May 11th, 2009
05:20 PM ET
11 years ago
White House distances itself from Wanda Sykes joke
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs commented Monday on recent remarks by comedienne Wanda Sykes.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Obama administration is putting some distance between itself and comedienne Wanda Sykes, who accused Rush Limbaugh of treason at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday and joked that Limbaugh was "the 20th hijacker."
Asked what the president thought of Sykes' remark, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "I don't know how guests get booked. That's a White House Correspondents' Association thing."
"I haven't talked specifically with him," Gibbs said of the president. "But my guess is that I think there are a lot of topics that are better left for serious reflection rather than comedy. I think there is no doubt that 9/11 is part of that."
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Considering who Rush Lambaugh is and what he does as an entertainer, the jokes by Ms Sykies were appropriate and in good taste. No reasonable person would take the remarks serious, except Rush Lambaugh, who is a nut case anyway.
Wanda, Wanda, Wanda....... The 20th hijacker was much more likely to have the middle name "Hussein" than "Hudson"!
Comedy, even when it is not pretty should be funny. For me Rush Limbaugh is somewhere between athlete's foot and root canal without novicane. He is at once painful and irritating. But comparing this pompus wind-bag to an actual terrorist lessons the seriousness with which we must handle terrorism.
Plus it just is not funny.
Look, IT IS A.............JOKE......... JUST LIKE THE JOKES PALIN TOLD LAST SUMMER ABOUT OBAMA "PALING AROUND WITH TERRORISTS!"
Funny........ how Limbaugh-the-comedian can dish it out daily, but can't take it! Hypocrite.
It's kind of funny that we can hear Rush, bash the president with his point of fews but find it strang to hear someone bash Rush with their point of view.
It's also funny to hear many republicians try to stick a socialist tag on or President but when we hear them when they're talking about splitting the country up. People I use to like, like Chuck Norris who I do watch at all any more. Who wanted to remove the state of Taxes from the United Stated, Is this not a form of treason. People like Palins husband who want to remove the state of Alaska from the United States once again is this not a form of TREASON!!!!. Then when someone steps up to call it like it is everyone is shock. This was pretty funny sense we hear Rush saying anything and everything under the sun he want to but, when it come to be some else turn to bash him everyone want to turn tail and run.
typical Obama reaction–""I knew nothing of this affair"–I did not see him getting up and denouncing this unfunny slug. He was laughing like all the rest of the libs. Is he ignorant of EVERYTHING? This is just another dumb tactic to keep the press off his pathetic management of the US. He can fool his libs and sheep cult people–but not the intelligent Americans. Oh, Bush probably invited Sykes to the bash. Or Cheney, or Rush, or SP. Maybe Colin Powell? Obama does love those sick jokes–special olympics, etc.
The joke is in bad taste and may have crossed the line. But the truth is there is nothing more that the fringe Republicans like Chaney, Limbaugh, Rove, Coulter, Hannity, Ingram etc would like more than for another 9/11 style attack on America.
Then they claim "see i told you so". This is true Republican patriotism.
POLITICS OVER PATRIOTISM
Are we really so cowardly as a country that we are incapable of laughter?
Wanda was as edgy as a sharp knife, but she wasn't any more 'over the top' than Limbaugh is everyday.....Hannity and Beck are despicable, and I never hear Republicans crying 'over the top.' .......She's a comedian....Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck and others, are heads of the Republican party.....Bottom line, she was great....Words of advice, "If you can't take it, don't dish it out." ....
P.S. President Obama was stellar! ........He's the 'First Dude' baby!
I am a progressive who personally watched, from up close, the first plane hit the World Trade Tower. However much you disagree with Rush, it is NEVER appropriate to accuse another American of being the 20th hijacker. I was repulsed by her "joke".
Wanda Sykes is truly sic!
Evidence once again of the double-standard. David Feherty is forced by liberal media to apologize for his comments against Pelosi and Reid, yet Wanda Sykes is given a virtual pass (mere "distancing" by the president) for even more hateful remarks. Heck, you cannot find one single MSM headline out there on what Sykes said outside this ticker. If you cannot see the double-standard here, you are truly blind.
Look at Obama while Sykes is spewing her hateful liberal Democrat rhetoric, that is all you will ever need to know about him.
Let the hypocrisy begin! Libs will say it was all in fun; just a joke. But we all know that if a Republican told the same "joke", they would be skewered mercilessly by the liberal press.
Ms. Sykes' is a comedian. However somethings should be off limits, 9/11 is one of those things on MY list!
I think whatever she said about Rush was fair game. He is a nutjob...if he can't take it....wel...he can't...he will just holler from his bully pulpit.
Rush IS guilty of treason.....if this was a liberal talking crazy....the Fox news gang would be wanting the FBI on the case. Don't kid yourself!!
Wanda Sykes is a loose cannon – she never should have been invited. Obama is not responsible for what she said at the dinner.
It's not funny because it is too close to the truth..
He is a drug addicted pig and undermines the president
at every opportunity....
obama laughed at the joke!!
It's all about context. I'd like to hear the specific section of the comedy bit that talked about this to understand.
Otherwise, I don't care, much like how people in my town were giving the President some critiques for "talking black" to Michael Steele as a joke at the same show.
it's comedy, it was funny and as a matter of fact, it was true! pig limbaugh can say whatever out of his pig mouth but as soon as someone speaks the truth about him it's a problem. President Obama is not responsible for what comes out of someone else's mouth and should treat it as such!
God Bless President Obama, VP Biden, the First Families and "Bo"