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I'm pretty sure this is why Juan Williams isn't allowed to associate himself with NPR when he appears on The O'Reilly Factor  

June 17, 2009 10:27 am ET by Eric Boehlert

If folks didn't see this clip from Monday night, it's a beaut. Not only does the reliable O'Reilly backstop Juan Williams eagerly assure the host that he was right to attack Salon editor Joan Walsh for having "blood on her hands" for defending murdered abortion provider Dr. George Tiller (don't ask), but Williams also managed to liken anti-abortion crusaders with civil rights protesters from the 1950's. (Because how many civil rights marchers were ever charged with murdering their political opponents Juan?)

In fact, this is precisely why NPR bosses informed Williams in February that he was not allowed to be identified as an NPR contributor when making his O'Reilly appearances. They did it because Williams was embarrassing NPR, plain and simple.

 

BTW, don't you love how Williams politely described O'Reilly's anti-Tiller rhetoric as "dramatic." I suppose that's one (purposefully misleading) way of putting it.

"Deranged" might be another:  

  • "In the state of Kansas, there is a doctor, George Tiller, who will execute babies for $5,000."
  • "For $5,000, 'Tiller the Baby Killer' -- as some call him -- will perform a late-term abortion for just about any reason."
  • "Tiller has killed thousands, thousands of late-term fetuses without explanation."
  • "No question, Dr. Tiller has blood on his hands."
  • " 'Tiller the Baby Killer' out in Kansas, acquitted, acquitted today of murdering babies."
  • "This guy will kill your baby for $5,000, any reason. Any reason."
  • "If we allow Dr. George Tiller and his acolytes to continue, we can no longer pass judgment on any behavior by anybody."
  • "If we allow this, America will no longer be a noble nation."
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    • Author by Victor Colorado (June 17, 2009 10:34 am ET)
      4  
      Juan Williams' defense of O'Roeder is absolutely sickening.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by patachon (June 17, 2009 10:51 am ET)
      3  
      I'm trying to figure out why they allow him to be identified as a "NPR contributor" when he's on NPR.

      He was terrible as the host of 'Talk of the Nation'. His contributions as NPR "senior correspondent" are nothing but to serve up platitudes to the equally fatuous Scott Simon on Saturday mornings.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by essman (June 17, 2009 6:42 pm ET)
           
        Hey, why are you abusing Scott Simon? Leave him out of this.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by allastair (June 17, 2009 11:21 am ET)
      2 1
      What really bothers me about the NPR thing is that I consider their stance on this to be entirely unethical. If they don't want Juan Williams to be associated with NPR then they have a simple and transparent solution: Stop paying him to do commentary for their stations. By continuing to employ him and then censoring how he refers to himself on other outlets, all they are doing is attempting to hide information about one of their correspondents from the larger public. They get to disassociate themselves from the more negative elements of their employee's rhetoric while continuing to embrace that employee's commentary on other matters. I really can't understand why anyone puts up with it or even thinks this is reasonable but it goes on all the time.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mattcable250650 (June 17, 2009 1:54 pm ET)
        1  
        I agree. It's like there's some absence of people who have the ability to speak on-air. In a nation of 300 million, there are only so many articulate, intelligent people.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by peebs755 (June 17, 2009 3:51 pm ET)
          2  
          There's not a shortage of articulate, intelligent people. There's a shortage of hacks willing to spew Faux News talking points. They gotta hang on to them.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by mk3872 (June 17, 2009 11:24 am ET)
      3  
      Yet, NPR had him on again this AM as a "Sr. Political Analyst".

      Comparing anti-abortion terrorists to civil rights leaders should have this guy thrown into the gutter of conservative mouthpieces like Bill Kristol and Dick Morris.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by seeryer (June 17, 2009 11:30 am ET)
      1 2
      Good Ole Uncle Tom, I mean Juan, Williams.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by overmars jr. (June 17, 2009 2:05 pm ET)
        1 2
        Hmmm. That was a particularly foul thing to say, especially considering how that character's name came to be a slur in the first place.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by seeryer (June 17, 2009 2:43 pm ET)
          1 1
          I call a spade a spade. You don't have to like that or appreciate it. But it fits perfect when discussing Juan.

          From Wiki:Uncle Tom is a pejorative term for a black person who is perceived by others as behaving in a subservient manner to white authority figures, or as seeking ingratiation with them by way of unnecessary accommodation.

          Juan Williams has about as much credibility among African Americans as Alan Colmes has among Liberals. That might be too much of a smear on Colmes BTW.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by overmars jr. (June 17, 2009 8:24 pm ET)
              1
            This isn't about Juan's credibility. And you don't seem to realize that the pejorative term was manufactured from outside the original context of the character in the book - take a wild guess by what types.

            Since you're on Wiki, you may wish to scroll down to this section:

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Tom#Minstrel_stock_character

            Let's just say I sure hope you refrain better from "calling a spade a spade" in social situations.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by seeryer (June 17, 2009 10:08 pm ET)
              1  
              I don't live in your head so I don't take how you might interpret things into account. I don't care about your spin on the character. In my world, Juan fits the bill. "Calling a spade a spade" has no racial overtones. Saying it does is like saying the former vice president has a profane first name.
              Report Abuse
              • Author by overmars jr. (June 18, 2009 6:25 pm ET)
                   
                Wait a minute... MY SPIN on the character???

                Hmmm. I don't recall being alive to put on "Tom Shows" during the 19th century.

                Nor did I claim you saying "calling a spade a spade" had racial overtones - I was merely quoting the activity you claimed to speak about doing the same in the future.

                Fact is, the origination of the derogatory use of the word was given to us by pro-slavery and racist people trying to perpetuate certain stereotypes. That is not how the character was written, and for a white man to use that slur against a black man seems awfully distasteful considering that history.

                You don't agree? Fine. It's just my opinion. But at least get my point right before you decide.
                Report Abuse
                • Author by seeryer (June 19, 2009 6:42 pm ET)
                     
                  Spin may not have been the best word to use. I have grown up my whole life with people who have used that term and so have I. As for the origination I'll concede your point if that indeed is true. However, many African Americans for many years have had an interpretation of the name that reflects what I have stated.
                  Report Abuse
    • Author by emery_jon1463 (June 17, 2009 11:40 am ET)
         
      To add to Patachon's comments (kudos by the way for calling out the "fatuous" Scott Simon), does NPR ever introduce Juan as "Fox News contributor Juan Williams"?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by msmolly (June 17, 2009 2:01 pm ET)
         
      It has gotten so I hit the "OFF" button on the radio when NPR features commentary from Juan Williams. So much of NPR is disappointing now, and this is just the latest example.

      On every issue their reporting is slanted much more than it used to be, and it sure seems that they interview predominantly Republicans on every issue, even if the lede is "President Obama said today...."
      Report Abuse
      • Author by da62 (June 18, 2009 6:20 pm ET)
           
        Indeed. I had to listen to Steve Inskeep's interview with Sebelius the other day. He began with the Republican "Trojan horse" criticism of health care reform, seemed unable to comprehend the fact that 30+ percent of premiums paid into private plans go to administrative overhead, and ended by insisting that Sebelius state for the record that the administration does not seek to create a national health plan. Tool.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by piniella (June 17, 2009 9:24 pm ET)
      2  
      On NPR, Williams also echoed the GOP meme that Judge Sotomayor is a racist.

      http://radamisto.blogspot.com/2009/05/juan-williams-channels-sean-hannity.html
      Report Abuse

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