Taya Kyle, the widow of slain “American Sniper” Chris Kyle, said on Tuesday that President Obama made a “fair point” during a discussion about racism in which he used the N-word.
Obama used the uncensored version of the word in a discussion about racism during an interview on comedian Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast, audio of which was released on Monday.
Appearing on the Fox News show “Outnumbered,” Kyle, who is white, was asked by co-host Harris Faulkner, who is black, whether Obama’s use of the word was “presidential.”
“I like a man just to be a man, right?” Kyle said. “I’m tired of the smoke and mirrors. I’m tired of people worrying so much about political correctness that they can’t just be real and say what’s on their mind.”
“So this one actually doesn’t bother me because I feel like he’s saying ‘Look, this is a word that’s been used,’” Kyle continued. “I don’t think that he has to back away from it or cow down to it. He said, ‘Look, just because people aren’t saying this word, doesn’t mean that racism.’ That’s a fair point. I mean it’s true.”
Kyle addressed Faulkner’s question but maintained that Obama’s use of the word was fine.
“So unless you’re looking at it like it’s saying the F-word and that’s not presidential — I get that, okay? I do,” Kyle said. “But, at the same time, a fact is a fact and I think his point is fair.”
During the segment, Fox Business Network contributor Charles Payne, who is black, said he disagreed with the President’s use of the word.
“As a black man, there are — there’s only one time I’ll use the N-word is when I feel like I’m being treated like the N-word and I want to make a statement,” Payne said. “There’s only one thing worse than the N-word and that’s being treated like the N-word.”
“I think it’s interesting to have any civil rights organization say that they’re against it when all they do is give out plaques, trophies, certificates to all these rappers who every other lyric is the N-word,” Payne continued. “And this phony connotation that somehow they’re, by hijacking the word, they’re lessening the meaning of it and they’ve taken power and control over the word. No, you have not.”
Payne lamented that kids of all races listen to rap music that contains the N-word and that they use it toward one another regardless of race.
“This is the lyrics that all kids listen to,” Payne said. “It’s crazy! It’s nuts!”
Ultimately, Payne provided a negative indictment of Obama’s word choice.
“I think in the way the President used it was totally out of context,” Payne said. “He didn’t have to say it right there. There was no passion, anger, animosity. He was going for us to talk about it today.”
Co-host Lisa Kennedy Montgomery commended Maron’s podcast but criticized Obama for using the N-word.
“The President kind of laughed when he said it, and it was almost an acknowledgement that he knew what he was doing was crossing the line,” Montgomery said. “And I think he could have made just as much of an effective point if he had just said ‘the N-word.’”
Faulkner commended Montgomery for her “good point.”
“So I’m watching this … without the bleep,” Faulkner said, “and I’m saying to myself so which audience is he playing to for legacy now?”
Co-host Andrea Tantaros said her “biggest question” was: “Why? Why did he do it?”
“This message, I took it as the President still saying that we are a racist country” Tantaros said. “That’s basically what he’s saying: you can take this word away but still we are racist. And I mean, look, he was elected twice. I think that’s not a fair point for him to say. But I also do think yes there are instances of racism. Of course. Of course.”
Faulkner lamented that the conversation about Obama’s use of the N-word was detracting from the lives lost in Charleston, S.C.
“But it is making news,” Faulkner said. “And the White House legitimizes it by answering that question.”
Watch video of Kyle’s and Payne’s comments below:
