BET founder mocks Deeds' stuttering at McDonnell campaign fundraiser

[Blue_Tires]

RICHMOND

The billionaire co-founder of the Black Entertainment Television mocked Democrat Creigh Deeds' occasional stuttering at a fundraiser she held for Deeds' Republican opponent in the governor's race, Bob McDonnell.

In a YouTube video, Sheila Johnson says Virginia needs a governor "who can really communicate, and Bob McDonnell can communicate."

Then she tells a small crowd of wealthy donors: "The other people I talk to, especially his op-op-op-o-opponent, di-di-did this all through my interview with him."

After muted laughter among the guests, she adds, "He could not articulate what needed to be done."

There was no immediate response from Johnson, McDonnell's campaign or Deeds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJE7NyIk9Q

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/bet-founder-mocks-deeds-stuttering-fundraiser

[HughBeaumont]

1. The Chieftans of Class . . . business as usual.

Raised on a steady diet of superiority and authoritarianism, they prove once again that no level is too low when your choir is as unapologetic and unfeeling as you are.

[Raven]

2. Disgraceful. Why no outrage here? I admire someone who has

the courage to get out front and speak with that disability.

[Bluzmann57]

8. Here's some outrage for you.

I commented on this in another thread. I have undergone speech therapy for stuttering andv still stutter sometimes to this day. The hell with that witch!

[Kahuna]

17. Only a republican would cheer at someone saying such a thing. nt

[firedupdem]

3. Very nasty and uncalled for.....disgusting! n/t

[countingbluecars]

4. Shame on her! n/t

[Phoonzang]

5. As someone who stutters.....fuck her.

As a black person...fuck her for unleashing that garbage on the world that is BET.

[Cha]

28. Amen, brother!

As an Irish-Scotch person.

[CurtEastPoint]

6. Heeere's Jean in her wedding day (coronation?) splendor. SHAME ON HER!

Let's mock her and see how she feels.

[buff2]

9. That's not a very attractive pair of drapes she is wearing

She should have left them on her windows. :evilgrin:

[tishaLA]

11. she saw them in the window and just HAD to have them

[CurtEastPoint]

16. Perfect! I forgot that analogy! n/t

[Starbucks Anarchist]

7. And her Republican friends say much worse about black people.

Behind her back, of course.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

10. What a rotten piece of shit

At least the other Republicans had enough class not to laugh. She felt like a giant asshole right then.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. Really? Bob Johnson, her husband, is not very articulate at all! She's got nerve! n/t

[Jennicut]

15. They are divorced.

She married the judge who helped preside over her divorce. She really exudes class, huh?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

23. She and her ex and her lawyer and the judge, apparently! n/t

[DRoseDARs]

13. What a b-b-b-bitch. I can articulate THAT just fine. n/t

[Beacool]

14. That was low.

Making fun of the man because he stutters is uncalled for and nasty.

x(

[Enrique]

18. that would be unacceptable in a Junior High class president campaign

it's incredible that we're seeing it in a campaign for governor.

[RepublicanElephant]

19. another badly confused negro, blinded by capitalistic greed.

...and i say that as an african-american.

[AspenRose]

20. And BET is hazardous!

Stay classy, Sheila! :eyes:

[oviedodem]

21. I DESPISE everything that is BET!! That station should be removed from the

airways as it contributes absolutely nothing to society save for sunday morning. It is blocked in my house on every tv. I hate what Johnson did to that station and I rip it apart every chance I get.

[jenmito]

22. MSNBC is covering the story. Coming up soon. n/t

[Cha]

26. Thank you, jenmito..it defies

human decency.

And, jumps right into the realm of Assholeness.

[jenmito]

34. No problem, Cha. Did you see Matthews calling the video "the next Macaca moment"?

I hope he's right!

[ShortnFiery]

32. Thanks, please tell all Virginians you know to go out on 3 Nov 09 & Vote for DEEDS!

p.s. Election DAY for Virginia = 3 Nov 09 Tuesday

[Cha]

24. I was looking for the name "Robert Johnson"..I guess this is

his wife who is seemingly as scuzball as he is?

<snip>

From NBC's Tom Lea and Mark Murray

Four days after he made an unmistakable allusion to Obama's teenage drug use and even referred to him as Sidney Poitier, Clinton supporter Bob Johnson apologized to Obama for those remarks.

"I'm writing to apologize to you and your family personally for the un-called-for comments I made at a recent Clinton event," Johnson said in a statement. "In my zeal to support Senator Clinton, I made some very inappropriate remarks for which I am truly sorry. I hope that you will accept this apology. Good luck on the campaign trail."

<more>
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/17/584435.aspx

[CakeGrrl]

25. Bad move. I hope she's lambasted

IMO, there's something fundamentally mean in someone's character to mock any sort of physical or mental disability.

[FrenchieCat]

27. If I recall correctly, Bob Johnson helped Obama win the primaries.....

by being on the side of Obama's opposition.

So this outburst of Mr. Johnson might Help Mr. Deeds! :shrug:

[dsc]

29. I hope James Earl Jones, a famous stutter, rips her a new one

[grantcart]

30. I don't think that she realized the message that she was actually communicting

Even the audience was embarassed by her lack of civility.

[tanyev]

33. When a Republican audience is embarrassed by a criticism of a Democrat, it must be bad.

[ShortnFiery]

31. The woman has no sense of decency. :(

:thumbsdown:

She also owns the WNBA "Mistics"? What a shame. :(

[lynne]

35. A bit of an odd situation, she's a Democrat who's supporting McDonnell in this race -

- she is an active Obama and Tim Kaine supporter and has historically donated to the Democratic party. With this nasty comment and her support of McDonnell, it almost sounds personal. I have to wonder if she has a personal grievance against Deeds.

[CTLawGuy]

36. isn't this the guy who said working women

were "a threat to the family"? Why is this *charming* woman supporting McDonnell?

[lynne]

37. Good question, which is why I'm wondering if its a personal thing -

- as it doesn't make a lot of sense on the surface.

[Blue_Tires]

39. i don't know if there is a connection, but

Johnson and some other Richmond business bigwigs DID jump in bed with McDonnell like a day or two after McAuliffe got knocked out of the primary...

[vaberella]

38. That was uncool. It's not cool to make fun of someone with a speech impediment.

Fuckin' hell can't people learn a little and show a little class and respect.

[jenmito]

40. Did you see Morning Joe's opinion of this?

It went something like this:

Mika-She (Johnson) said her mouth sometimes gets the best of her.

Willie-Is anyone else having trouble getting worked up about that story?

Joe-No. Is that the best you got? I mean come on.

Willie-Let's give Sheila Johnson a pass on that one.

All-Yeah. Come on...

:eyes:

[grantcart]

41. Update Johnson apologizes

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/06/sheila-johnson-apologizes-to-deeds/

Black Entertainment Television (BET) co-founder Sheila Johnson has apologized for pretending to stutter at a campaign event where she mimicked Virginia's Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds.

As if negative TV campaign ads weren't enough, video showing Johnson mock Democrat Creigh Deeds is now swirling around on the internet.

Full story on WAVY.com

[texasleo]

42. Jay Leno to hire Creigh Deeds as his new announcer.