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Obama Says Rush Limbaugh Aired “Magic Negro” Parody Didn’t Bother Him

May 6th, 2007
By JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief

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Illinois Senator and 2008 Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has commented on the mini-firestorm surrounding conservative mega talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s airing of a song parody titled “Barack The Magic Negro” (also posted on Limbaugh’s website).

His reaction? It really didn’t bother him, didn’t really enrage him — and in the end if sounded as if Limbaugh was seemingly trying to bury the hatchet with Obama — and not in his head. From ABC News’ Political Punch:

As you may recall from a PREVIOUS POST OF POLITICAL PUNCH, Rush Limbaugh has been playing a parody song “Barack the Magic Negro,” which refers to a Los Angeles Times oped by a liberal writer poking fun at the liberal view of a “magic negro” and whether or not Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, fits into this mythical non-threatening construct.

On Wednesday, May 2, in an interview with Paul W. Smith of WJR Radio in Detroit, Obama responded.

“I have to do this because Rush is on our radio station,” Smith said. “We’re going to see him tomorrow. You’ve heard the parody song ‘Barack the “Magic Negro”‘”?

“You know, I have not heard it but I’ve heard of it,” Obama said. “I confess that I don’t listen to Rush on a daily basis. On the other hand, I’m not one of these people who, who takes myself so seriously that I get offended by — by every — every comment made about me. You know, the — you know, what Rush does is entertainment, and although it’s probably not something that I listen to much, I don’t — ”

“But you said not every day, so you do listen a little then, and why wouldn’t you?” Smith interrupted.

“I don’t mind, I don’t mind, I don’t mind folks poking fun at me,” Obama said. “That’s part of the job.”

Note: This sounds like “ready for prime time” politics. And Limbaugh?

Quoth the Limbaugh: “This is a classy way to deal with it. This is the way he should have dealt with it if anyone asked. It’s the first time he’s, probably, been asked about it, but this is the way for these guys to deal with it. Blow it off. Laugh it off. ‘No big deal.’”

FOOTNOTE: The reaction of yours truly was and is not as charitable as Obama’s. Here’s our previous post. (Note: In an email, one Rush fan complained about our earlier post: “You really aren’t showing a Christian attitude” — but with a name like “Gandelman” that might not be surprising…)

TMV thanks Solid Politics.Com for the tip.



This entry was posted on Sunday, May 6th, 2007 at 8:30 am and is filed under Barack Obama, Racism, Rush Limbaugh, Political Correctness, Freedom of Speech, Society, Comedy & Humor, Politics, 2008 Elections, Talk Radio, Entertainment. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

 
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