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CNN's Piers Morgan and Soledad O'Brien 'Obama Bump' Roberta Flack at Whitney Houston Funeral

By Noel Sheppard | February 18, 2012 | 19:26

A  A
Noel Sheppard's picture

After CNN's Soledad O'Brien took some heat a few weeks ago for accepting a high five from Roland Martin as congratulations for skewering Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, you'd think she be careful not to demonstrate such overt partisanship while on the air.

Apparently not, for during CNN's broadcast of Whitney Houston's funeral Saturday, O'Brien and Piers Morgan "Obama bumped" singer Roberta Flack (video follows with commentary):


After Houston's funeral, Morgan and O'Brien interviewed Jesse Jackson and Flack.

Before breaking for a commercial, Jackson got up to shake Morgan and O'Brien's hands saying, "We're going to the cemetery."

Flack then held out her fist saying, "Let's have an Obama bump here."

Morgan and O'Brien obliged with the latter saying, "Absolutely."

As if the President and the First Lady originated this practice.

(H/T John Ziegler)

About the Author

Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Click here to follow Noel Sheppard on Twitter.
  • 2012 Presidential
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Comments

Why not

Submitted by MidAmerica on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 7:58pm.

It's not like CNN is trying to hide their bias anymore.

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Mae West

Submitted by Franksam on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 9:15pm.

To paraphrase: "No MA, They're trying their best to show it!"

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What was Morgan supposed to

Submitted by balboa on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:53pm.

What was Morgan supposed to do?

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⇒ I agree, bal

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:17am.

It was Roberta Flack who seemed completely aware CNN was in the tank for Obama.

I doubt many people could weigh the complete meaning of that moment quickly enough to realize they were being (intentionally or not) set up.

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Balboa

Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 10:45am.

Balboa asks, "What was Morgan supposed to do?"

Answer: How about act like a real journalist and say, "In the spirit of unity and bipartisanship on such a solemn day, let's take the politics out and just make it a fist bump."

Pretty simple my perilously liberal friend. ns

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I suppose. Seems like that

Submitted by balboa on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:21pm.

I suppose. Seems like that makes it even more awkward.

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Bal

Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:29pm.

Bal,

More awkward? Hardly. It would have made it more unifying and inclusive. Shouldn't that be the role of an anchor? ns

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⇒ Noel

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:42pm.

I'm with bal on this one. A fist bump is more of a reflexive action than an honest show of approval.

Furthermore, it appears Morgan was first to offer his fully extended fist when Flack returned hers, calling it an "Obama bump".

Awkward?  Yes.
Worthy of disclaimer after the fact?  Yes.

But it is certainly not indicated that Morgan, who initiated the fist-bump, was doing so in honor of Obama.

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CA

Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:50pm.

CA,

Yes, Morgan appears to be putting his fist out first. Once Flack called it an "Obama bump," rather than saying, "Okay," he or O'Brien should have removed the politics from it. JMHO. ns

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I could see him saying "I'll

Submitted by balboa on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:45pm.

I could see him saying "I'll make mine non-partisan."

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Bal

Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:51pm.

Bal,

Exactly. And as O'Brien had just two weeks ago been called out for giving Martin a high five over her slaying of Romney, she should have been sensitive to this. ns

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Not sure that was on her

Submitted by balboa on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 3:50pm.

Not sure that was on her mind.

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I could see him saying "I'll

Submitted by GozieBoy on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 8:03pm.

Really? REALLY?? You been smoking some crack, too?

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Thanks for not getting it.

Submitted by balboa on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 10:43pm.

Thanks for not getting it. Good show.

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How awful to be upstaged by

Submitted by billb on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 8:05pm.

How awful to be upstaged by Obama at your own funeral!

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favorite son

Submitted by MidAmerica on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 8:25pm.

You have got to wonder at the Black community's loyalty. obama's policies have been a disaster for the Black community. He seldom mentions those communities and when he has visited them he does a fake 'Black' accent. His vacations are always White folks vacations like Martha's Vineyard or Europe. And yet the overwhelming majority of Black folks don't seem to mind being taken for granted.

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This only proves

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 9:15pm.

This only proves Roberta Flack recognizes CNN's undying devotion to their lord and master, Barack Hussein Obama.

It's hard to imagine how anyone covering the event would do anything other than return the bump.  The big tell, as already indicated is Roberta Flack's understanding that CNN is in the tank for Obama.

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Well

Submitted by grammajane on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 9:22pm.

at least Pres. Bush wasn't brought up. One never knows what will come out of the mouths of these freaks

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Well, I ain't no homeboy, and

Submitted by killa37 on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 9:24pm.

Well, I ain't no homeboy, and I'm 1/8 less 'black' than Barrack Hussein Obama - mmmm...mmmm....mmmm, but I sure as hell can tell you that the 'bump' was around a helluva lot longer than anyone (besides all of his friends and students in college and graduate school, and the community organizees who were being organized by him, and a host of corrupt Chicago political players, and a bunch of people who used to see him in Rev. Wrights church, NOT listening to the sermon) could claim that it originated with Boy Barry and Moooooooooooochelle. In fact, I think I read that Reggie LUUUUUUUUUUUUUVVV showed l'il Barry how to do it - and probably a few other ways to 'bump' also.

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So....

Submitted by MinneMike on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 10:07pm.

Why again does GOP candidates allow CNN to conduct their debates?

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CNN's motto is "The Most Trusted Name in News." I have no

Submitted by Rush Fan on Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:18pm.

doubt that they would be happy to do a "Bush bump" as well for George W. Bush. Specifically, it would probably be "Bush lied, people died bump".

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I'm sorry, but this is just a

Submitted by FoolishCop on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:04am.

I'm sorry, but this is just a nonissue. The bump is not an "Obama" thing. So many people do this in greeting. Blacks, whites, Hispanics. It is simply a very common form of hello. There are plenty of issues to be critical of the media and Obama about, we really don't have to manufacture stuff like this to suggest a bias.

Rich

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Agreed. I don't know what

Submitted by balboa on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:09am.

Agreed. I don't know what Morgan is supposed to do. Say no to Flack?

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Well, Bal, he could have looked at her like she was

Submitted by UpNorth on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 1:57am.

an idiot, who'd done something totally improper for the observance of someone's death.  So, yeah, he should have just turned away from the fool, and went to a commercial..

But then, it's the Communist News Network, so nothing better is expected. 

BTW, I'm getting worried about your one-liners, you didn't have a TIA or stroke did you?

To re-elect Obama would be like the Titanic backing up and hitting the iceberg again.
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Why does the "bump" belong ot obama now?

Submitted by ghostsouls on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:36am.

People have been doing that "bump" for years, how does someone come along and claim it now, or attribute it to obama now? There are many, many pictures of obama "flipping the bird" discreetly, so is it now the "obama bird"? Really, come on has no one ever seen people fist bump, prior to even knowing obama existed? Totally ridiculous. Media Matters writes all of NBC, because they have no journalist of their own, media matters, is a biased organization whose sole purpose is to put Fox News out of business. MSNBC, CBS, CNN and the rest of the lame stream media have 19 people from their organizations that now directly work for obama, there is something wrong with any president commandeering the news in this country. And just so you guys know, here is the facts on the first fist bump and why they did it: However, the "fist bump" or "pound" can easily be traced as far back as the late 1800s and early 1900s to the boxer's handshake as a way to greet when hands are gloved" So, it is not the obama bump, he just copied it because he doesn't have an original thought in his head.

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As I said in my post earlier,

Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:57am.

As I said in my post earlier, ghost, I read somewhere that Reggie LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUVVVVV had to teach Boy Blunder and Mooooooooochelle how to do it 'correctly'..............I'm thinkin' (Obamaspeak) that before they learned the right way, it probably looked like his golf swing, as compared to a real golf swing!!!

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⇒ IOW ?

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 1:01am.

In other words, he bumps like a girl, too?

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Let's not make fun of girl's

Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 3:13am.

Let's not make fun of girl's golf, Cool....... my neice graduated with Michelle Wie, who is a pretty damn good golfer - at the same alma mater as 'da Killa', AND Boy Blunder - although I can show you MY transcripts!!! Maybe I should have compared his 'bump' to his pitching motion, huh??

And what the hell is a poser-ass snotty arrogant phony-baloney Pommie Brit like Long Walk/Short Piers doing the damn 'bump' anyway??? Shouldn't that worthless pile of socialist sh*t be bowing or something??? What the hell does this fool know about ANYTHING American??? I love the way Ted Nugent just blew him up.............but he's too f**king stupid to know that he'd just been obliterated!!!

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the obama bump and the gore internet?

Submitted by apgreco on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 1:03am.

If Al Gore can claim to have created the internet then certainly the 'bump' could have been created by the Messiah, aka Obama.

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One good thing.......

Submitted by Herbster on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 2:00am.

At least Moochelle wasn't at the funeral "Representing" the administration. Did ya' know she's off on another vacation? No? You mean the stste run media is not reporing this? She's in Vail with the kids. Hey. Don't complain. She hasn't had a vacation since....I can't keep them all straight. Just imagine if Mrs. Bush took all these vacations? Mediahelltopay! At least Mr.O can have a burger and a smoke in peace for a while.

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Isn't the proper name for the

Submitted by TE on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 5:17am.

Isn't the proper name for the bump: "The Michelle and Barack Obama Terrorist Fist Bump"?

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willing media

Submitted by mayjon on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 7:02am.

With a willing and enabling liberal media obama doesn't have to spend 1 cent from his billion dollar war chest. Can't get any more super duper PAC than 'big government liberal media'. At least in places with state run press like an Iran, Iraq, China, North Korea, Zimbabwe, the Old Soviet Union and other tyrannical regimes there was only one paper which touted the lies of the Dictator, but with so many Non-Foxnews outlets out there doing the bidding for obummer's failed socialist policies the emperor has no idea he is naked.

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How the mighty have fallen.

Submitted by gobnait06 on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 9:00am.

I'm old enough to remember when CNN possessed a measure of integrity and gravitas in the news industry. Today, it is a mere sophomoric shell of its former self, betrayed by some of the most unprofessional, self-important twits such as these two. The nadir to which they have fallen is exceeded only by MSNBC parade of freaks and circus workers.

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No surprise

Submitted by DaMama on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:27pm.

CNN worships the ground Obama walks on, and will do anything to get him re-elected. They have no moral compass, no ethics, no standards at all. The leftist liberal agenda is to get their views and ideals accepted any way possible. Such as the same-sex marriage debacle - if you can't vote it in, get activist leftist judges in California to overturn the will of the people and have the legislature make it law. Or circumvent the entire voting system like in New Jersey and just have the legislature make it law. The Constitution, the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights mean nothing to leftist liberals. These goose-stepping newscasters just follow in the leftist creed and do as they are told. These people are either blinded by their leftist ideals, have no common sense whatsoever, completely ignorant of the truth, just plain stupid, or a combination of the 4.

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You forgot the Kool-Aid

Submitted by American.Patriot on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 8:42pm.

They drink lots of it

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oh dear

Submitted by michiganruth on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:32pm.

that Barack Obama. how amazing is he? he invented something that was popular before he was even born! gosh, maybe he IS the messiah.

I too remember when CNN was a real news station, gob. I find it hilarious that Fox is accused of being in the tank for "conservatives" and despised for it...but CNN and MSNBC are loudly and proudly in the tank for one particular person and that's ok.

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Stop Watching

Submitted by Woody Woodpecker on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 12:40pm.

Turn off CNN. Don't watch these people and if you do don't pay for their media, borrow it. If the owners stop making money they will get rid of these stupid liberal flacks. Stop complaining if you are supporting them. Paying money for liberal crap encourages the production of LIBERAL CRAP!

Woodrow D Woodpecker
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CNN is sickening

Submitted by Shadmin on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 3:56pm.

I stopped watching CNN years ago! I don't know how any serious Conservative could take that constant stream of Leftist Libturd drivel and propaganda, night after night after night? Any accusations from them or MSNBC about Fox or any other network ring hypocritically hollow when they only criticize one side of the political spectrum! If the Libnuts love Communism and atheism so much then they should relocate to the Peoples Republic and leave this country to us GOD FEARING, patriotic AMERICANS!

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So why didn't Obama or Boxcar attend the funeral?

Submitted by SickofLibs on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 1:02pm.

They probably could have pocketed at least $50K just from photos-with-me.

Nah, I guess upstaging Whitney would have been tacky. They're very sensitive about that sort of thing, you know.

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No surprise there

Submitted by Shadmin on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 3:36pm.

If anyone thinks that CNN is in any way objective, then I have some beachfront property to sell you in Arizona, along with the London Bridge! CNN is Libnut central and they don't even try to hide their Leftwing Marxist bias these days! Might as well call them 'The Communist Peoples Republic' propaganda network for accuracy.

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Obama bump at funeral?

Submitted by Taxpayer550 on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 4:51pm.

The farthest thing from my mind when I heard that Whitney Houston had died was politics. This just proves that liberals will use ANYTHING for political gain. How sad.

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⇒ Roberta Flack-Bennett & Paul Wellstone

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 5:04pm.

Whitney Houston is dead and that's exactly why we should reelect Obama. Never mind it was way too many "bumps" that killed Ms. Houston, gimme a bump.

Anything to revive that Paul Wellstone Memorial moment.

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Why is Jessie Jackson even there?

Submitted by daddysyk on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 4:59pm.

My only issue with this video is the fact that he is there. What could he possibly have to say that is relevant to the death of Whitney Houston? doesn't he have some more women to impregnate or shake down some corporations? Oh, i forgot. There is a camera and it involves a black person so he has to be there. CNN is so wedded to the fact that he has to be presented any time there is a famous black person in the news that it is comical.

"The world needs ditch diggers too."  ---Judge Smails
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Unable to do something as simple and dignified as a handshake?

Submitted by krendler on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 5:35pm.

What? Has "the bump" replaced the soul handshake as the way to say you're all, like, hip and black and SH**@#?

And the left talks about the big, mean, racist Republicans communicating via "dog whistles" and symbols?

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⇒ It's more hygeinic

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 5:40pm.

Inasmuch as Liberals have a certain place they normally keep their thumbs, the bump is much cleaner.

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That's very true!

Submitted by Shadmin on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 6:07pm.

Their finger in their rectum and their mind's in neutral! lol

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Obama Bump

Submitted by GozieBoy on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 8:06pm.

Whenever I'm at the funeral of a crackhead, I just love doing the Obama Bump...

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⇒ Noel makes Drudge again

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 8:10pm.

Congratulations, Noel.  How many times is it for you now?

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CA

Submitted by Noel Sheppard on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 9:59pm.

Too many to count. :-) ns

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⇒ Good ol' days

Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 10:16pm.

Remember when such a hit would bog down your server all day?

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Perhaps a bump, but

Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 9:50pm.

be sure. Duh Wun is speeding down the toilet constantly.

hbnolikeee
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the "bump" is no surprise for

Submitted by wdvander on Sun, 02/19/2012 - 10:22pm.

the "bump" is no surprise for the CNN gang. The most troubling aspect of the entire video is that half-assed "hand shake" between the British talk show host and Jesse Jackson. Watch the video and check that "make your skin crawl" moment.

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Beyond BIAS

Submitted by Chicagoray40 on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 7:30am.

This is Goebbels like bias. It's not even funny, and they get away with it because people (dummies) just don't associate Fascist Nazi's in western clothing and bling, pretending to be Patriotic Americans first and Journo's second, (the operative word there being 'pretending') when they're actually 'neither' anymore, they're Traitors.

But there's one problem, the nation they're 'working for' isn't quite disassembled yet in order to be 'fundamentally changed' and rebuilt in dear leader Obamadinejad's social justice image.

But they're doing their best to pull Obama's donkey cart to the Utopian Leftist finish line, which November 2012 IS if he wins.

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe. –Albert Einstein My Twitter

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CNN pulled this sh!t before

Submitted by American.Patriot on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 11:31am.

When the white trash Ann Nicole Smith ODed, they tried to sell her as "America's Rose" - they continually played up how wonderful she was and how terrible her loss was. Unfortunately for CNN, they didn't have the clout to make it stick and brand the ho as "America's Rose" Thank goodness for that. guess it shows how little clout CNN has.

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