a continuation of their "Biggest Douche In The Universe" episode, where maybe someone else wins the next award after John Edwards, and Kanye interrupts their acceptance speech to say who should have gotten it... thus causing the judges to then award it to him.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Jerry Only

[ctn]

I could care less what Obama says about that filth of a man (Kanye - Maybe the only man on the planet with an ego bigger than Obama's. In fact, I believe Kanye deserves a reality check. What Obama says off the record as his opinion is his business. I can't stand the guy, but he is human and is welcome to his opinion.

I'm sure the president's comment will have pundits on CNN arguing for weeks, but who cares? The president is a human being who has common sense, and displayed it while saying off the record that Kanye is a douche (more or less). It also has nothing to do with anything the president and his administration stands for in relation to running our country, so noone should make this connection. But I'm sure it will be connected somehow, because that's what our media does.

And Kanye West is indeed a gay fish. Maybe South Park should also do a continuation of their "Biggest Douche In The Universe" episode, where maybe someone else wins the next award after John Edwards, and Kanye interrupts their acceptance speech to say who should have gotten it... thus causing the judges to then award it to him.

[Fluffybunny]

One of the first things I agree with him about!

[momentarylapseofreason]

I think it's funny and I love it. He could have called him much worse things.

I don't believe in the "if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all" -it has some truth and it should be practiced but it can lead to rampant dishonesty and pent up aggression (always dangerous), it's PC which I despise. We need to know what people really are thinking. Otherwise we lose our sense of reality

Edited September 16, 2009 by momentarylapseofreason

[Pinx]

I don't think people should make such a big deal about the president's "water cooler" comments. But more importantly, why is everyone making such a big deal about the Kanye thing in the first place? They're acting like he's the worst person in the world for his little stunt. Embarrassing and tasteless, yes, but it was also pretty funny. The stunned looks from Taylor, Beyonce and everyone else were just priceless.

Maybe South Park should also do a continuation of their "Biggest Douche In The Universe" episode, where maybe someone else wins the next award after John Edwards, and Kanye interrupts their acceptance speech to say who should have gotten it... thus causing the judges to then award it to him.

I don't know about South Park, but I definitely see a Family Guy reference in the making.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Pinx

[_Only]

I don't think people should make such a big deal about the president's "water cooler" comments. But more importantly why is everyone making such a big deal about the Kanye thing in the first place? They're acting like he's the worst person in the world for his little stunt. Embarrassing and tasteless, yes, but it was also pretty funny. The stunned looks from Taylor, Beyonce and everyone else were just priceless.

I don't know about South Park, but I definitely see a Family Guy reference in the making.

Yeah, I don't know why people are hating his guts, but he is a big jacka$$ who doesn't know how to act. I think it's a mixture of ego and attention-seeking (with a bit of cognac thrown in the mix).

And I thought it was funny till I saw Swift's face. Then I felt bad.

[Cadetak]

Yes he is a Jackass but I believe he was right. I mean did you see Beyonce's video?

I also don't like how if a star does acts up everybody instantly hates their work as well. Like Michael Jackson controversies turn into Thriller being viewed as bad, Tom Cruis freaks out and all of a sudden A Few Good Men is trash, and Kanye raids the stage and out of nowhere people hate his music.

I bet you Jay-Z isn't too happy as Kanye is featured in like half of his songs in his new album.

[AROCES]

Once in a while Obama fogets that he is not a community organizer anymore and needs to be careful of his words.

[_Only]

I bet you Jay-Z isn't too happy as Kanye is featured in like half of his songs in his new album.

Nah, no publicity is bad publicity.

[el midgetron]

Geezz.. The things some people waste their time on..... Seriously, is this the best you can do? Has everyone already fogetten that Bruno planted his butt on Eminem's face just a few months ago? Really, which is more important?

Seriously though, you should really expect these "controversies" from the MTV award shows. Its called "marketing".

[Bill Hill]

Behold the power of drunken ego...

Kanye West

cringing...

[conspiracybeliever]

I loved Kanye West when he had his little outburst about Bush! That was classic! He said something when no one else dared! But this was ridiculous. Don't know what he was thinking. I think he does need to get away for a while. Do they have an ego rehab place? I hope he wasn't thinking the VMA went with Swift because of color because I don't think that could be farther from the truth.

[The Silver Thong]

I saw this on the news this morning and man, I laughed for a good 5 min. Obama called it as it is and good on him.

[Pandora7321]

Obama is human like everyone else and as such has the right to state his opinion. This isn't the same as him going on record and calling a police officer an idiot while admitting he didn't know all the facts. That was a mistake. The Kanye comment was supposed to be off the record. I don't think he needs to apologize or retract anything. And I don't even like Obama. I didn't vote for him and I don't like how he's handling things. But all of this apologizing and blah blah over FREE SPEECH is starting to really irk me BIG TIME. What next? Are we gonna demand he go into rehab? That seems to the cure for every public mistake now.

[_Only]

I loved Kanye West when he had his little outburst about Bush! That was classic! He said something when no one else dared! But this was ridiculous. Don't know what he was thinking. I think he does need to get away for a while. Do they have an ego rehab place? I hope he wasn't thinking the VMA went with Swift because of color because I don't think that could be farther from the truth.

Uhh... yeah, he said something when noone else dared... only it was "George Bush doesn't care about black people".

Now do you really think that was a factual statement that needed to be said?

[conspiracybeliever]

Uhh... yeah, he said something when noone else dared... only it was "George Bush doesn't care about black people".

Now do you really think that was a factual statement that needed to be said?

I think he said SOMETHING! Something needed to be said. What he should have said was "Bush doesn't like poor people" or "working class people". He was angry about nothing being done for the victims of Katrina which, the majority were black but...Bush doesn't care about the poor and the working class. At least someone said something.

[Purplos]

I think the worst thing about this whole story is the fact that they are asking the president about a musician (is that what he is?) Doesn't he have more important things to be talking about?

(Of course, it being an offhand comment, it could have been just chatter before the interview. If it was part of the interview... pffft. No wonder many Americans have no clue what is going on in the world.)

And I never understand how people can think someone deliberately hurting someone else can be funny. Isn't that the definition of some mental disorder? Sociopath? Mhmm.

[Admiral Danger]

he's a gay fish

it would've been so much funnier if obama said that about him instead

Edited September 16, 2009 by Dr Alien

[itsnotoutthere]

um.........who's Kanye West? Is he one of those rapper gentleman, only, I avoid listening to that sh**

[Lt_Ripley]

Uhh... yeah, he said something when noone else dared... only it was "George Bush doesn't care about black people".

Now do you really think that was a factual statement that needed to be said?

well facts would be in the numbers and actual rebuilding wouldn't it ? that fact that the white areas' around NO and in other states were cleaned up and refurbished asap while NO languished ? but then again those were rich white areas. money talks.

[cheo_vl]

he IS a "jackass", once again i have to agree with the chief, and about the bush thing, yes something did need to be said but not when you're supposed to give an award with mike myers, i mean did you see mike's face? he was so embarrased, this is what kanye does, he draws all the attention to himself with complete disregard fot other people's feelings, and besides he messed with mike myers and taylor swift, 2 of the nicest people in showbusiness today, i bet he wouldn't do that to 50 cent or someone who could actually give him a whooping, i've always hated his music, his ego and his attitude, a complete douche

[Kimi81]

I think he said SOMETHING! Something needed to be said. What he should have said was "Bush doesn't like poor people" or "working class people". He was angry about nothing being done for the victims of Katrina which, the majority were black but...Bush doesn't care about the poor and the working class. At least someone said something.

I agree and even though I believe West to be a arrogant dumb a** he wasn't that far off the mark in his comment about Bush and the Republican Party in general

[Kazahel]

I dont think Mr Obama shouldve called someone an insult like "jackass" in the way that he did, especially around the people he did. I think by doing that its being almost worse to Mr West because Obama would know everyone would hear about it so it creates even more out of the whole incident. He also has influence and I think its not nice to influence others to maybe hate on another(which he might not of meant to do but still). So now the whole world knows what the president of the united states thinks about some entertainer.... who did an almost typical american stunt, which I guess sold more news and now Obama 'accidently' rides the media to show he is a man of the people. But while sending a massive negative influence towards one of its own citizens who made a mistake. If it was a mistake in the first place and not just a stunt.

Thats kinda how I see it all anyway.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Kazahel

[SirRedeye]

haha- kanye is a jack$$, if i remeber correctly too. this isnt his first outburst or show of affection for *beyonce or *bouncy- however you spell her name,.

i wouldnt be suprised if in the near future they both put a restraining order for his drunk butt to keep away from them

how does this get to the whitehouse though-isnt there more important things going on in the world besides the vma's?

Edited September 17, 2009 by SirRedeye