File this under: “You might be a racist when:” You hold a press conference as governor of a state and note that, of course, your state will welcome every president, except perhaps the black one, aka Barack Obama.
From the Star Tribune [1]:
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday said he would welcome any president to the state besides former President Barack Obama.
The unprompted comment came during a coronavirus news conference in which the Republican governor took a phone call from President Donald Trump and sought to highlight his relationship with the commander-in-chief ahead of the coming primary election.
“We should absolutely welcome all but, you know, maybe not Barack Obama,” he said, smiling.
Ha, that guy’s funny. He is also perhaps a little racist, or a little evil, which is sort of the same thing. But in West Virginia – apparently – there’s little difference between joking and throwing a racist little tag line in there. All in good fun.
He needed to let his Republican supporters know that he’s dialed into their “jokes.” He didn’t say “Democrats,” he didn’t say “Clinton,” he didn’t say “Carter,” and didn’t say “Bush.” Nah, he picked out one guy.
Smile. “You know, maybe not Barack Obama.”
Yes, Governor Justice, we do “know.”
But because we know, he realized he said something quite dumb and immediately started to walk it back, even though he was on an island of his own making:
His office later walked back the remarks in a statement, saying they were “in jest” and “in regard to the effect that the Obama Administration’s War on Coal had on the West Virginia economy from 2008-2016.”
“I want to love everybody, and by that, I mean everybody, including President Obama,” Justice said in the statement. “But, at the end of the day, what happened to West Virginia during his time in the Oval Office will take us decades and decades to recover from, if ever.”
Hey, hey, hey!! Trump said he “loved clean coal.” He promised to bring mining jobs back! Trump has had 3.5 years to get this done. So he was lying?
We should probably let the governor know that it wasn’t Obama that destroyed the coal industry. It was changing world conditions, including global warming, along with natural gas (cleaner and cheaper than coal), wind power, and more efficient grids. So, that wasn’t Obama’s fault. That explains why Trump hasn’t fixed it.
But we drifted. It wasn’t about coal. It was about Obama.
Twitter is rightfully furious:
Jim Justice just said that Predator trump is always welcome to West Virginia, any President except Obama.
Governor of West Virginia just said that America’s first black President isn’t welcome in his state. Why do I feel like his message was directly for White Supremacists?
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) June 3, 2020 [2]
Jim Justice can go to hell!!!
How dare you say Barack Obama isn’t welcome in West Virginia?
You two bit thieving piece of white trash. Stealing from the taxpayers by not paying corporate taxes makes you a criminal!I’m through defending a GD Covid thing you do. @WVGovernor [3] https://t.co/suoU6qM8yC [4]
— Wendy Cerne (@WendyCerne) June 3, 2020 [5]
oh golly gee… heck- Jim Justice saying WV will welcome any President, "well maybe not Obama." I guess he forgot to put on his white dunce cap & robe before taping? Guess what Jim, the majority of the U.S. doesn't welcome you or any racists so please retire on an island w/Trump https://t.co/DAmoFrdEf5 [6]
— Lisa (@MiaLis79) June 3, 2020 [7]
Jim Justice just said every president would be welcome in West Virginia.. except Obama
Kindly get out of my state Jim, may I remind you that you ran as a Democrat you turncoat billionaire slob?
— lynx on stilts (@OxbowsBox) June 3, 2020 [8]
Governor Jim Justice of WV who said he would “Welcome any President…maybe not Barack Obama,” he said, smiling earlier today.
Get this racist, backward, flubber looking man out of office. WV election is this month. They deserve better.
He’s CANCELLED, luvs. pic.twitter.com/YvxTyDKaLE [9]
— PaulyD (@DesPAULcito) June 3, 2020 [10]
Despite how well I felt he handled the coronavirus in West Virginia, I can no longer support @WVGovernor [3] Jim Justice. He had to take a moment and say @BarackObama [11] Is the only president he would not welcome to West Virginia. Petty and childish. Fuckin be polite, Jim.
— Neal Vestal (@RealNealVestal) June 3, 2020 [12]
****
Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom