The saga continues for the Kanye West story, but his time President Obama has unwisely gotten himself involved. (Remember Henry Louis Gates Jr and the Harvard Police?) The President called Kanye West a “jackass” for interrupting the MTV Music awards during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech. You can find the audio of the President’s incident here.
If you want to pass up on the audio, here is the transcript of the event:
“I thought that was really inappropriate. It’s like, she’s getting an award, why are you butting in?” Obama says in the audio clip. “I hear you. I agree with you. The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person. She’s getting her award. What’s he doing up there?”
Someone asks, “Why would he do that?”
Obama groans, comically: “He’s a jackass!”
There’s a nervous explosion of laughter from the others in the room, which Obama immediately reacts to: “Now, now, all this stuff… I’m assuming all this stuff — come on guys, cut the president some slack. I’ve got a lot of other stuff on my plate.”
How did this come about? How could we catch such an unusual Presidential event? Why would a President or any politician say something like that on the off chance of it being recorded? How did someone get a recording of this?
Here’s how:
ABC News reporter Terry Moran, who tweeted about Barack Obama calling Kanye West a “jackass” after his performance at the VMAs, during an interview with CNBC. The problem: Obama’s comment came during an off-the-record portion of the interview, which Moran failed to note. ABC has apologized and the White House has not commented. Link
The Reliable Source (Washington Post) reports “that chit-chat before an interview is customarily considered off-the-record.” Obama is not only President or politician to let profanities fly. The then Governor Bush, was famously video recorded for saying some four letter words after a wedding party in Texas. Dick Cheney, John McCain, and Teddy Kennedy have all been recorded on the senate floor or in public meetings when they let some expletives fly. Those are just to name a few.
In the age of Google, Twitter, and Facebook, anything you say or do can end up on the internet. When I was a youth pastor, I never got over how some of my youth would post pictures of themselves drinking beer on Facebook for all to see. It is like they did not care about the repercussions from their parents, school, or future employers.
In this globally connected world, we have to watch ourselves. We have to watch what we say. The biblical writer James proclaims:
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts…. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no one can tame the tongue… With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. (James 3, NRSV)
Friends, we all have moments when we are angry and let a word something slip. No harm right? Think about this: what comes out of our mouths is indicative of what is in our hearts. If you have a coworker at work who curses all the time, most likely, they are frustrated person and they cannot articulate their emotions well. James’ instructions to for us to watch what we say is given because words have power. Power to hurt. Power to make waves. Power to start gossip. Power to start wars. But, also the power to heal.
Like the President in casual conversation, we must watch what we say. President Obama had a very non-presidential moment. Instead of an elephant being in the room, he let in a presidential donkey.
Be careful of what you say! It might end up on the internet.
8 Comments
Strangely, I think it was fine. I even thought W’s outbursts were fine. His policy, and his apparent inability to use the English language outside of locker room chatter troubled me greatly. An occasionally well-placed expletive is fine with me.
Alan, Kanye is a jackass! I know you’ll be shocked to hear this but I’m supporting the president on this one. Putting politics and pop-culture in bed has always been taboo but for once someone finally called a spade a spade. I respect that in a leader and I respect that he let the US know it upset his children and that he didn’t know much of the situation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what Obama did here and you know how I feel about the man. Frankly, I’m impressed. Instead of side stepping the question he answered honestly and then wanted to move on. I think the finger should be pointed at those in our country who wax and wane with the culture as if it somehow effects them. No one should care about kanye and beyonce or John and Kate or the duggers but sadly they do. For once a politician responded the proper way with a situation and I’m thrilled. Furthermore I want my president to call jackasses jackasses. So here’s to Obama may he continually speaking honestly.
Sorry not speaking speak. Jackass iPhone.
Tripp and Mark, good points. My last few blog post have been on outbursts and it seems lately we are people who are speaking out minds. Maybe that is something we need?
Alan, I was thinking about this after I commented. On the news this morning was a story about what some say we REALLY need to do to shore up the global economy. Sadly, the economic theorists suggested, the electorate will not embrace the kind of truth telling necessary. This is the shadow side of democracy. It’s an amazing yet imperfect system.
If you ask a carload of sick kids if they would rather go to the candy factory or to the doctor, you would get candy factory almost every time. We don’t want to hear the truth until it’s absolutely the last possible option.
On a much much smaller scale, Obama called Kanye out. He called him to task. If Kanye is wise, his next album will be called “Jacka$$ for the Prez!” and he’ll embrace it and change. Otherwise he has to go toe to toe with the most powerful African American leader in history, divide the African American community (perhaps already divided), and beg for the validation he so desperately desires. It escalates so quickly.
Someone tell me, remind me or educate me…LBJ, Roosevelt, Reagan…they all called people out like this. They were leaders. No?
Tripp, I guess what I intended to say was that we have to be careful what we say. I think when Obama said what he said he thought it wouldn’t be recorded. Would we say half the stuff we say if it was going to be recorded? Bottom line, we have to be ready to back up what we say, for good or bad.
Indeed. I agree completely. Every now and then someone will ask me if they should start a pastor’s blog. I always encourage them to do so with the caveat that it is a public space. A blog is the street corner. It’s never anonymous no matter how hard we may try to keep it that way.
Being called a jackass by as Tripp said “the most powerful African American leader in history,” is quite possibly the most severe scold for a talented and young African American entertainer like Kanye West. What Kanye did at the VMA’s deserved a scolding beyond being dogged on Twitter. I stand behind the actions (and word choice) of President Obama. I am so proud to have an African American President to be a role model for our children instead of idol’s like Kanye West who teach nothing but negativity and rude behavior.
Alan, I do agree with your fundamental point that we must be careful what words we choose to say, and where we choose to say them. Nothing on the internet is private, and when you’re the president of a company or a nation, your ‘private life’ is no longer private. Don’t say anything if you feel you’d need to retract it later, or more simply think before you speak.