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Waitrose pulls Fox News ads after ‘racist’ jibe at Obama
Ed Harris05.10.09
Waitrose has pulled its advertising from Fox News after customers complained about a presenter's remarks on Barack Obama.
Television host Glenn Beck said he thought the US president was “a racist” in July, and a number of companies withdrew their advertising with the American news channel.
Mr Beck said the president's reaction to the arrest of a black academic Henry Louis Gates in Cambridge, Massachusetts, proved him to be “a guy who has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture. I don't know what it is.”
Mr Beck's outburst prompted dozens of companies — among them supermarket Wal-Mart and online travel agency Travelocity — to withdraw their adverts from his show for fear that their businesses might become tainted by association.
A spokesman for Waitrose said that the company had withdrawn its advertising from the Fox News slot shown on Sky in Britain in response to customer concerns. He said: “We have pulled it because we believe it's the right thing to do. Our customers' views are important to us.”
The Obama administration appears to be losing patience with the channel, which has been particularly scathing about the president's proposed healthcare reforms.
Proof of the mutual antipathy came two weeks ago when Mr Obama gave a round of broadcast interviews but snubbed Fox.
US-based websites supporting Mr Beck have sprung up on the internet, launching online lobbying campaigns and calling for a boycott of firms which disassociate themselves with his show.
Professor Gates was arrested after struggling to open the door to his home in the white, middle-class area around Harvard University. A neighbour called police and when they arrived Professor Gates, 58, refused to step outside and was arrested. Charges of disorderly conduct were dropped.
Mr Obama said the police acted “stupidly” over the arrest of Professor Gates. But he later backtracked and invited the academic and the arresting officer to the White House to settle the matter over a drink.
Mr Obama said of their meeting: “He asked me how to get the press off his lawn. I told him I can't even get the press off my own lawn.”
But the furore prompted the Georgetown University sociology professor, to say of himself: “Henry Louis Gates has become the face for the racism problem that has stalked the rest of black America.”
Reader views (14)
@ Nolan, Londonist
So if you call a blackman a racist then automatically you must be a racist because you are white?
In fact any criticism, derogatory remark or social comment on blacks immediately makes you racist if you are white?
How easy it is for you.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Rogan, your response almost sounds as though I've hurt your feelings, you don't watch Farce, sorry, Fox news by any chance do you?
- Bob, Cheam
You Brits still can't figure out Politics. We're NOT subjects anymore because we called a spade a spade in 1776 and kicked your butts out of America. If you had any guts, like Glenn Beck, you would get rid of the Dead Weight of your worthless monarchy. Glenn tells it like it is, like it or not. he has never said anything that is not the truth---especially about Obama and his crooked Cronies-wake up Obama Lovers----
- Retiredscotsman, Illinois, USA
If you are white just TRY and get any job at a black owned business as anything!
- Mike Tally, London England
What about all the insults directed at George Bush when
he was president by the PC lefty liberals then? That was ok I suppose? What a bunch of stinking hypocrites!
- Lb, Bromley
Spontaneous reactions can tell you a lot.
After he admitted he knew nothing about the facts of the case Obama still felt it important to state that the police acted stupidly. Obama jumped to the conclusion that the white policemen must be wrong. is that a racist opinion?
Don't forget that Obama sat in the church of Rev Wright for twenty years listening to anti-white, anti-US and anti-semitic sermons and never objected.
In his post Rev Wright speech on racism Obama characterized his own grandmother as a "typical white person" who was afraid of black men. What would have people said about Glen Beck if he said anyone was a typical "black" person?
There is cetainly enough data to question Obama's views on race.,
- Peteinny, New City NY USA
Typical liberal thought police, trying to censor public opinion. I shall no longer shop in Waitrose. It's over priced anyway.
- James Baker, Bromley
Is any common dislike tolerated or must it all relate to racism if colour is involved ?
- Michael, London, UK
Bob, Cheam re your comment, "Come on though, it's Fox News, even other Fox programs poke fun at the mentality of people that watch it, it's the TV News equivalent of the Sunday Sport."
Seen from the other end of the microscope, I always though they were poking fun at the blinkered likes of you.
- Rogan, Irving
No freedom of opinion in the UK, all must conform to the ultra left thinking politically correct machine.
- Brandon Thomas, SW7
One ????? customer complained.
- Henry Gilbert, Kingston, UK
Come on though, it's Fox News, even other Fox programs poke fun at the mentality of people that watch it, it's the TV News equivalent of the Sunday Sport.
- Bob, Cheam
So - not content with trying to manipulate the British electorate, Murdoch is now trying to influence the American public's opinions.
This man really needs his wings clipping.
- Barry, Welwyn England
Good, about time too.
- Nolan, Londonist
