Steve King Says Obama "Favors the Black Person"

AP

Updated at 12:20 p.m. ET

The often-controversial Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa said on a radio show Monday that President Obama's policies favor black people.

On G. Gordon Liddy's radio show, King said, "The president has demonstrated that he has a default mechanism in him that breaks down the side of race - on the side that favors the black person." (RealClearPolitics has audio of the remarks available here.)

King made that remark in a discussion about Arizona's controversial new immigration law, which makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally and requires law enforcement officials to question a person about his or her immigration status during a "lawful stop" if there is "reasonable suspicion" that person may be in the country illegally. Mr. Obama has said the law could lead to racism against Latinos.

The Justice Department, under the leadership of Attorney General Eric Holder, is reviewing the law to determine whether it is constitutional.

"When you look at this administration, I'm offended by Eric Holder and the president also, their posture," King said. "It looks like Eric Holder said that white people in America are cowards when it comes to race, and I don't know what the basis of that is, but I'm not a coward when it comes to that. And I'm happy to talk about these things, and I think we should."

Holder did last year say, "In things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards," but he did not specifically call white people cowards.

In addition to the president's statements about the Arizona law, King criticized the president's remarks about the conflict between Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates and police officer James Crowley (which led to last year's "beer summit") and the Justice Department's unwillingness to investigate the community organizing group ACORN.

Also yesterday, King requested that Mr. Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, testify before Congress in order to address "the public perception that favoritism played a role in the grant of asylum to Ms. Onyango." The half-sister of Mr. Obama's late father, Onyango moved from Kenya to the United States in 2000 and was granted asylum last month.

King has made a number of inflammatory comments in the past. Earlier this year, he said voting on health care reform on a Sunday was an affront to God. In 2008, he said terrorists would "dance in the streets" if Mr. Obama won the presidency.

UPDATE: Colorado State Rep. Cory Gardner, a Republican running for Congress, canceled a fundraiser featuring King, the Associated Press reports, following his comments about Mr. Obama. Gardner's campaign manager Chris Hansen reportedly would not say why the $100 per-plate fundraiser scheduled for Saturday was canceled, but he said guests would be contacted and invited to one of eight other fundraisers this month.

[gboyd41]

Irregardless of King's comments, the WH, with it's seemingly never ending scheming-i.e., potential "job offers" to candidate's running against the establishment's chosen, never ending "non-acceptance" of responsibility, playing the race card when there is a disagreement over a political issue, and let us not forget the numerous "deals"- a perfect example being the Nebraska fiasco- only tend to further divide this country. Someone do this great nation a favor and place a sign on the oval office desk which reads "The Buck Stops Here".

[proudmilvet]

One would think that pure common sense would dictate that the Republican Minority leaders in both the House & Senate would sit down with their members & tell them to put a stop to all this Crazy hate talk! They are looking more unhinged each day. I would guess that they have to get their orders first from their REAL Leader, Chairman Limbaugh!

[jimbom121]

They would lose their base if they did.

[tomdegan58]

Let's say (for the sake of a really silly and useless argument) that it's true - even though it is far from true. But let's all imagine just for a moment that Steve King is correct; that President Obama favors black people over white people....

So?

Hasn't the reverse been true for every president in American history with the possible exception of America's first black president (I refer to Bill Clinton) and Jimmy Carter? Is King seriously implying that Ronald Reagan and both Bushes did not favor the white Race?

Let's all assume - just for one brief, shining and stupid moment - that Steve King is correct in his nutty assumption:

President Obama favors spades over crackers.

So what? It's payback time. Grow up, Steve. Get a grip.

http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

Tom Degan

[1renegade]

Obama is the worst kind... a cracker pretending to be a spade.
50% white 34% arab 16% black(kenyan)

[silentseeker]

Racism is still very alive in America and is perpetuated through the media, stereotypes, and ignorance that runs deep through the masses.

The thoughts and affections of men cannot be legislated; the secret hates and prejudices of an individual heart are not bridled by any laws. Only the actions of a person can be, to any extent, controlled. Where does the moral issue end and the political responsibility begin? The dawning realization is that perhaps we as a nation of diverse peoples will never be able to coexist without prejudice and fear, the twin roots of racism. The disease of racism is crippling the unity of the human race and at some point we need to stop feeding this disease.

Are we facing a setback after so much work done in the last decades to overcome racial diversity and hatred in America?

[Blue_Mountain]

As a liberal white guy, I find Steve King to be embarrassment of white people in this country.
He fits the stereo type of a subgroup of whites who are conservative, religious, and racist.
He must hold some form of dislike of people of color who are citizens of this country.
He is from Iowa, which is a somewhat liberal-leaning upper midwestern farm state.
Considering that, he is also an embarrassment of the state itself.

[Thad Boyd]

Wow, KNEW this would get all the racists fired up in the comments.

[silentseeker]

Last week CNN did an article on "Why Obama doesn't dare become the angry black man? and this week CBS is doing this article. It appears that lately the mass media has become obsession with making trash like this news worthy. If the media were more objective, we'd be hearing a lot more about racism at the heart of America. This spectacle is grotesque. It really reveals how little the supposedly objective media thinks of the American people -- and how highly they think of themselves.

[Thad Boyd]

Are you saying it's not newsworthy when a United States Congressman says something blatantly racist about the President?

[jasperlily]

So what, exactly, is so great about the white man? What do they have to crow about? (no pun intended). They didn't even allow the American Indians "citizenship" when they invaded their land. The white man has been cruel and arrogant throughout history. (Of course, they're self-described Christians LOL) Given the atrocities perpetrated by the white race on others, I think the other races have shown far, far greater tolerance for the white man than any good ole boy has, or ever would, show to others. As it happens, I disagree that Obama has demonstrated any preference. And I'm white. Of course, I'm a democrat although actually way conservative. I disagree with many liberals. I just hate these bigots who feel compelled to keep bringing up race. Personally, I don't like the republican mentality regardless of what race they may happen to be. I find them cold, hard, and totally self-serving.

[euge005]

Must be it's favoring some group when you do not support jim crow measures to keep them in their place. A hundred years ago it was the Irish. Keep the dirty "Insert name here" in their place, anyone but fat, old, bald white men seem to be on the hit list for discrimination and the right wing too much resembles the remark not to have it hurt.

[badgerfan5566]

http://www.radioamerica.org/POD_ggl.htm has the entire interview and the relevant portion as well. What King said is correct.

[tonyatq]

It is amazing how racist always thinks people are just like them. Who does Sarah, Rush, Beck and Fox favor. You stupid SOB this man has appointed more white people to post than blacks. What are you talking about?