Picking up on a blog post by a far-left group devoted to silencing Rush Limbaugh, ABC’s World News on Monday night dedicated an entire story to one word used by the conservative radio host, a comment the other networks failed to find newsworthy. “Loaded words,” fill-in anchor Georgre Stephanopoulos ominously teased, “the First Lady booed at a NASCAR event. Now Rush Limbaugh weighs in, hurling a racially-charged word at Michelle Obama.”
Soon, a “word” became “words” when Stephanopoulos later plugged the upcoming hit: “Still ahead on World News, Michelle Obama booed at a NASCAR event and now Rush Limbaugh hurls racially-charged words at the First Lady.” (updated with video below)
Noting how “boos and jeers were hurled at First Lady Michelle Obama and Doctor Jill Biden at the NASCAR race on Sunday,” Jake Tapper snidely asserted: “Don’t worry, NASCAR fans, Rush Limbaugh is here to defend your honor and make things worse....Much worse.” Viewers then heard the offending word from Limbaugh: “They understand it’s a little bit of uppity-ism.”
Audio: MP3 clip
Tapper helpfully explained: “Uppity, a word that means presumptuous, but is loaded with racist connotations often used to describe African-Americans who don’t know their place in the view of white society.”
Tapper found wise counsel in Clarence Thomas’s 1991 observation, turning his chastisement of liberals against Limbaugh: “It is the high-tech lynching for uppity blacks and it is the message that unless you kowtow to an old order this is what will happen to you.”
From the Monday, November 21 ABC World News:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: There is a controversy tonight involving NASCAR, Michelle Obama and Rush Limbaugh. It began when America’s first African-American First Lady was booed over the weekend by a crowd of NASCAR fans in Florida. Limbaugh went on his radio program to defend the fans and attacked the First Lady with words some are calling racially insensitive. Here’s ABC’s Jake Tapper.
JAKE TAPPER: Boos and jeers were hurled at First Lady Michelle Obama and Doctor Jill Biden at the NASCAR race on Sunday.
TAPPER: They were there to promote a program for military families, but now the razzing of the First Lady has received more attention than the winner of the race. But don’t worry, NASCAR fans, Rush Limbaugh is here to defend your honor and make things worse.
RUSH LIMBAUGH: NASCAR people, as are most people in this country, are mature, tolerant people who fully understand when they’re being insulted and condescended to. They know that in their hearts the Obamas don’t like them.
TAPPER: Much worse.
LIMBAUGH: They understand it’s a little bit of uppity-ism.
CLARENCE THOMAS, IN 1991: It is the high-tech lynching for uppity blacks and it is the message that unless you kowtow to an old order this is what will happen to you.
TAPPER: Jeering politicians whether at baseball games or other events is as American as apple pie. Whether booing President Obama or President Bush or Sarah Palin [clips of each getting booed]. Why the booing? President Obama himself has written that some gestures politicians make to convey values, including visiting a NASCAR track, have become so standardized it’s difficult for the public to discern between honest sentiment and political stagecraft. But a source close to the First Lady says she was happy to stand up for military families at the NASCAR race and would happily do so again. Even with booing. Jake Tapper, ABC News, the White House.
