New MSNBC Anchor Likens Obama-Brewer Face Off to 1957 Integration Confrontation in Little Rock

By Noel Sheppard | January 27, 2012 | 01:00

Change font size: A | A

The unhinged hysteria being displayed by the liberal media over a picture of President Obama and Arizona's Republican governor Jan Brewer supposedly in a heated exchange has become laughable.

On Thursday's The Last Word, newly promoted MSNBC anchor Melissa Harris-Perry told host Lawrence O'Donnell that this photo reminded her of "the still photograph that was captured in 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas, of the young woman Hazel screaming at a young Elizabeth Eckford on her way trying to get into Little Rock High School, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

O’Donnell began the segment by showing a video clip of President Obama’s interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer wherein he said of the incident with Brewer, “This was really not a big deal.”

But that’s not how Harris-Perry saw it:

MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY: The fact is, when I see that still, I cannot help but to be reminded of the still photograph that was captured in 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas, of the young woman Hazel screaming at a young Elizabeth Eckford on her way trying to get into Little Rock High School, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. And the reason I bring up that image is because what we’ve come to know about Hazel in the years later is that as a young woman, Hazel, the young woman who was screaming at Elizabeth Eckford, was not herself sort of particularly, you know, full of racial animus or anything like that. But she was, she was caught up in this moment of racial anxiety, of making this point against these people who were coming in and trying to force their way into the school, and she sort of enjoyed the show or being able to yell at Elizabeth Eckford in this moment. But that image captured all of the ugliness, all of the nastiness of the larger political milieu, and I feel that this picture does as well.

This picture does as well?

For those that aren't familiar, here's the 1957 picture in question:

This is a classic moment in the Civil Rights era when after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling by the Supreme Court, Central High was integrated.

Elizabeth Eckford, fifteen, was part of a group of nine black students trying to enter the school surrounded by an angry mob that included Hazel Massery who was also a teenager.

And Harris-Perry had the nerve to compare this iconic moment to a 67-year-old governor and a 50-year-old president having a disagreement that the latter has now publicly stated "was really not a big deal?"

Nevermind that footage of the Brewer-Obama meeting showed that it was actually far more cordial than the press are depicting, or that the racial tensions today can not in anyway be compared to what was happening in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.

On top of this, it's astonishingly disgusting to claim that any disagreement between Brewer and Obama is at all related to the color his skin.

But that's the knee-jerk reaction liberal media members have to anything involving this president who they promised in 2008 was going to end racism and unite our nation like never before.

I would say that Harris-Perry should be ashamed of herself for making this statement, but her hiring by MSNBC makes it unlikely she possesses anything akin to shame.

She clearly is going to fit in nicely at this abomination of a so-called "news" network.

(H/T NB reader Jane Perzyk)

Story Continues Below Ad ↓

Associate Editor’s note: As you are likely aware, since the financial collapse of 2008, charities and non-profit organizations have seen a sharp reduction in donations. Although the environment has improved, contributions are still nowhere near where they were prior to the recession. Unfortunately, the Media Research Center has not been immune. With this in mind, your support has become more important than ever. With a critical election approaching, the liberal media needs to be monitored 24/7. As we have been predicting for months, the press are willing to do anything to get their beloved politicians elected and/or reelected. As such, we need your help to fight this fight. Any contribution, even $10, is greatly appreciated. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the Media Research Center to help us battle the liberal media. Thank you.

About the Author

Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Click here to follow Noel Sheppard on Twitter.

Noel Sheppard's blog
Login or register to post comments

Comments

Yeah.............they HAD to

Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:07am.

Yeah.............they HAD to make it 'racial', right?? They've got nothing else. Well, f**k Boy Barry as well as his phony-ass 'race'. This guy isn't any more 'black' than I am............and his 'race' isn't why he's being called out, either. I'm sick of this whole 'racial' bullsh*t............and I'm NOT going to put up with it - although I never have. But I'm getting even MORE forceful about it anymore.

Ditto

Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:29am.

I was wondering when they were going to throw race into this. Congrats to Jan Brewer, she is now a Neo-Racist Conservative.

-Jon

Yeah,

Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:33am.

Yeah, Jon-E-Boy............and I'll tell'ya sumpin else. If ANYONE thinks that I'm going to change my tone, or my way of thinking. or my way of expressing what is on my mind............................they have a better chance of seeing the sun rise in the WEST than thinking that I'm going to change!!! I KNOW when I'm right!!!

Kudos .. .

Submitted by ConservaSerb on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 2:59am.

Killa. Agree 100%. They keep pulling this crap and they're going to make people who never had a racist bone in their body have a pinky tip become . . . racist.

A wise & frugal government, which shall leave men free 2 regulate their own pursuits of industry & improvement, & shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government. T. Jefferson

Toldja!!

Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:11am.

I said yesterday that Maureen Dowd probably heard the unspoken word "BOY" in the air!

OK, so it wasn't MoDo. You knew this had to happen, right?

Yep

Submitted by Galvanic on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:17am.

Obama should have said in his SOTU address that it's not about class warfare; it's about race.

The Dems and leftist pundits insist that poor is code for black. Well, then rich must be code for white.

If white Republicans are accused of using code to send messages to constituents, then it stands to reason that when the Dems and MSM use the words poor and rich, they too are using code to signal to their constituents.

It wasn't MoDo?

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:20am.

Was it Bonnie Erbe?

⇒ Nope, It was Maureen Dowd

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 10:59am.

It was her column following the Joe Wilson "You lie!" incident.

Now just hold on a minute

Submitted by theduck6 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:19am.

This may have some merit after all. It may just prove we have come so far that the racist, smug, supremist can just as easily be a black man.

Not sure that's what MLK had in mind. Well, I lied. I'm damned sure that isn't what MLK had in mind.

EXACTLY!! HOW in the heck does this compare?

Submitted by OldJarhead77 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 11:46am.

This is a TYPICAL LIBERAL, RACIST RESPONSE!! because one person is white and the other is a person of color (though hes only partially of color) the White person HAS TO BE RACIST! Let me tell you of an encounter I had with a white LIBERAL at the college I work at. we were arguing over the debates and the policies that Obama has put forward and she looked at me and said this "Its because hes black isn't it... Well if you can't like the black half of him you can at least like the white half" We hadn't mentioned anything about race or racial policy.... she automatically defaulted to "YOUR A WHITE RACIST" I looked at her my first reaction which was I wanted to rip her head off and crap down her neck..... I stopped myself then I looked at her and told her this "FIRST OFF I find your comment OFFENSIVE !this has NOTHING to do about race it has to to about policy and SECONDLY HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE me of something so henious! where do you get off saying that?.... you DON'T KNOW ME nor do you know ANYTHING ABOUT ME! yet you go there that is typical of you LIBERALS if you can't argue truthfully you call names! belive me she walked off with her tail between her legs because I called her out on that! I encourage all of you do d othe same when your called racist for no reason DON'T LET IT GO POINT OUT THAT THEY ARE WRONG!

Liberals: No Morals, No Standards, NO Problem!

Racist Democrats

Submitted by m1xram on Sat, 01/28/2012 - 2:09am.

I guess we need to have a little history lesson as people keep trying to rewrite it. We know who voted against all the civil rights legislation and we know who voted for all the Jim Crow laws. Democrats. But, I think they have transcended racism, except when they can project it onto others, with their new policies to make us all slaves.

BTW, anybody see "The Help," great movie, lots of Democrats in that one.

He has already failed... his country.

Puh-Leeze, Ms. Harris-Perry.

Submitted by UpNorth on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:09am.

You beclown yourself, and you make the efforts of people like Elizabeth Eckford seem like a shallow political game. If you must give Obama a tongue-bath, do it in private, please.

American troops do not lose wars, leaders lose wars Major Pain

IT'S OBVIOUS

Submitted by OldJarhead77 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 11:50am.

That she wants to get in the front of the line and drink from the font of the Obama Kool-Aide straight from the source.............. and not from the Obama urinal............ like the rest of the schlubs with a (d) next to their name

Liberals: No Morals, No Standards, NO Problem!

I can't believe this?

Submitted by bigdaddy on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:40am.

There must be some lynchings or cross burnings that Jan Brewer can be linked to? Since Harris-Perry is pulling stuff out of her a$$ anyway, maybe she can tie the Governor to James Earl Ray.

Is there even one member of the liberal media who will call this what it is...just one with any integrity left?

Words Have Meanings, in Books

Submitted by berlet98 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 1:55am.

Words Have Meanings, in Books and at Airports

Remember when your mother told you, “Words have meanings! Be careful of what you say because what you say can hurt people. What you say and how you say it tells others the type of person you are and what they will think of you.”

No? Well, I can’t remember my mom saying anything like that either. She was always too busy warning me not to play in the street and telling me to go wash my face.

But both spoken and written words can have powerful meanings and can be reflective of both the character of the speaker and the speaker’s estimation of the character of the addressee.

President Barack Hussein is very adept at using words, words and cliches fed to him by his handlers and dictated by his teleprompters, meaningless vocabulary like “hope,” and “change,” and “yes, we can.” He’s not so adept at dealing with those who disagree with him.

The notoriously thin-skinned Obama who early on in his run for the presidency expressed sensitivity over the obsession with his Dumbo ears and ruled out any political exploitatation of his daughters and then consistently exploited Malia and Sasha, met face-to-face Wednesday with Arizona governor Jan Brewer who seemed to mince no words with the president.

Brewer didn’t mention Dumbo but they did engage in a heated exchange on the Phoenix-Gateway Airport tarmac. Obama’s MSM and the leftist blogosphere have latched onto the photo of Brewer wagging her finger at the president of the United States as clear evidence conservatives have no respect for the presidency and as emblematic of conservatives’ disrespect for the country.

Based on a picture, the ever-objective, HufPo’s Michael Shaw described Brewer as “a reactionary governor, overflowing with the same lack of respect for the President as the radical far-right she’s aligned with” and called it an “ambush” despite raw video showing Brewer greeted warmly him with a big smile and handshake.

Although she had to publicly say Obama “loves his country,” the polite and dignified Gov. Brewer may have no respect for him at all but she is concerned over the integrity of America’s borders and has the deepest regard for our country, a concern and patriotic feeling the president has yet to demonstrate.

Full details of that brief airport contretemps and the contents of the letter the governor handed to Obama haven’t been released, and may never be.

However, it is known that the governor and the president weren’t happy with one another. He didn’t like her criticism of him in her book, Scorpions for Breakfast, she wasn’t pleased with his rudeness and walking away before she was done speaking.

(As an aside, sales of Scorpions for Breakfast skyrocketed after the finger-wagging picture hit the blogosphere.)

According to Politico.com, a disingenuous committed Obamian supporter, Brewer said, “He brought up my book. And he was a little tense. I asked him if he read [it] . . . and he said he read the excerpt and he didn’t think that I was very cordial. He was somewhat thin-skinned and a little tense to say the least. I was trying to be very calm.”

It seems our president is developing a petulant pattern over pesky, un-cordial words. . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=12287.)

the airport incident

Submitted by mahadeva on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:01am.

The man is thin-skinned and it was clear that he instigated the whole incident. Kind of leaning in to her and hovering over her and saying nasty things and she reacted as anyone would who was being treated like that. She is not a looney-tunes who would go out to greet the President with the idea of telling him off while cameras were on her. No, what we saw was instigated by his rudeness and aggressiveness to her. He is a scary man and we can only hope that his term is not renewed!

haven’t been released, and may never be.

Submitted by CarlosS on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:08am.

The hand-written letter has been released.

It's important to understand that..

Submitted by greggy on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:27am.

Melissa Harris-Perry, is clinically insane - as are most of her BSNBC colleagues. When she takes a Rorschach test, in every image she sees racism. Of course, in this case comparing the image of Brewer and Obama on the tarmac to Little Rock, is like being unable to tell the difference between a car and a tree.

Of course, neither Perry nor the pathetic Bob Scheiffer had any clue who said what to whom on the tarmac, or in what tone, but our media, which increasingly reminds me of N Korea's, is keen to jump to conclusions that are unsupported by facts or evidence, and of course unfavorable to Republicans.

Did things get a little heated because perhaps Obama got rude over something written in Brewer's book? Who cares? We have a photo of Brewer pointing at Obama and we're going to infer whatever the heck we want to infer to support our agenda - the facts be damned.

These people are so thoroughly discredited that nothing thay say is really surprising any more.

Greggy (Diogenes)

Incredible!! It is almost

Submitted by michael lofrano on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:42am.

Incredible!! It is almost impossible to tell the difference between the two photos. Try this and see what I mean. Squint. Close one eye. And now the other. With one free hand, grasp your cup. Take a deep gulp of Kool Aid. There. See what I mean?!!

Hmmmm, sounds familiar

Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 6:02am.

That Jan Brewer is just uppity! Doesn't she know her place? She'd better get back in the fields and get back to work!

Americans keeping their own earnings is a Civil Right! Demand your Civil Rights!

Well c'mon

Submitted by MidAmerica on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 6:34am.

If they didn't concentrate on race they might have to discuss the source of the conflict.

Governor treatment

Submitted by ferv888 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 6:38am.

Barry did the same thing to Bobby Jindal in coming off the plane. He did not like what Bobby was saying about Feds and Katrina response. Oh you poor miserable little hurt feelings cad

FERV888

By her logic ferv

Submitted by gwalt on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:30am.

By Melissa Libtard logic, Oddofus hates Indians. Quick, get Biden!

"A lot of briefing for a 2 hr. special with Dan Rather. Saw the show & wonder why we bothered". Ronald Reagan

That's right

Submitted by HockeyKid on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:37am.

Lunchbox Joe knows all about "a slight Indian accent", doesn't he? Lest we forget.

"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me

BiteMe is still at it.

Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:27am.

Lapses into Indian accent, catches himself right at the end

and switches to talking about the Russian/Middle European Discover Card ad with "Peggy"....only he even screws that up and says "Nancy."

Joe Biden.....Slow Learner.

Even liberal Rosie O'Donnell caught hell for her "Ching-chong" remark, but Joe continues to get a pass.

Not quite

Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:35am.

You said "Joe Biden.....Slow Learner." You were half right.

He doesn't learn.

-Jon

She does not watch black and white movies

Submitted by thestalkinghorse on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:40am.

Melissa Harris-Perry is a professional race-victim.

It is not enough that President Obama lose the 2012 election, those who voted for him must have their voting privileges revoked.

Methinks

Submitted by HockeyKid on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 6:39am.

Melissa Harris-Perry was imagining herself and Obysmal as another famous photo:

http://www.cs.brown.edu/courses/cs024/images/canon/04.jpg

The twisted minds of libs are truly incomprehensible.

"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me

Tired

Submitted by rusino on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:18am.

The American public is growing tired of the charges of racism.

That old car is revving up and gettin ready to backfire!

Rusino

Wait..it's what they stand for..

Submitted by ant on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:27am.

I think I get it..Black Americans being afforded the same rights as every other American is the same as allowing foreigners with allegiances to their home-countries free reign to pass back and forth across the border and plunder from the Americans, vote in our elections, commit crimes, possibly be 'jihadists' and demand rights they don't have.....wait...I still don't see it.

Sharpton claimed her handing him the envelope was rayciss,

Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:42am.

and the height of disrespect... he has personally known three presidents and never once handed any of them an envelope, proving his hypothesis beyond a shadow of doubt.

Now me myself, I think Obama is actually quite used to people handing him envelopes.

I'm thinking that Natso has

Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:12am.

I'm thinking that Natso has probably been handed quite a few envelopes in his lifetime - filled with bribes, pay-offs, blackmail money, and the like - just FOR being 'black'. I'm sure he didn't think it was 'disrespectful'.

Killa:

Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:16am.

Envelopes: Henry and Karen's wedding scene in Goodfellas comes to mind.

SoL

Submitted by stratman on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:09pm.

I hear the next fund raising scam by the Obama's will be their adaptation of the Feast of the Assumption where Moochelle will dress up like The Madonna and be carried through the streets where Obamabots will pin money to her. It will be called Festivus of Consumption.

Pin the tail on the

Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 4:29pm.

Pin the tail on the Clydesdale??? Boy, that okole will hold a LOT of money!!!

LOL, Strat!

Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:01pm.

Proving Once Again, That All Criticism of Comrade Downgrade...

Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:56am.

Is racist.

You hate his policies? No, you hate blacks?

You hate his condescending, smug attitude? No, you hate blacks.

You people just need to pay attention to the MSM more.

The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)

Finger Pointing

Submitted by jerhig on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:59am.

Governor Brewer said she uses her hands when she talks and had no intention of pointing her finger at the president. Why can't these mindless liberals accept that simple explanation?

Well, you qualified the liberals quite nicely, Jerhig.

Submitted by UpNorth on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:41am.

Mindless seems to define them perfectly.

American troops do not lose wars, leaders lose wars Major Pain

Fingers

Submitted by Joe W. on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:25am.

Not only THAT, but how many times have we been treated to a condescending, arrogant and angry Barack Obama finger pointing and pontificating from his Presidential Lectern? What's good for the goose ought to be good for the gander. Even IF the gander has floppy ears and a wart on his nose.

If Gov Brewer were as liberal as the media...

Submitted by jpwcpa on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 5:20pm.

...the media would still report on the finger pointing incident, but of course would give it positive spin. The media would report that Gov Brewer was probably just informing Obama about the latest polls in the state, and would surmise that the Gov was saying something along the lines of, "You're always number 1 around here, Mr. President".

These idiots can see racism

Submitted by poseA on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:47am.

These idiots can see racism in any train-wreck... pun intended.

-- As kind as possible and as unkind as necessary.

Brewer vs. Obama

Submitted by mahadeva on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:53am.

Any time you see a man looming over a woman as we see in this photo of O and B, we have an inappropriate action! Add to that that this man is the President of the U.S.A., we have a really inappropriate action. The idea that this was of a racially based nature is pure race-baiting by a way too liberal news medium. Let's face it, we have a leader who is incompetent, arrogant, inept and power-hungry. He has no love for this country nor of the problems faced by one of its states. As long as he can play golf and take multiple vacations and feed the egocentricities of himself and his wife, he is content and that is why he is perpetually campaigning for his reelection! He is not a gentlemen and his is not presidential material as this photo so glaringly shows!

You have to be blind not to

Submitted by Captain Repus on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:56am.

You have to be blind not to see the obvious racism in this incident. There is no question whatsoever that this is an indication of pure seething hatred of a white woman.

Did you know Doug has Mesothelioma? We'll deal with the government. You have enough to worry about.

The Libs are playing. . .

Submitted by rickbren on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:56am.

. . . race card so much now, that it won't be long until it has no meaning. . .

C'mon people

Submitted by misterbee241 on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:59am.

we should know by now that with liberalism, EVERYTHING is race related. It's all they have.

If you're not getting flak, you're not over the target.

Conflation and aggrandizement much, Melissa?

Submitted by drsamherman on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:10am.

If this is an example of the crap she delivers in her lectures, publications and presentations, she would singly end unemployment in the construction and farm equipment business. John Deere and other companies would be hard at work to meet the quota of heavy lifting equipment required to clear all of that manure.

Ms. Harris-Perry, come back to earth. It was a single moment where your beloved Barry whined and cajoled Brewer because he didn't like what was in her book. Remember, you're the one with the political science doctorate (useful as toilet paper only, but I digress) and presidents have no authority or standing to try to act like the boss of any governor. This makes three incidents, Melissa, where your beloved Barry Zero acted like a heel towards elected governors. If your side is so thin-skinned and afraid of criticism, go sell shoes.

Apparently Melissa thinks the

Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:27am.

Apparently Melissa thinks the 50 Governors are part of Obama's "staff." You know, to "help" him run all those states, because he can't be everywhere at once.

As such, they answer to him.

You are short by seven states.

Submitted by drsamherman on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 6:49pm.

After all, Odimwit said there are 57 states.

If the Moon had a state license plate/slogan, what would it be?

Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 7:03pm.

A graphic of a bat's body

Submitted by stratman on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 8:46pm.

A graphic of a bat's body with the head of Obama flying crooked across the lunar landscape with the slogan "Welcome to Moon Bat country"?

⇒ I know, SOL!

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:22pm.

Mine is KR8R-R8R

⇒ As opposed to Woody Allen

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 9:24pm.

As opposed to Woody Allen's current plate KR8L-R8R

msnbc?

Submitted by Willis_Leon_Johnson on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 10:47am.

Mainly Stupid Nasty Bitch Club?

or would 'sleazy' work better?

My RIGHTS are not subject to the whims of politicians, political appointees or judges. Are yours?

Bumper Sticker: "obama-biden, AKA Dumb and Dumber"

Criticism of President Obama hasn't even begun!

Submitted by Thalpy on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 11:26am.

There is no comparison between these two confrontations. Obama has no standing to impose himself on Gov. Brewer and the State of Arizona. That won't slow him down any, however.

Wow. Who'd a thunk it. MSNBC made it about race

Submitted by krendler on Fri, 01/27/2012 - 11:53am.

Funny, the way I see it, Obama's being a sexist pig. He instigated the whole thing - being his usual classless self - and wouldn't have got in her face like that if she were a man.

I'm sorry, but politics aside, liberals are just flat out idiots.