Ed Schultz: Obama 'Not Being Aggressive Enough'

Ed Schultz opened up about his frustration with President Obama, his transition to being a liberal and his experience on the football team in a racially-segregated high school in the September issue of Talkers magazine.

The MSNBC host, who has criticized Obama for not being tough with Republicans, said that Obama is "not being aggressive enough." He said, "I think he’s gone far enough in trying to negotiate the position on what he believes in and I’m somewhat critical of President Obama right now."

Schultz has been vocal about his criticism of both parties in Washington in recent months, and there have been times where observers say his comments crossed the line.

Still, Schultz maintained that he enjoys a lot of freedom on-air at MSNBC. "I’ve never been told what to say on MSNBC," he told the magazine. "That’s a hell of a freedom. But with it goes the responsibility that you have your facts straight."

The staunchly liberal host discussed his transition from being a conservative in the late 1990s. He credited his wife, who he met when she was running the homeless shelter in Fargo, North Dakota, and other events for opening his eyes.

Schultz also recalled his "Remember the Titans" moment as a teenager during racial integration in the 1970s. He said that he was the captain of a predominantly black football team, and two segregated buses showed up to pick up the players for the play-offs. "I got on with the brothers," he said. "I got on with the black players because I knew it was the right thing to do. It was an eye-opener for me. No matter how good we try to make things right there are always going to be those divisions."

PHOTO:

RELATED VIDEO:

Comments

[DickGranite]

05:32 PM on 09/15/2011

Thanks Ed for sharing that moment when you first became overcome with white guilt.

[3echo9]

12:02 PM on 09/15/2011

"I got on with the brothers"...Way to keep it for reals dawg.

[blknightowl]

05:04 AM on 09/15/2011

Good, Ed. At least your eyes opened. There are many whose eyes remain steadfastly shut. And now, with Obama as President, they've started squeezing them closed, sticking their fingers in their ears, and yelling, "No, no, no, no."

I have problems with the President too. I am disappointed that he's not more agressive in pursuing his agenda. I have much more of a problem with those "candidates" for the GOP nomination. Voting for any of them seems to me like it would be a form of suicide.

[Jeff Bunting]

12:27 AM on 09/15/2011

I suspect that Ed likes Obama but feels like he does with most democrats with some exceptions. Its an understandable emotion but you also have to think rationally here and realize that the worse thing Obama can do is to just give up trying to work with them as this will paint Obama as someone who refuses to work with the opposition.

That being said I think he does need to step it up some with being aggressive.

[gomezrules]

10:34 PM on 09/14/2011

I don't know which adjective applies more here, in that what Schultz is claiming is inexcusable or despicable. I guess they both are relevant. The high school Schultz attended was not, repeat, NOT, segregated when he attended! Maury High in Norfolk, VA. had been 'integrated' well before Schultz ever came of age to attend it, as they all were in my area ( I live in SE VA!). There were NO separate buses by race for players then in that area. I played JV football when Schultz was playing varsity, and my high school played Maury in (varsity) football in those years. My JV team scrimmaged against Maury in the pre-season, and they came to MY school to do so. There were NO separate buses for whites and blacks. This is as bad as Clinton telling the world about 'burning black churches' that were proven to not have happened in the location or time frame he referred to!

As is always the case, the extreme left especially cannot be honest when it comes to the very race issues they spew on a routine basis. This is a LIE, a TREMENDOUS ONE at that, on Schultz's part.

[DickGranite]

05:33 PM on 09/15/2011

I lived in Va Beach for 20 years, thanks for calling him out.

[gomezrules]

01:10 AM on 09/16/2011

Bayside guy here..

[lmclaurin]

01:08 PM on 09/16/2011

Please. He didn't call anyone out. many cities and school that have been officially "integrated" have experienced segregation for decades. In many large cities, there's no government sponsored segregation, but everyone knows how things work there.

[lmclaurin]

01:05 PM on 09/16/2011

Yes. And in this day, there is still no segregation in schools. Wait, yes there is:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24prom-t.html?pagewanted=all

[gomezrules]

03:52 PM on 09/16/2011

Totally irrelevant. The discussion is about what Schultz allegedly 'went through' in high school playing football. His school was NOT segregated, and the schools and school system did NOT provide buses for blacks and whites to ride separately in. He is LYING. How hard is that for you to grasp?

[jumpinjohn011]

09:43 PM on 09/14/2011

Ed's an Idiot1 If you disagree with him you're always wrong.

[hearmeloudandclear]

09:24 PM on 09/14/2011

Way to go Ed --- maybe you can educate some in this population who are out of the main stream -- they're STILL living in the 70's and some will meet their fate never having seen the light.

I've heard you criticize the President - but, at the same time, you've fought almost a single-handed battle at times going to bat for him.

Being an ardent supporter of the President -- I thank you. And I also thank you for your work with the Free Clinics.

Your compassion for the "little guy" , those in need, is obvious - ...maybe others will someday develop your color-blindness.

Bless you.

[AdmiralXizor]

08:38 PM on 09/14/2011

Yeah, OK.

He rode "with the brothers"..? I bet he rode in the front.

This guy has no more credibility on race than does John Edwards...

[Dragula Returns]

08:31 PM on 09/14/2011

Ask his ex wife about his left hook.

[angryconservative]

08:39 PM on 09/14/2011

Ask his hunting dog about his aim...lol

[Marcusarilius]

07:26 PM on 09/14/2011

Keep Going Ed, and Thank You for Helping the other half of America who doesn't see it yet.

[hearmeloudandclear]

09:18 PM on 09/14/2011

Marcusarilius - I agree - he needs to educate some people...for sure.

[blknightowl]

05:06 AM on 09/15/2011

x2

[Lemon Limey]

07:09 PM on 09/14/2011

Somebody needs to ask Ed why of used a load of buckkkshott on his hunting dog not that many years ago with the result the dog passed on due to lead poissonnning..

[thankulord13]

05:34 PM on 09/14/2011

Good for him!

[snipy]

05:22 PM on 09/14/2011

Ed Shultz should be happy to have been in segregated school, otherwise, he would never of had the opportunity to play football; with his Porky Self !

[OBXartist]

06:09 PM on 09/14/2011

Schultz had all the opportunity he wanted. He was talented. Schultz was a record-setting All-American collegiate quarterback and later signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders. His current "porky self" may have something to do with the fact that he's now 57 years old and has a desk job.

[snipy]

06:56 PM on 09/14/2011

Well, maybe at 57, he can still throw a "Supersized" meal into his mouth; he certainly looks like he can do that, and MUCH more ! He's lucky to be a Liberal 'cause they're always "Savin' the Whales"!

[Lemon Limey]

07:09 PM on 09/14/2011

Oh good grief. What crock. This is all Ed making stuff up about himself.