Fox News Pulls Out the Race Card on Juan Williams Firing

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Fox News commentator Brit Hume asserts that race played a role in National Public Radio's decision to fire Juan Williams last week after he made a comment on a Fox show about being concerned when he saw airline passengers in "Muslim garb."

"In the culture of NPR, appearing on Fox is a sin," Hume said on "Fox News Sunday," with regular panelist Williams sitting a few seats away. "And in the culture of NPR, for an African-American man like Juan, regardless of his personal stature, to be there and be kind of a Bill Cosby liberal, not a down-the-line liberal, is a sin as well. They’ve been gunning for him for years."

Williams also called the firing a "pretext," saying he was personally offended by NPR CEO Vivian Schiller's public suggestion that Williams needed to see a psychiatrist, which he called "character assassination."

"It was a rough week," Williams said. "To get fired, obviously, is no pleasure, but to be called a bigot? ... And the innuendo I'm somehow unstable, which I thought was despicable."

A good chunk of the "Fox News Sunday" broadcast was devoted to charging NPR with a double standard. Host Chris Wallace quoted or played opinionated statements by other NPR reporters and analysts, including Cokie Roberts and Nina Totenberg.

Wallace said that Williams was welcome at Fox, as if it wasn't clear from the $2 million contract extension he received this week. "Let me just say, buddy, we're delighted you're going to be here," the host said as he reached over and shook Williams's hand. "We value you, [but] we're not not going to yell at you. ... And buck up."

Williams said he still expected to disagree forcefully with Hume and others who express conservative views on the Sunday panel. "I expect Brit to punch me the minute we’re leaving," he said

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/1010/Hume_race_had_role_in_NPR_firing_Williams.html?showall

[Obama 2012 1,714]

more Drive-By Posting Steve?

No comments or opinions on the matter?

Obviously NPR had their issues and the whole thing was regarding race. The fact of the matter is though, to 'liberals' and to 'blacks who support them,' anyone who goes against the 'status quo' is some sort of sellout/Uncle Tom if you will..... It's the way it's been for a long long time...

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"Race"...Steven's favorite subject.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Dems are racists and hate women. What's new? There is nothing worse than a desparate racist. Poor Juan.