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Laura Ingraham Just Tried to Walk Back Her Racist Rant, but Twitter Isn't Having It
Sure, Laura.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham responded on Thursday to backlash caused by remarks she made about immigration on Wednesday, which prompted an endorsement of a white supremacist leader and widespread condemnation from others in the media.
Fox needs to give @IngrahamAngle 2 shows. One, where she mocks teenagers whose friends died in a school shooting an… https://t.co/NL3A9Bvw6r— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@Mrs. Betty Bowers) 1533872350.0
"I want to start tonight by addressing my commentary at the top of last night’s show," Ingraham, host of The Ingraham Angle, began. What followed was less of an apology and more of an attempt at rationalization.
"A message to those who are distorting my views, including all white nationalists and especially one racist freak whose name I won’t even mention," Ingraham said. KKK leader David Duke had endorsed Ingraham's remarks on demographics on Twitter but then deleted the post.
Duke referred to Ingraham's Wednesday rant as "one of the most important (truthful) monologues in the history of MSM."
The comments Laura Ingraham made about immigrants and immigration was so racist David Duke had an orgasm. Fox News… https://t.co/94g78Ohq1F— Christopher Bouzy (@Christopher Bouzy) 1533901173.0
"You do not have my support," Ingraham said of Duke. "You don’t represent my views and you are antithetical to the beliefs I hold dear.”
Ingraham tried to clarify her Wednesday comments by defending the "rule of law meaning secure borders," which she claimed, "used to bind our country together."
She continued:
"Despite what some may be contending, I made it explicitly clear my commentary had nothing to do with race or ethnicity, but rather a shared goal of keeping America safe and her citizens safe and prosperous," she said, followed by a push for "merit-based immigration.
Furthermore, as I have said repeatedly on the show, merit-based immigration does wonders for our country’s economy, our way of life, and how we define our country. I even said that in my opening thoughts last night.
"I want to make it really clear that my concern will continue to remain with the families who have suffered the tragic result of illegal immigration," Ingraham concluded. "The children put in dangerous and unfair situations at the border and all those border agents around the country who work to keep our country safe."
On Wednesday, Ingraham railed against "demographic changes" that she claimed have been "foisted on the American people." Ingraham added that "they are changes that none of us ever voted for, and most of us don’t like."
Conservative commentator Amanda Carpenter fired back at Ingraham: "Laura, I want to know, who is the one who really hates America?"
"Laura, I want to know, who is the one who really hates America?” https://t.co/Waj7uLToXc— Raw Story (@Raw Story) 1533895806.0
MSNBC's Donnie Deutsch called for an advertising boycott of Ingraham's show over her comments.
MSNBC's Donnie Deutsch calls for advertiser boycott of Fox's Laura Ingraham: Her comments are worse than the N-word https://t.co/OS5w5ozrux— Eric W. Dolan (@Eric W. Dolan) 1533907923.0
He wasn't the only one.
"You know, what "demographics" means," tweeted Seth Abramson. "If you're a company still advertising on her show, I have no idea what you're thinking."
Laura Ingraham complained bitterly about America's "changing demographics," and now says she was just referring to… https://t.co/gWBUx3pAFR— Seth Abramson (@Seth Abramson) 1533904793.0
"To turn a phrase back on our us-versus-them friends — if you don’t like what America is, you leave," CNN's Chris Cuomo said on Thursday's Prime Time.
WATCH: Chris Cuomo tells Laura Ingraham: If you don’t like what America is, then leave https://t.co/kzif6I5X5Y https://t.co/bfLapHI8LH— The Hill (@The Hill) 1533907684.0
Georgetown Law Professor Michael Eric Dyson referred to Ingraham as a "mouthpiece" for the white supremacist movement.
“Every time the president opens his mouth he reaffirms some of the fundamental predicates of that white nationalist… https://t.co/36kW2ScS6z— Raw Story (@Raw Story) 1533900864.0
Conservative commentator S.E. Cupp on Ingraham's attempted walk-back: "you know your angry white viewers heard your message."
Please, @IngrahamAngle. You know your angry white viewers still heard your message. And you’re not dissuading them. https://t.co/ekm0Ox4BjU— S.E. Cupp (@S.E. Cupp) 1533881324.0
Others on social media torched Ingraham and her racist comments.
Laura Ingraham has been a bigot since college. She was literally disciplined for targeting and harassing people as… https://t.co/o5nDNI8w7u— Shaun King (@Shaun King) 1533829337.0
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said Ingraham's comments were "un-American."
Let’s knock it off and bring the country together. We are so much stronger that way. https://t.co/v4rxusSEUd— Anthony Scaramucci (@Anthony Scaramucci) 1533864158.0
"What awful, racist thing can I say on TV today to make me lose all my sponsors?" comic Erik Bransteen asked of Ingraham.
"What awful, racist thing can I say on TV today to make me lose all my sponsors?" -- Laura Ingraham, every morning— Erik Brans (@Erik Brans) 1533906637.0
Social media was inundated with pointed attacks on Ingraham, whose wickedly racist views are nothing new.
@secupp @IngrahamAngle Step 1) Say racist stuff Step 2) Walk it back slightly so sponsors don't walk away Step 3) W… https://t.co/gOWulXLPiw— Scott (@Scott) 1533881540.0
Laura Ingraham, on camera, at the Republican National Convention, gave a clear and unambiguous Nazi salute. Watch t… https://t.co/kAF6euuB8Z— A.R. Moxon (@A.R. Moxon) 1533893380.0
#FridayFeeling Since @FoxNews supports Nazi ideals spewed by Laura Ingraham I will boycott Laura Ingraham sponsors.… https://t.co/FzLcgpSbmI— Jacob Gil (@Jacob Gil) 1533876656.0
Someone needs to do something about Laura Ingraham, disgusting— AnnMarie Clinton (@AnnMarie Clinton) 1533868767.0
Sorry @IngrahamAngle... the America we know and love is not the racist, xenophobic white-nationalist cesspool you w… https://t.co/WlUcQKbsRj— Andy Ostroy (@Andy Ostroy) 1533903187.0
Woke up to the headline "Laura Ingraham Distances Herself from 'Racist Freak'" - apparently, Laura Ingraham doesn't… https://t.co/DU4pDkSWsS— LaurenBaratzLogsted (@LaurenBaratzLogsted) 1533900658.0
"This will be your legacy."
@IngrahamAngle Lady we get you’re a racist and you basically hate immigration of anyone other than white... this will be your legacy.— Kas (@Kas) 1533897984.0
Ouch.