While Ted Nugent's reference to President Barack Obama as a “subhuman mongrel” has received strong criticism from all corners of the media and political landscape, two major organizations with key ties to Nugent -- the National Rifle Association (NRA) and The Outdoor Channel -- have yet to weigh in on the controversy.
Nugent is an NRA board member and perhaps the group's most-well known public advocate. He serves as a spokesman for the Outdoor Channel, where he also hosts a hunting show. Last month, Nugent told Guns.com that President Obama is a “subhuman mongrel” and argued that he and other liberal politicians should be punished for treason.
The offensive remark drew new attention this past week after Nugent was scheduled to appear at a campaign event with Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott.
Since then, Nugent and Abbott have received harsh reactions from numerous Republican leaders, including Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Rick Perry. Other media critics, including Howard Kurtz of Fox News and CNN's Wolf Blitzer, have also condemned the language.
Nugent offered a disingenuous, half-hearted apology for his comments during an appearance today on conservative Ben Ferguson's radio show.
Despite their close ties to Nugent, neither the NRA nor The Outdoor Channel have weighed in on the matter. Media Matters has contacted The Outdoor Channel twice in the past week about the situation with no response, while the NRA did not respond to a request for comment today.
The NRA has consistently supported Nugent and chosen not to criticize him in the past for other offensive and racist comments. The Outdoor Channel has also been approached by Media Matters about other offensive Nugent comments and made clear it has no interest in criticizing the rocker.
The lack of action from the two organizations raises the question of whether they approve of Nugent's offensive commentary.
At the very least, their lack of action indicates an apparent lack of understanding about why Nugent's words are sparking objections, and at worst a lack of concern about how his views hurt their public image.
Last month, the Outdoor Channel announced the “expansion of its strategic partnership with the National Rifle Association” and a new “multi-year talent and endorsement agreement” with Nugent.
The expansion included two new NRA shows on Outdoor Channel and sponsorship of the NRA's 2014 annual meeting.
In a separate press release, Outdoor Channel also revealed Nugent would work on behalf of the network “through traditional, digital and social media promotional initiatives, in addition to making talent appearances on the network's behalf at top consumer and industry trade events” and also announced a weekly podcast featuring Nugent.
Nugent represented Outdoor Channel at the 2014 Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) in January, the largest gun industry annual gathering, and at the NRA's new Great American Outdoor Show. At last year's SHOT Show, Nugent created controversy by suggesting that it was time to violently overthrow the federal government because of an attempt to re-implement “tyranny” by the Obama administration.
Nugent's comments have offended numerous groups well before the latest anti-Obama tirade. He has a long history of inflammatory rhetoric -- including bouts of racism, sexism, homophobia, immigrant bashing and Islamophobia -- along with his tendency to alienate large portions of the general public.
In a recent column for WND.com that defended anti-gay comments made by Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson, Nugent addressed his outspoken views, stating that he is “just getting warmed up.”