Obama: Kanye Is A "Jackass"

UPDATE -- Sept. 15: The full audio of Obama's exchange about Kanye West has been posted by TMZ. Here's the transcript:

Q: Were your girls as hacked off as mine were that Kanye gave Taylor Swift the Joe Wilson treatment?

Obama: I thought that was really inappropriate. You know it was like she's getting an award -- why are you butting in? I, I hear you -- I agree with you.

Q: So does that count as the first question?

Obama: The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person. She's getting her award. What's he doing up there? He's a jackass. (Laughter) No, now -- this -- all this stuff -- I'm assuming all this stuff. Where's the pool? Come on guys. Cut the president some slack. I got a lot of other stuff on my plate. Yeah. Cause I remember last time it was the fly thing. Now that was the highlight of (trails off)

Q: No that worked out well for you. You were a ninja.

Obama: Except PETA... (laughter)

* * * *

During a CNBC interview on Monday, President Obama called Kanye West a "jackass" regarding his behavior at the MTV Video Music Awards. (Watch the video of Kanye interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the VMAs here and read about his first apology.)

Obama's colorful remark was actually made in an off-the-record portion of the interview that was tweeted -- and then deleted -- by ABC News reporter Terry Moran.

"Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a 'jackass' for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT'S presidential," Moran wrote.

Politico's Michael Calderone has ABC's statement apologizing for Moran's journalistic breach.

UPDATE: Kanye West issued an emotional follow-up apology to Taylor Swift during an appearance on "The Jay Leno Show" Monday evening. Watch that here.

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Comments

[xxxciter]

First, what's said "off the record" should stay "off the record" -- is Twitter THE RECORD?

Second, thank God... finally a politician who "just tells it like it is"! OF course, he didn't pick a very difficult subject to weigh in on, my 6 year old nephew knows not to interrupt someone getting an award!

Third, we are ALL human -- I just "kanyed" a neighbor a minute ago...

[AceSpade]

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[zeeshan809]

Obama is so right. What West did was so disgraceful.


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[chevygirl2611]

Out of everything that is going on in the world this is stupid! Obama is human just like us! Kanye was wrong,Plus beyonce won anyway and he should of kept his mouth shut. He looked stupid. So lets just move on to the serious stuff. Thank you.

[padrushka]

i remember when the mic was on and gb called a reporter an a** hole..who cares? glad i don't have to be pc 24/7

[KristinNoelle]

How did Kanye even get on stage? Don't they have people around to make sure the show goes as planned?

[hotbytes]

I AGREE with the president: Kanye is indeed a J A C K A S S.

It's really a great feeling to know that this country is NOW starting to regain its dignity by having a capable president - unlike the mor0n we had last time.

[vexorg]

George Bush doesn't like black people. But it looks like Barack Obama doesn't like at least one black person.

[Yarrr]

He said what we're all thinking.

[annam73]

let's just rename this the ObamaPost..it's all about stroking is ego..and not giving a chance to opposing viewpoints.

[buzzcowboy]

I think we should give Kanye a rousing round of applause for doing the impossible: uniting the country behind Barack Obama's (quasi-)public statement. http://bit.ly/W4ieV

[ribtoe]

WHEW! Glad this is being covered. He should have called him a F**king A**hole on the floor of the Senate. That didn't seem to bother anyone when Cheney did it.

[saun8934]

It really was not that serious and the pres as far as i'm concerned should not have gave an opinion at all! and i do love the president but it was not his place, what kanye did had nothing to do with running the country. I am almost certain if he had got caught saying that about a white dude it would have been threats, accusations of him being a racist, and on and on and on....

[Tiffany1334]

Sorry I mean Molestation

[jamiroquai0]

Kanye Lyrics:

They say I talk with so much emphasis,
OOOOh They so sensitive!!
Don't ever fix your lips like collagen
***And then Say something where you gone end up apologin'***!!!!
Let me know if it's a problem man,
Alright man, holla then.

La,la,la,la wait till I get my money right
la, la, la, la then you cant tell me nothing right!!!

[lenoirlady]

Salute!

[Observer1]

So now all Obama has to do is invite Kanye and Taylor over to the White House for a Drank.

[RobertBliss]

No beer summit for Taylor. She isn't old enough. I guess she can always have a cola?