CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King appeared on Comedy Central’s Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore on Monday and rushed to President Obama’s defense after he used the n-word during a podcast with comedian Marc Maron while discussing the history of racism in America.
In fact, King’s support for Obama’s use of the n-word comes just a week after she attended a private party at the White House in which musician Prince performed to celebrate African-American Music Appreciation Month.
Host Larry Wilmore asked King “as a journalist” if it was “okay for the president of the United States to use the word just like that?” to which the CBS anchor did her best to explain Obama’s decision to use the n-word during an interview:
I think you have to put it in context Larry. There’s a difference between saying it and using it. And he was saying it. He was saying it. So, when you look at the context in which he was using it and how he was using it. I admit it was a little jarring when you hear it. What did he say? But when you put it in context of how it was used, I get it. I wasn’t offended at all by it.
King herself is a supporter of President Obama and in 2012 attended a fundraiser for his reelection while serving as a news anchor for CBS. In addition, King vacationed with First Lady Michelle Obama at Oprah’s Maui estate in early 2014 to celebrate her 50th birthday.
See relevant transcript below.
Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
June 22, 2015LARRY WILMORE: Let's jump right in on this Obama thing. Okay, so he was on the Marc Maron podcast, you know, he came right out and he used the N-word. Gayle, let me ask you as a journalist. Do you think it's okay for the president of the United States to just use the word just like that?
GAYLE KING: I think you have to put it in context Larry. There’s a difference between saying it and using it. And he was saying it. He was saying it. So, when you look at the context in which he was using it and how he was using it. I admit it was a little jarring when you hear it. What did he say? But when you put it in context of how it was used, I get it. I wasn’t offended at all by it.
