The Wall Street Journal editor Jason Riley told Fox’s Bill O’Reilly Wednesday that the Obama White House is “obsessed with race and racial slights,” and the president’s decision not to impose a travel ban was made out of fear of alienating black voters.
O’REILLY: An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal today says the reason the Obama administration will not impose a travel ban on the Ebola regions in West Africa is race… Do you agree with that?
RILEY: That there is a racial angle? Sure, I think there’s racial angle. This administration is obsessed with race and racial slights and maintaining street cred with the black community. And I think that has played into this decision regarding the Ebola policy, definitely.
O’REILLY: Don’t you think the African-American community is like every other American community and wants to be protected, they don’t want people coming from the affected regions right now, just let it cool off a little until we get organized? Don’t you think most African-Americans would support that policy? I do.
RILEY: Sure, but the administration’s concerns are political. They don’t want to do anything to offend the black community. And a policy that bans black people from West Africa from coming to the U.S.–
O’REILLY: All people.
RILEY: –could be spun that way, and they don’t want that. Particularly among a group that many need to turn out in higher than usual numbers next week in order to hang on to the Senate.
O’REILLY: Alright, so you’re convinced that that’s part of this problem.
RILEY: Yes, that is part of it.