Kanye West Stands By His Slam on Bush: “I Spoke from My Heart”

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In an interview taped for ABC’s Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005, rapper Kanye West, who in September during NBC's Concert for Hurricane Relief had declared that “George Bush doesn't care about black people,” told Walters that he stands by the allegation. In the ABC special aired Tuesday night, in which Walters featured West as the second of her ten “most fascinating people,” she played the clip and then asked him: “Do you think what you said then you still feel today?" West responded: "I spoke from, I spoke from my heart, and I stand by my statement." (Brief transcript follows.)

The relevant exchange from the interview taped in a recording studio and aired during the 10pm EST/9pm CST Walters special:

Barbara Walters: “During a telethon for Hurricane Katrina, Kanye caused a storm of his own.”

Kanye West on the telethon: “George Bush doesn't care about black people.”

Walters to West: “Do you think what you said then you still feel today?”

West: “I spoke from, I spoke from my heart, and I stand by my statement.”