Last week, Black Entertainment Television Founder Robert Johnson commented on the high black unemployment rate in the United States, remarking that the nation would never tolerate a white unemployment rate in the double digits.
He sat down with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly to further elaborate, saying that President Obama is getting a pass from the black community because they have “immense pride” in the first black president, and are still “hopeful” he’ll turn things around.
Johnson explained to O’Reilly why Obama has consistently received overwhelming support among African-Americans, despite high unemployment figures.
“African-Americans have immense pride in President Obama as a president. They see it as a major accomplishment in this country and embracing an African-American leader. And they’re positive and hopeful, probably, more than anything, that his leadership will make their lives better.”
However, Johnson told O’Reilly that black unemployment has been higher than the national average for decades. O’Reilly cited statistics showing black unemployment under 8 percent in 2000, and that under Obama it has risen from 10 to 14 percent. He asserted that the “primary problem in the African-American community is out-of-wedlock birth.”
Read more: Mediaite.com
