Dr. Ben Carson responded to comments by Rupert Murdoch that insinuated Carson, and not President Obama, would be a “real black president.”
Speaking to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday, the neurosurgeon poured cold water on the controversy surrounding the media mogul’s comments, defending Murdoch.
“I know Rupert Murdoch and he’s not a racist by any stretch of the imagination. He’s just expressing his opinion,” Carson said about Murdoch. He also acknowledged the obvious about President Obama.
“He’s the president and he’s black.” On Wednesday, Murdoch, who’s made favorable comments about Carson for months, tweeted, “What about a real black President who can properly address the racial divide? And much else.”
The backlash was quick and swift, from TV news analysts blasting Murdoch and Fox News to the ladies of “The View” going off on Murdoch on Thursday.
The comments by the executive chairman of News Corp, which owns outlets like Fox News and the New York Post, added fuel to the ongoing argument by detractors that those outlets exist to undermine President Obama and Democrats.