Liberal commentator Juan Williams touched off a firestorm on “Fox News Sunday” by suggesting racism drives the “white, older group of people” that support President Obama’s impeachment, with Heritage Action head Michael Needham accusing him of “demonizing good people.”
The Fox News contributor made the remarks after he claimed the Republicans had “demonized” President Obama by calling him “lawless” on issues like immigration and the implementation of Obamacare.
“Do you think that the Republican opposition to this president is racial?” Wallace asked him. “Or do you think it’s based on principles and policies?”
“Well, all I can do is look at the numbers,” he replied. “If you look at the core constituency — the people who are in, let’s say, tea party opposition, support of impeachment — there’s no diversity. It’s a white, older group of people.”
“I would say if you just break it down as a matter of political analysis and say, ‘Who is this group?’ Williams continued. “It reminds me that the Republican Party has become almost a completely white party.”
That’s a ridiculously ironic statement,” Needham retorted angrily. “You’re the one demonizing people who are concerned about the fact that we have a crisis of the Constitution, with Jonathan Turley, a liberal law professor, just testifying in the last couple weeks.”
“You’re the one demonizing,” he accused. “You’re demonizing good people who are concerned about a president who is completely out of control.”
“Michael, we can have a principled argument about President Obama’s actions and the use of executive action and authority,” Williams replied. “But you call him lawless, as if he’s an outlaw. As if you have him riding the range. We got to get that guy!”
Needham tried to reply, but Williams plowed on.
“The core constituency — the people who want him impeached — they’re almost all white, and they’re all older and guess what? They’re all in the the far-right wing of the Republican Party.”
“And he might as well have just said ‘And they’re all racists,'” Needham said with disgust. “That’s ridiculous.”
