Our president is known for choosing his words very carefully, most of the time. Occasionally, he lets his guard down in public and speaks from his gut, as was widely thought to be the case when he said that Cambridge police "acted stupidly" during the events leading to the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. He later apologized for his choice of words.
But it turns out that when the cameras are off and the pens are down, President Obama isn't afraid at all of telling it like it is. And although his comments were off the record, the minor controversy about it is very much on the record.
In an off-the-record portion of an interview with CNBC yesterday, Obama was overheard giving his opinion about Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for best female video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
ABC News reporter Terry Moran caused quite a commotion tonight on Twitter after writing the following: "Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a "jackass" for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT'S presidential."SOURCE: Politico.com
Although it wasn't long before Moran removed it, with over a million followers, the Tweet quickly bounced around Twitter through various users. (And it can still be found here).
ABC News issued an apology to both the White House and CNBC for breaking the rules. And somehow TMZ got a copy of Obama's remarks on audio!
Now I'm not even going to ask you if you think Obama was right about Kanye. Over 4,300 of you already told us in a poll that you think the rapper's antics that night were "tacky." But what do you think of Moran's trigger-happy Tweeting, or the way this story has taken off in a very public way?
From Kanye West is an idiot discussion (466 replies and growing)
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President Obama Photos
President Barack Obama waves upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Tuesday Sept. 15 2009. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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President Barack Obama is welcomed by Col. Steven Shepro, Commander of the 316th Wing upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Tuesday Sept. 15 2009. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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President Barack Obama greets visitors at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, prior to departing for a day on the road to promote his health care agenda. Obama is traveling to Warren, Ohio and Pittsburgh, to talk about health care reform, then on to a fundraiser in Philadelphia for Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., as he faces re-election in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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President Barack Obama steps off Marine One upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Tuesday Sept. 15 2009. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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President Barack Obama walks with Col. Steven "Shep" Shepro is the Commander of the 316th Wing and Installation Commander of Andrews Air Force Baseboards, toward Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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President Barack Obama walks towards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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US President Barack Obama salutes as he steps from Marine One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland on September 15, 2009. Obama is travelling to Ohio to address auto workers. AFP PHOTO/Jim WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
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US President Barack Obama boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland on September 15, 2009. Obama is travelling to Ohio to address auto workers. AFP PHOTO/Jim WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
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TOPSHOTS A man takes part in a demonstration against the US administration displaying posters depicting US President Barack Obama in front of the White House in Washington on September 14, 2009. TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
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NEW YORK - SEPTEMEBER 14: A flag adorns the front of the New York Stock Exchange after the closing bell on September 14, 2009 in New York City. President Obama gave a major speech on the state of the economy today at Wall Street. (Photo by Ramin Talaie/Getty Images)
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Comments: (53)
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By: david on 9/16/2009 10:26AM
Fire her. The President spoke "Off the record" and as anyone knows, that means JUST WHAT IT MEANS. Stupid bit*h. THIS is what america has become. Kayne WHO and now this BIMBO.
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By: SWD on 9/16/2009 7:18AM
I agree with u hoverer, Terry Moran is a man!!!
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By: George on 9/15/2009 3:25PM
The President is not stupid. He KNOWS that off the record to a reporter does not mean sh*t. He meant what he said and said what he meant.
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By: Thrasher on 9/15/2009 3:17PM
President is out of order with his comments about Kanye West as usual Obama always seeks out Black folks and Black issues to ridicule, lecture and indict Black folks for our shortcomings..
During the campaign Obama never went to white venues, asian, hispanic, moslem, jewish, venues to indict them for thier moral shortcomings but he had no problem beating down Black folks in Black venues...
I am not surprise at all by his attack on kanye West his need to use Black folks as his doormat and scapegoat to let white folks know his in not down with the brothers is not a tired act..
Obama is truly a Happy Negro..
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By: Ronald Allison on 9/16/2009 8:06AM
How stupid can you get ?
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By: smartsista on 9/17/2009 12:27PM
Thrasher, President Obama attended black venues and gave us advice BECAUSE HE'S BLACK! If he'd done the same to any other race he would've been deemed a racist and probably wouldn't have won the election. Why wouldn't you want him to tell black men to "man up" and take there rightful positions in the black family, to stay out of trouble, to love and care for themselves? You are the dumbest NEGRO I've ever encountered. And if you arent' black, then shut the hell up and mind yo' bizness!!
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By: Lisa on 9/17/2009 2:00PM
This was not an attack on Kanye West. This was simply Pres. Obama's opinion. You need no one to put your race down. You do a good enough job yourselves.
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By: shantrell on 9/19/2009 3:12PM
I certainly agree with you Thrasher, President Obama had know right saying anything regarding this event. I happen to think he over stepped his boundaries in trying to make white folks feel comfortable with him and i also think that he owes Kanye West an apology. If he can apologize to those white racist cops then surely he can apologize to Mr. West.
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By: Mia P on 9/16/2009 6:22PM
President Obama wait until election and then see who the fool is.
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By: Black Moses on 9/15/2009 6:30PM
Glad to see that some Blacks are waking up to Booker. T. Obama. He is not one of us Black people, he is a typical carpetbagging mulatto. I saw through him when he threw The Honorable Louis Farrakhan and Rev. wRIGHT under the bus to satisfy his jewish handlers and white cousins. The mulattoes and jews have had a special relationship since the ultimate mulatto, W.E.B. DuBois, and that jewish spy, Joel Spingarn, founded the NAACP. Look it up because stating is not hating. He talks down to us every chance he gets because he know Blacks don't practice collective economics on a large scale and thus we don't have a system in place to make him butt-dance like other ethic groups. What Kanye West did was more bizarre than anything else. Booker T. Obama is constantly been burned by his white cousins.
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