Right-wing media attack Barack Obama's eulogy for John Lewis

After the first Black president eulogizes a civil rights hero, conservatives lash out: “Barack Obama is a national disgrace”

Written by Jason Campbell

Research contributions from John Whitehouse

Published

Updated

From July 30, 2020, C-SPAN coverage of Rep. John Lewis' funeral

Former President Barack Obama delivered a eulogy today for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), commemorating the civil rights icon and longtime member of the House of Representatives. Obama praised Lewis’ history of promoting civil rights and called for action to continue the late congressman’s legacy, including ending the Senate legislative filibuster and passing a new Voting Rights Act. 

Right-wing media was quick to criticize Obama’s eulogy, claiming the former president had politicized the event. Some conservative media personalities mocked Obama and derided his speech as a campaign event for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Even following a solemn funeral in which this country’s first Black president praised the legacy of a champion for civil rights, right-wing media continued to demonstrate its shameless hatemongering.

Fox News host Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity spent large chunks of his radio show complaining about Obama's eulogy, including accusing the former president of lying and claiming that voter suppression is a myth even though multiple Republican figures have admitted otherwise. Sen. Lindsey Graham told Hannity that “Donald Trump has done more to help the people they're talking about at the funeral than President Obama did.”

Sean Hannity says Obama "brought politics" into his eulogy for John Lewis

Sean Hannity says Obama "brought politics" into his eulogy for John Lewis

From the July 30, 2020, edition of Premiere Radio Network's The Sean Hannity Show

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): So, I guess during a eulogy of Congressman John Lewis -- I have nothing but great things to say about John Lewis, I knew him when I was in Atlanta. I don't like his politics, I don't like how he's treated the president, I don't like how any of the Democrats have, but I admire him for his courage. You know, Selma to Montgomery, this man was in the forefront facing back fierce hatred. Got hit in the head with a brick, dogs and fire hoses, just an atrocious, you know, part of American history. And he bravely did that and he changed the world. All of these civil rights leaders did. By the way, Joe Biden's mentor Robert Byrd was filibustering the bill, side note. 

Anyway, so during this eulogy Obama goes that the federal police have used gas and batons against peaceful protesters. Normally, I wouldn't comment on anybody about the eulogy -- he's brought politics into this. But more importantly, between what he is saying, what Biden is saying, these liberal mayors are saying, these liberal governors are saying, is just false. You know, the hundred federal police as an AP reporter that was embedded with them over the weekend, they stay inside and only come out when there's trouble and there's only a hundred of them. 

Sean Hannity says Obama lied in his eulogy to John Lewis

Sean Hannity says Obama lied in his eulogy to John Lewis

From the July 30, 2020, edition of Premiere Radio Network's The Sean Hannity Show 

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): That was Barack Obama eulogizing John Lewis. Remember the Wellstone funeral? I mean, when you think back -- and I've gone through this history and I warned everybody. Every two years, every four years, you watch this Democratic Party divide this country. Old versus young, rich versus poor, the race card is played -- we've gone through the extensive history of all of this. And 1998 a radio ad, Missouri, Black churches will -- I'm sorry, yeah Black churches will burn or crosses will burn. The James Byrd ad, it's like my father was killed all over again, meaning because George W. Bush didn't support hate crimes legislation, but he did support the death penalty for those involved in the dragging death of this innocent man named James Byrd. You got the Al Gore, you know, changing his tone, his pitch, his cadence and the whole "Republicans have the wrong agenda for African-Americans. They don't even want to count you in the census." Leading up to "they all want to put ya'll back in chains." And now we have using tear gas, batons against peaceful protesters trying to discourage and closing polls, and targeting minorities and -- let's play it again and get it all. 

...

That is at a eulogy for Congressman John Lewis today. And so much of it isn't true. It's just a lie. 

Lindsey Graham: "I would say that Donald Trump has done more to help the people they're talking about at the funeral than President Obama did"

Lindsey Graham: "I would say that Donald Trump has done more to help the people they're talking about at the funeral than President Obama did"

From the July 30, 2020, edition of Premiere Radio Network's The Sean Hannity Show 

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: So here's the deal, John Lewis deserves a great sendoff. He risked his life to America a better place.

But the question you asked me is what about President Obama. And my point is is if life had been that good under President Obama, there'd be no Donald Trump. And here's what I want people to remember - before the coronavirus, African-Americans and Latino families were doing better during the Trump years than they did during the eight years --

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): Dramatically better. Dramatically. 

GRAHAM: And immigration reform. If it had been that important to President Obama, why didn't he take it up in his first two years? Criminal justice reform, eight years, they didn't do a thing. And Trump got it done. All of these things about police reform that President Trump has done by executive orders, they had eight years to do this. They had the entire government for eight years. And so, if things are not well when it comes to these issues, they take part of the blame. I would say that Donald Trump has done more to help the people they're talking about at the funeral than President Obama did.

HANNITY: Yeah, that's a great point about criminal justice reform and police reform.

 

From the July 30, 2020, edition of Fox News' Hannity 

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): Barack Obama politicizing a funeral. Remember Democrats did the same thing in 2002 during the memorial service for senator Paul Wellstone. They turned a somber event into a massive, political rally. And frankly, it disgusted it everyone that tuned in. Today we saw the very same thing, very similar with Barack Obama. In an effort to trash President Trump and his supporters, Obama said many things that are simply, factually inaccurate and not true. And by the way, I told you and I tell you every two years, every four years, Democratic Party the playbook remains the same. They divide America old versus young, rich versus poor, and they play the race card. "Republicans racist, sexist, misogynist, xenophobic, homophobic, want dirty air, water, and they want to throw grandma out over a cliff in her wheelchair.

...

Is that peaceful, Barack? And vandalized night after night after night. Is this, I ask you at home, look peaceful, like a peaceful protest to you? Does it to you Barack Obama? Do you really think we are that stupid? 

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton

Turning Point USA president Charlie Kirk

 

Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe

National Review senior writer David Harsanyi

 

Managing editor of Newsbusters Curtis Houck

 

Radio host Erick Erickson

Executive editor of Newsbusters Timothy Graham

 

Senior editor of Townhall Matt Vespa

Breitbart personality Charlie Spiering

Former Fox personalities Diamond & Silk

 

The Daily Wire

Daily Wire Obama eulogy

The Daily Wire, 7/30/30

 

The Gateway Pundit

Gateway Pundit Obama eulogy

Gateway Pundit, 7/30/20

Red State

Red State Obama Eulogy

Red State, 7/30/20

Fox News host Tucker Carlson

From the July 30, 2020, edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight

TUCKER CARLSON (HOST): It's hard to believe that clip is real, but it is, down to the clawing fake accent, Mr. Hawaii guy. But take three steps back - imagine if some greasy politician showed up at your loved one's funeral and started throwing around stupid partisan talking points about Senate procedure. Can you imagine that? You would be shocked if that happened. You'd probably walk out. Desecrating a funeral with campaign slogans? What kind of person would do that? But Democrats in the audience didn't seem offended, they didn't blink, they cheered. It all seemed normal to them and why wouldn't it? Political power is their religion. It's not out of place in a church, it's what they worship. People who will politicize a funeral will do anything and they're trying to.

From the July 30, 2020, edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight

TUCKER CARLSON (HOST):  So things fell completely apart, in case you don't remember that from a couple of months ago. A small group of violent people took control, but the most amazing part of all of this is how the city of Minneapolis responded. The city council, rather than increasing the presence of the police, decided to eliminate the police department. And then that idea which, two weeks before, would've been considered so insane no one would have said it out loud, metastasized almost immediately to the rest of the Democratic Party and defund the police became a talking point. Now Barack Obama, one of the sleaziest and most dishonest figures in the history of American politics, used George Floyd's death at a funeral to attack the police. 

Update (7/30/20, 10:15 p.m.): This post has been updated with additional examples.