BET founder Bob Johnson, despite his consistent support of Hillary Clinton, placed an unequivocal importance on Barack Obama’s election as President during a segment on Wednesday’s "American Morning." "I believe that if Senator Obama leads this country the way he ran the primary, it will become a historic event for African-Americans, probably greater than the Emancipation Proclamation, which was signed in 1863."
This statement, which he made during an interview at the top of the 7 am hour of the CNN program, was a drastic change of tune for the media mogul. Earlier this year, Johnson hinted at Barack Obama’s drug use during a Clinton campaign rally. "Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues -- when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood that I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in his book." CNN contributor (and thinly-veiled Obama supporter) Roland Martin blasted both Johnson and Hillary Clinton for the remarks on "American Morning" itself at the time.
"American Morning" co-host John Roberts interviewed Johnson over his letter to Congressman James Clyburn, encouraging the South Carolina Representative and his peers in the Congressional Black Caucus to "urge Senator Obama to select Senator Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential running mate."
The transcript of the relevant portion of the interview from Wednesday’s "American Morning:"
JOHN ROBERTS: If I can quote from the letter that you sent to Congressman James Clyburn, whom we had on yesterday after he decided to back Barack Obama as a superdelegate, you say, 'I, as a longtime supporter of Senator Clinton and of the Democratic Party, urge you to do everything possible to unify this party to win the presidential election in November. For me and millions of other Democrats, I believe that the most important step that you can take now is to encourage the Congressional Black Caucus to urge Senator Obama to select Senator Hillary Clinton as his vice presidential running mate.' The first question I have, Bob, is does she know that you're doing this?
JOHNSON: Before I answer that question, John, let me first of all, congratulate Senator Obama on this historic victory, and I believe that if Senator Obama leads this country the way he ran the primary, it will become a historic event for African-Americans, probably greater than the Emancipation Proclamation, which was signed in 1863. It's the significance of his election that's so important, and therefore, having him elected in November, not just the Democratic nominee, is absolutely paramount. Now, to your question about, does Senator Hillary Clinton know what I'm doing? Absolutely. I talked with the Senator, told her what I was doing. She didn't direct me to do it, but she certainly knows that I am doing it. I have been in touch with her all the way in my thinking about how we can move this country in a unified way, and she's prepared to be a part of that unity.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
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Comments Policy
Emanicapation
June 4, 2008 - 12:39 ET by taterEmanicapation procliamation...right
that at least freed slaves, Obama sets out to make everyone (except the elitists) slaves to the government.
www.theholyrosary.org
"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia
Correct Color, Correct Party
June 4, 2008 - 16:31 ET by zeestephenI wonder what BET founder Bob Johnson would have said if the GOP had nominated Thomas Sowell?
Skin color is a sideshow in this drama.
Obama's politics rule the day, and Obama is all-Left, all the time.
If the first Black nominated had been a Conservative, he would have been treated like Clarence Thomas.
Actually he may be right....
June 4, 2008 - 12:58 ET by Prester John....if the election of Obama would finally convince the inhabitants of the welfare plantation that if you take responsiblity for your life, get an education, work hard, stay out of trouble and believe in yourself you can do anything without any "assistance" from the government.
Unfortunately the liberal plantation owners in Congress and their local overseers at the state and local level will never allow such a message to make its way onto the plantation, not unlike the way Democrat postmasters prevented abolitionist literature from making its way into the slave-owning states.
But one can always hope.
that's funny!
June 4, 2008 - 13:09 ET by mister josephif my welfare clients are any indication, they're expecting to get a LOT MORE from Obama once he becomes president and are already starting to be rather upfront about their expectations.
Ony the Beginning!
June 4, 2008 - 13:13 ET by ChasvsWe haven't seen anything yet!
Expect to Pay through the ASS for Retribution!
We are SO SCREWED!
Ludicrous!
June 4, 2008 - 13:02 ET by MeanderingIf Johnson is right and Obama does run his presidency the way he ran his campaign then we should get used to driving only 15 miles a day to conserve energy and keep carbon emissions low, while having the temperature in our houses at 65° F. Then those of us that work so hard to make a decent living will have to give up most of our money to those who won’t work at all. However, once the crazy terrorists learn that Obama is president they’ll wipe us out and Obama won’t do a thing, but “talk” with them so this time in a few years we will all be speaking Arabic.
Now this part "temperature
June 5, 2008 - 09:28 ET by Dan The Man 2Now this part "temperature in our houses at 65° F" I could handle. In summer it is so hot in Dallas. We use our AC almost year round in my house.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Will run the country the way he ran the campaign? No thanks
June 4, 2008 - 13:03 ET by krendler"I believe that if Senator Obama leads this country the way he ran the primary, it will become a historic event...."
The way Obama "ran the primary" was
1) putting out memos and allowing surrogates to attack the opponent as "racist", starting all the way back in Iowa with Bill Clinton's "kid/fairy tale" comment.
2) constantly playing the Victim of Dirty, Old Style Politics - e.g., "opponents of change are attacking/smearing me - I'm a victim here - just like you". Any criticism of Obama was an "outrage" (e.g., "appeasement"), although he was allowed to attack at will (non-stop attacks on Bush)
3) getting nearly 100% of the black vote in every state
4) benefiting from the round-the-clock endorsement/praise of 2 out of 3 cable news channels.
5) outspending his opponent 3 to 1 and 4 to 1
6) benefiting from a completely screwed up set of primary/caucus/superdelegate rules.
Despite all of that, he basically wound up even with Clinton in delegates and popular vote.
No, I wouldn't want to see Obama "running the country" the same way he ran his campaign for president. Thanks, but no thanks.
100% of Black Vote
June 4, 2008 - 13:18 ET by MeanderingWhile it is true of those African-Americans that went to the poll nearly 100% (84-92% mostly) of their votes went to Obama however if you look only 4-35% of the total African-Americans in those states actually showed up to vote. An interesting stat which was reported here, but I don't remember who or when. If someone could help with the location of that post it would be appreciated.
To: Meandering
June 4, 2008 - 16:23 ET by zeestephenCan't find the post, either.
However, the main point of that post was that Blacks were turning out to vote in record numbers, and proportionally, Black voting was about 50% higher than white voting.
Great summary! Only thing I
June 4, 2008 - 15:35 ET by SickofLibsGreat summary!
Only thing I would add was that (unlike everyone else) he would NEVER appear in public without one of those annoying podium placards or giant banners with the slogan of the day.
He'll need to re-do the Presidential Seal, just for branding purposes.
I can understand Blacks
June 4, 2008 - 13:11 ET by mattmI can understand Blacks thinking the election of a Black president might mean something, but it's a sad commentary on the mentality of the Left, because what if he loses? Will that mean Blacks are still in bondage? Or if he wins and nothing changes, then where will they be?
My hope is that what it will prove, either way, is that race is a hang-up of the Left, and that the liberal leaders of the Black Community, so-called, have drifted far from MLK's "content of character" ideals, and that realizing this will finally allow Blacks to emancipate themselves from the shackles of Big-Government liberalism.
Mattm
June 4, 2008 - 13:26 ET by jefflebowski"I can understand Blacks thinking the election of a Black president
might mean something, but it's a sad commentary on the mentality of the
Left, because what if he loses? Will that mean Blacks are still in
bondage? Or if he wins and nothing changes, then where will they be?"
Nothing will change for the majority of blacks because they have been raised to hate white people and blame every little problem on theirs on the white man! If Obama is elected President, I guarantee one thing....blacks will complain more and so will he about "racism."
It is time for the white man to wake up in this country. We stopped slavery, we stopped segregation, we have payed untold billions or trillions in Affirmative Action, government set aside contracts, midnight basketball for drug dealers, and more taxpayer programs than you could ever count and look at the status of blacks today. No, they are where they are of their own choosing and not because someone in their family tree may have once been a slave. I am sick of being blamed for their sad state! Lefties, call me a "racist," I don't care. You don't pay my bills but I pay a lot of yours!
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.c...
BET NOT Racist?
June 4, 2008 - 13:10 ET by ChasvsAnd so I think I'll start the WET ( White Entertainment Network) and see just how unracist the Brothers think that is....
the kind of Change BHO intends to bring IS NOT what we need in this Country!
We've seen what his type of policies have done to Russia, China, Cuba, and Rotting Western Europe!
Victimhood all the Way!
June 4, 2008 - 13:11 ET by ChasvsBHO will play the Black Victim card all the way to the WHITE House!
That half-wit biggot needs to Change himself before he tries to change our Country!
The AP is Ecstatic Too
June 4, 2008 - 13:18 ET by V the KCheck out the Headline: "World welcomes Obama win"
Biased much?
http://www.comcast.n...
Obama 'absolutely paramount'?
June 4, 2008 - 14:19 ET by SickofLibsBefore the O's big win, I bet he never said Hillary's election would be more monumental than the 19th Amendment.
So that makes him a sexist racist?
question
June 4, 2008 - 15:13 ET by hopkinsd7If I were Black and voted for Obama because he is Black...am I a racist?
Or if I vote for McCain because I'm a Republican...am I a racist?
Just trying to get that one out of the way early
----
June 4, 2008 - 23:13 ET by dahliatraversNo, no. Let me clarify.
You didn't vote for Hillary so you are sexist.
My what a difference 17 years make.
June 4, 2008 - 15:19 ET by gkm1959This is the same joker who became a major investor in Emerge Magazine in 1991. Check out the cover of that rag from November of 1996.
Oh well, one man's icon is anothers lawn jockey.
http://howard53545.wordpress.com/2007/07/08/1996-emerge-magazine-cover-thomas-lawn-jocket-for-the-far-right/
Insulting
June 4, 2008 - 16:42 ET by Captain KirockWhat a fool, to even compare the Emancipation Proclamation to the current election cycle is a gross insult to any American.
Oh yeah, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1862, shortly after the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American history. Not 1863 like this idiot claims.