FNC Shows Jimmy Carter Backtracking on Suggesting Anti-Obama Protesters Racist

Former President Carter's recent claim that he never portrayed most tea party participants protesting against President Obama as being motivated by racism has been highlighted both on Friday's Special Report with Bret Baier and on Monday's The O'Reilly Factor on FNC. As previously noted by NewsBuster Matt Balan, the Thursday, October 1, American Morning on CNN showed a clip of Carter denying what he previously seemed to suggest in an interview with correspondent Candy Crowley. Carter's original accusations of racism by conservatives were reported by NBC and CBS, but those networks have ignored Carter's attempt to backtrack.

On Friday's "Political Grapevine" segment on FNC's Special Report, host Baier relayed to viewers: "Former President Jimmy Carter is walking back from comments he made last month about President Obama and racism. Thursday, Mr. Carter said he did not mean protesters were upset at the reality of a black President."

After reading Carter's denial, Baier then played Carter's original words: "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity towards President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he is African-American."

Bill O'Reilly caught up to the story on Monday during The O'Reilly Factor's regular "Reality Check" segment. O'Reilly: "'Check' six, President Carter is 85 years old and may be having some memory trouble."

After playing a clip of Carter's denial in his interview on CNN, O'Reilly also played the clip of his original words before the FNC host concluded: "So it looks like that is what he said. Kind of like the Barney Frank thing. You know? 'I didn't say that.' Yes, you did."

Below are transcripts or relevant portions of the Friday, October 2, Special Report with Bret Baier on FNC, followed by the Monday, October 5, The O'Reilly Factor on FNC:

#From the October 2 Special Report:

BRET BAIER: And now some fresh pickings from the "Political Grapevine." Former President Jimmy Carter is walking back from comments he made last month about President Obama and racism. Thursday, Mr. Carter said he did not mean protesters were upset at the reality of a black President.

Quote, "If you read the remarks carefully, you'll see that's not what I said. I said those that had a personal attack on President Obama as a person, that was tinged with racism, but I recognize that people who disagree with him on health care or the environment, that the vast majority of those are not tinged by racism."

Well, here is what the former President said when asked about anti-Obama protests and tea party demonstrations last month:

JIMMY CARTER: I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity towards President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he is African-American.

BAIER: So is the former President right in his new defense of those comments? You decide.

#From the October 5 The O'Reilly Factor:

BILL O'REILLY: "Check" six, President Carter is 85 years old and may be having some memory trouble.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN: You said overall you thought the protesters were upset that there was a black President, that there was racism involved. You said that many people-

JIMMY CARTER CLIP #1, AIRED FRIDAY: By the way, that's not what I said.

CARTER CLIP #2, FROM AN EARLIER INTERVIEW: I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely-demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African-American.

O'REILLY: So it looks like that is what he said. Kind of like the Barney Frank thing, you know? "I didn't say that." Yeah, you did.