In an interview published Wednesday with the Media Research Center’s Brent Bozell, Rep. Joe Walsh, an Illinois Republican, accused the national media of protecting President Obama because he is African-American.
“This guy pushed every one of the media’s buttons,” Walsh said. “He was liberal, he was different, he was new, he was black. Oh my God, it was the potpourri of everything.”
He continued: “They are so vested in our first black president not being a failure that it’s going to be amazing to watch the lengths they go to to protect him. They, I believe, will spout this racist line if some of their colleagues up here aren’t doing it aggressively enough. There is going to be a real desperation.”
Walsh said that he did not know the president and had no interest in making personal attacks, but that he believes the administration’s policies “are destroying this country.”
“We need to keep the discussion at that level,” he continued, “but the other side won’t. The other side is going to personalize it. And [Texas Gov.] Rick Perry, Michele [Bachmann], whoever our nominee is going to be, is going to really be in to it.”
Elected last year, Walsh, an outspoken Tea Party conservative, will challenge fellow Republican Rep. Randy Hultgren in Illinois’ newly redrawn 14th congressional district.
Rep. Walsh’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.