Juan Williams Fires Back: NPR Worse Than Nixon and His Enemies List
Fired NPR analyst Juan Williams is pushing back hard against the taxpayer-funded network firing him over his appearances on the Fox News Channel. In an opinion piece for Foxnews.com, Williams says he was a victim of political correctness and increasing ideological orthodoxy in media, and concluded that NPR is worse than Richard Nixon and his enemies list:
I say an ideological battle because my comments on "The O’Reilly Factor" are being distorted by the self-righteous ideological, left-wing leadership at NPR. They are taking bits and pieces of what I said to go after me for daring to have a conversation with leading conservative thinkers. They loathe the fact that I appear on Fox News. They don’t notice that I am challenging Bill O’Reilly and trading ideas with Sean Hannity. In their hubris they think by talking with O’Reilly or Hannity I am lending them legitimacy. Believe me, Bill O’Reilly (and Sean, too) is a major force in American culture and politics whether or not I appear on his show.
Years ago NPR tried to stop me from going on "The Factor." When I refused they insisted that I not identify myself as an NPR journalist. I asked them if they thought people did not know where I appeared on the air as a daily talk show host, national correspondent and news analyst. They refused to budge.
This self-reverential attitude was on display several years ago when NPR asked me to help them get an interview with President George W. Bush. I have longstanding relationships with some of the key players in his White House due to my years as a political writer at The Washington Post. When I got the interview some in management expressed anger that in the course of the interview I said to the president that Americans pray for him but don’t understand some of his actions. They said it was wrong to say Americans pray for him.
Later on the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock crisis President Bush offered to do an NPR interview with me about race relations in America. NPR management refused to take the interview on the grounds that the White House offered it to me and not their other correspondents and hosts. One NPR executive implied I was in the administration’s pocket, which is a joke, and there was no other reason to offer me the interview. Gee, I guess NPR news executives never read my bestselling history of the civil rights movement “Eyes on the Prize – America’s Civil Rights Years,” or my highly acclaimed biography “Thurgood Marshall – American Revolutionary.” I guess they never noticed that "ENOUGH," my last book on the state of black leadership in America, found a place on the New York Times bestseller list.
Williams wasn't liberal "enough" for NPR -- his book "Enough" was critical of black leaders. The subtitle took on "The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America." The book was praised by conservative Thomas Sowell -- and by liberal Democrats like Donna Brazile and former Gov. Doug Wilder. NPR's war on Williams was also a war on Fox News:
This all led to NPR demanding that I either agree to let them control my appearances on Fox News and my writings or sign a new contract that removed me from their staff but allowed me to continue working as a news analyst with an office at NPR. The idea was that they would be insulated against anything I said or wrote outside of NPR because they could say that I was not a staff member. What happened is that they immediately began to cut my salary and diminish my on-air role. This week when I pointed out that they had forced me to sign a contract that gave them distance from my commentary outside of NPR I was cut off, ignored and fired.
And now they have used an honest statement of feeling as the basis for a charge of bigotry to create a basis for firing me. Well, now that I no longer work for NPR let me give you my opinion. This is an outrageous violation of journalistic standards and ethics by management that has no use for a diversity of opinion, ideas or a diversity of staff (I was the only black male on the air). This is evidence of one-party rule and one sided thinking at NPR that leads to enforced ideology, speech and writing. It leads to people, especially journalists, being sent to the gulag for raising the wrong questions and displaying independence of thought.
Daniel Schorr my fellow NPR commentator who died earlier this year, used to talk about the initial shock of finding himself on President Nixon’s enemies list. I can only imagine Dan’s revulsion to realize that today NPR treats a journalist who has worked for them for ten years with less regard, less respect for the value of independence of thought and embrace of real debate across political lines, than Nixon ever displayed.
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Comments
I rarely agree with Juan
Submitted by Newsbusterbrown on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 8:21am.
I rarely agree with Juan Williams, but I have to say that he's a very likeable presence on television. I don't feel like throwing my shoe at the TV set when I see him, unlike other liberal/progressives I could name.
“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
moderate Dems
Submitted by dmaley1714 on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 8:25am.
Where ere all the articles about the extreme left purging moderate democrats and liberals
Great point
Submitted by KC Mulville on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:19am.
We were swamped with stories of how conservatives were purging the GOP of moderates. Now? <crickets/>
Good catch.
They will do that right about
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 10:05am.
They will do that right about the time that they start praising a "maverick" Democrat for "reaching across the aisle" to the Republicans.
Oh, wait! That's what Obama's been doing ever since he got elected!! Striving for "bipartianship" but the nasty Republicans keep rebuffing him!
Apparently NPR works for
Submitted by Thoreau on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 8:39am.
Apparently NPR works for Soros now. But I think there's a better way to solve this and other issues with our government's propaganda arm. They shouldn't have one.
Jim DeMint is proposing defunding NPR. If they want to be the Huffington Post, they can suck directly from all the commi tit they want. There should be no government run TV. There should be no government run Radio. There should be no government run Newspapers.
This is a freedom of speech issue, and it's bordering on the establishment of a State Religion. This has got to stop. It's illegal. It's costing all of us money. And it destroys our Republic.
Seconded.
Submitted by Newsbusterbrown on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:07am.
Seconded.
“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Thirded...
Submitted by onewiseguy on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:27am.
...if there is such a word...
;-)
seperation of state and media
Submitted by Vonu on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:44am.
its time has come
If I had to choose
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 8:51am.
If I had to choose which liberal I would want to keep around, let's say out of three people: Alan Colmes, Kirsten Powers, and Juan Williams, it would most likely be Juan.
Colmes can be quite vitriolic and I can't even stand to look at that guy.
Powers used to be easy on the eyes and had shown a modicum of common sense until her lost battle with the great Megyn Kelly who b!tch-slapped her for the BS she was spouting about the Boogy Man.
At least with Juan, you know where he stands. And he's not like the militant liberals that are out there, he's a little more rational.
So there you go. And some of the people on here know how I feel about most liberals.
-Jon
Powers used to be easy on the
Submitted by Newsbusterbrown on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:06am.
Powers used to be easy on the eyes and had shown a modicum of common sense until her lost battle with the great Megyn Kelly who b!tch-slapped her for the BS she was spouting about the Boogy Man.First of all, from my vantage point, she's still very easy on the eyes. :-D With that said, she's kind of lightweight intellectually. Even when I agree with one of her positions, they are usually not profound. We're not talking Charles Krauthammer or Megyn Kelly territory here.
At least with Juan, you know where he stands. And he's not like the militant liberals that are out there, he's a little more rational.
He doesn't come across as someone who despises conservatives, either.
“There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
light-weight rationale
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:21am.
First of all, from my vantage point, she's still very easy on the eyes. :-D With that said, she's kind of lightweight intellectually.Maybe, but I've learned a long time ago that good looks can only get you so far when it comes to women. Women who rely only on their good looks don't get very far in life, and guys who like women only for their good looks are asking for all kinds of problems. Personally I find a good looking woman who only has that going for her is terribly boring.
That said, she made a real ass of herself that day and since then, I haven't had too much respect for her. But a helluvalot more for Megyn Kelly.
-Jon
Well Said!
Submitted by GeneralAl on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 8:59am.
Well Said! Welcome to world of Hope and Change, Juan. I just hope this action by the extreme left will somewhat change your perspective on life!
"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!
Conservatives for Juan!
Submitted by Guapo Diablo on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 9:20am.
Has anyone noticed how conservatives have enthusiastically circled the wagons for Juan? Juan's a lefty, but he's honest and likable.
Imagine for two seconds how the left would act if the ideology were reversed. Would the MSM reporters be rushing to defend Sean, Rush, Brit, Levin or even Chris Wallace?
Yeah, right.
I Wonder
Submitted by Secret Conservative on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 11:52am.
I wonder if this experience will get Juan to start rethinking his worldview a bit. There have been other lefties who were fat, dumb and happy as long as they were on the plantation, but the minute they stepped off a little bit, they were thrown off - the way Juan has been. This opened their eyes to how one-sided and closed-minded the left really is.
People who criticize Fox News don't WATCH Fox News. It truly is the only place on TV where you can get any kind of balance in news reporting, and commentary. I'm glad that Fox is taking this opportunity of Juan Williams' newfound availability to offer him an expanded role at Fox.
I am also glad to hear that Juan realizes that NPR's action against him had little to do with any opinion he expressed, and EVERYTHING to do with his appearances on Fox News.
Who will be the first to use the dreaded F-word?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 10:28am.
What commentator will be first to step up and call what is happening to our country what it is? It's Fascism, plain and simple.
Obama is leading the charge to build the illusion that 'free enterprise" is still the order of the day, while at the same time taking control of the banks, the insurance industry, the auto industry, the healthcare industry, and now the "media."
One day we'll wake up, turn on our TV and there will be Special Ed Schultz on what used to be the Fox channel doing the new Morning Comrades! show produced by George and Barack!
Think it can't happen here? Think again. Read a history book. It always starts out the same way, and we're well along the path.
Juan was on BOR last night
Submitted by Blonde on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 10:33am.
I really felt for the guy. You could see how upset he was at the manner and method of his firing. Particularly that silly twit of a woman and the psychiatrist remark. Juan was livid, and I don't blame him. Talk about acting "stupidly".
He also seemed to be overwhelmed by the support of Fox and his colleagues there...you could see he was fighting back the emotions when BOR said "I've got your back".
It is going to be great to see NPR lose its funding. I truly hope its member stations (*ahem*) feel the heat, too. How unfortunate that they pulled this schtick during fundraising week.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Yeah, I noticed that too,
Submitted by ML Stovall on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 11:34am.
Yeah, I noticed that too, Blonde. It made me ill to hear that sorry excuse for a woman as she practically spat out the idiotic statement about Juan 'crossing a line' and speaking to a psychiatrist about what he said. Where does this goat-smelling gas bag get off speaking about someone she doesn't even know in such a vitriolic manner? Juan Williams has more integrity and class in his right pinky nail than this woman could ever hope to posess in that whole angry, ugly, petty body of hers.
You can ALWAYS depend on a leftist liberal to start
Submitted by texasborngranny on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 12:53pm.
You can ALWAYS depend on a leftist liberal to start slinging dirt when they realize their argument if full of holes, hence the NPR CEO attempting to impune Juan's intellilect and mental state.
And now she's trying to crawdad away from her statements.
What's amazing is that there are ANY liberal kool-aid drinkers remaining after this fiasco.
Is this an unintentional Oct surprise from the left?
I don't know who she is...but I hope she gets fired
Submitted by Blonde on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:17pm.
For her gross mishandling of this situation.
First, for the actual firing itself, which from everything I've read, was totally vindictive and agenda driven. I heard someone on Fox say that Juan's contract with NPR was due to expire next April. So this twit could have just held pat and non-renewed.
Secondly, the manner in which she fired the man, and her subsequent "presser", put NPR in a dicey legal position. That psychiatrist comment bordered on slander.
Thirdly, NPR is in their "fund raising" season. Having worked as a non-profit CEO once upon a time, the one thing you never, ever do is aggravate your stake-holders.
Finally, she wholly created a PR disaster for NPR.
On that basis, she should be out the door this afternoon. Don't get me wrong, I loathe this liberal bastion...and truly hope this blunder costs them all of their public funding, as well as a big chunk of their private support (I re-checked the NPR "announcement" on their site this a.m., and the comments were at 7,951, running approximately 10-1 in support of Juan).
The icing on this cake is that another left wing media tactic has been exposed for all of the world to see. One can only hope NBC is next.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
rock on Juan
Submitted by sometimesright on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 11:02am.
as others have already stated, i don't usually agree with Juan's viewpoints but it never changed the fact that he is polite, courteous and likeable. to see him shafted so quickly for comments tame in comparison to what others of NPR have said is unbelievable. to think our tax dollars finance this joke of the journalism world, then again it's just par for the course.
Juan, Stockely, and Michelle
Submitted by iveseenitall on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 11:38am.
NPR is continuing to smear Williams by referencing something he said comparing his bosses at NPR to Stockely Carmicheal. Stockely Carmicheal founded the original Black Panthers-- a group which, among other things, advocated violence against the "white" establishment. Let's connect some more dots. Michelle Obama references Carmicheal in a positive manner in her "thesis", which is now under lock and key... Hummm.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
He didn't say it about his NPR bosses
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:40pm.
He said, about Michelle Obama, that she had "a Stokely Carmichael in a designer dress thing going on."
Here is the video. Start at around 1:10 wher MK Ham is talking, to see what leads into his comments.
Juan
Submitted by doug1950 on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 12:21pm.
It has already been said a couple thousand times about not seeing eye to eye with Juan W. on almost any topic. He is about the only liberal I can stomach to watch or listen to. He is always a gentleman, never takes those who disagree with him or his position personally. He listens to the other side respectfully and offers the other sides opinion without resorting to the usualy BS of name calling, staw man arguments and sticks to the facts. I suspect that Juan has had an epiphany moment here and has gotten to see first hand, up close and personal what those of us on the right have known all along and witnessed when the left deals with someone they disagree with. When asked about things like the treatment of Sarah Palin and her children by the left, Juan has always agreed with the right on how unfair and above the pale. An honest journalist who has been wronged for telling the truth. Come towards the light, Juan!
I can't stand listening to Juan Williams, yet I'm a Foxnews
Submitted by Rush Fan on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 12:32pm.
dedicated fan and news junkie. That is why I am deeply sorry that Williams firing from NPR occurred. Now FoxNews, because of the firing, has given Williams a new three year, nearly $2 million contract and given him an expanded role.
Perhaps I'm being somewhat unfair to Juan Williams, because I can't stand liberals. They handle the truth recklessly, and their ideas and policies are a threat to the well being of this great country.
Perhaps I'm just tired of listening to the standard banal liberal tripe and lies that Juan Williams and other liberals spout. Perhaps I'm just tired of listening to Juan Williams, whether he is on Special Report or Fox News Sunday, excessively overwhelm the conversation at hand with his remarks. The man talks much more than the others on the panel, but really says very little of substance.
In my humble opinion, the only upside to the "expanded role of Juan Williams" is that I'll have more of an opportunity to switch channels and check out the liberal networks when Juan begins to speak.
more than one kind of liberal
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 12:52pm.
I have to agree that I used to avoid the libspeak that sometimes come on Fox News, even Williams. I even lumped all liberals in the same group, but given what's happened, I guess I really can't do that anymore.
So it was pretty clear we do have separate groups of libs and we know which ones are in power and which ones are not, of which there seem to be two subgroups.
The ones in power are the hard core vitriolic types like Pelosi, Ed Schultzy, Barney Frank, Anthony Weiner, and others like them, they are the ones that don't care about anyone's view and are socialist and Marxist in nature, in some cases, very violent and militant, and have no problem selling the country down the river. I'm sure some of you could add more names to them.
So on to the other group that's not in power, as two subgroups. One of them are the ones that help further the agenda, these are the lame stream media types, just pick any one of them. They are all in this together.
The other subgroup are the ones who are like Juan and aren't out to sell the country down the river, they genuinely feel like they are trying to do the right thing and can oftentimes(not always) be persuaded if they are wrong. To be honest, I can't think of too many names that fit this, except maybe Kirsten Powers. These are the ones that are often fed to the crocodiles first as a form of appeasement. They are also the ones that there is some hope for.
That's how I see the liberals now.
-Jon
~Wow
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 12:50pm.
Seriously? Nixon's "enemies list" was an actual list? That was before I was born, I always thought it was a metaphorical term when I heard the reference. That's just so....so pathetic. And wimpy. Good Lord, did he suck his thumb, too?
And what kind of a crazy SOB makes an enemies list consisting of citizens of the country he's governing?
The same kind of
Submitted by UpNorth on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:01pm.
crazy SOB who makes a news network #1 on his enemies list, who exhorts his followers to "get in their face", the same kind of crazy SOB who says, "if they bring a knife to a fight, we bring a gun"?
And the uber-libs call the conservatives violent? One can be a good liberal, right up to the point they say something politically incorrect, then, it's "off with their heads".
~You read my mind
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:28pm.
As I typed that I was reminded of Obama's persistent personal attacks on American citizens. All the while preaching tolerance of all the people around the world who declare themselves our enemies.
I knew Obama would self-destruct once he got into office, but it's even more spectacular than I could have imagined.
And it's plausible that the
Submitted by Beukeboom on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:50pm.
And it's plausible that the worst...at least for Obama...is yet to come.
"And what kind of a crazy SOB
Submitted by Beukeboom on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:47pm.
"And what kind of a crazy SOB makes an enemies list consisting of citizens of the country he's governing?"
Let's see...off the top of my head...and broadening the scope just a bit...
Jimmy Walker (Mayor of NYC)
Huey P. Long
Richard J. Daley
J. Edgar Hoover
Richard Nixon
probably Barack Obama
probably more...
I've never given a dime to
Submitted by Beukeboom on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:42pm.
I've never given a dime to NPR...at least voluntarily...nor do I ever plan on doing so. However I hope that federal funding is cut completely to NPR after the November elections and their donations from the public plummet as backlash. Let NPR compete in the open market and see how well they do.
Air America
Submitted by doug1950 on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 1:57pm.
They will do exactly like Air America. Without a constant infusion of money from many sources NPR would float like a Pontiac.
Ammo
Submitted by cestes on Fri, 10/22/2010 - 2:50pm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVsr-_-v2sI
I'm glad this happened and hopefully everyone especially Juan can learn from and profit from the experience. It speaks volumes about the tolerance of the left and the vile comment about the psychiatrist is very telling. Turn this into something bigger and spread a positive message, in other words use it as ammo against the left.