White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has faced a targeted attack from the owner of a conservative radio station.
During a broadcast, the owner, Delk Kennedy, resorted to racially offensive language by referring to Jean-Pierre, a Black woman, as “Buckwheat.”
This derogatory term drew widespread condemnation from those who believe such incidents contribute to the perception of certain factions within the GOP as being associated with racism.
Kennedy, who hosts the show “3 Dudes with a View” on WKOM 101.7 FM and owns the station, ridiculed Jean-Pierre by referencing the name of a Black character from the 1930s series “The Little Rascals.”
While discussing how the government should impede access to gender-affirming care and how Democrats are pushing legislation to expose children to conversations about gender identity, he hurled out inaccurate claims about Jean-Pierre and President Joe Biden.
“President Biden has come — both he and Buckwheat Jean-Pierre have come out and in favor of a national law, allowing minors without the consent of their parents to have gender changing procedures,” Kennedy stated, according to The Advocate.
“And in some cases,” Kennedy added, “states have enacted laws —California, places like that — where if a child wants gender-changing surgery and the parents won’t consent, the child can be removed from the home as abused and neglected, placed in foster care, and be given the gender changing procedures.”
This was not the only time he referred to her as “Buckwheat,” calling her that when he spoke about the administration sending resources to Ukraine.
“What’s interesting to me is that Jen Psaki, the former White House [Press Secretary], she had Jean-Pierre Buckwheat’s job before she came out just a year or two ago, saying that cluster bombs were a war crime. And guess what Joe Biden did last week? He sent cluster bombs to Ukraine,” he barked.
The public was outraged.
One Twitter user said, “WOW! And then they wonder why we keep calling them racists.”
“Somebody explain to me why calling her Buckwheat is acceptable?” another tweeted.
Some people have called for people to report him to the FCC to file a complaint about him engaging in “on-air racism.”
According to the Maury Holler, James Evan Dallas, the Maury County Democrats Chairperson, called on Kennedy to apologize for his comments at the Democratic Party meeting.
Kennedy got wind of the pushback and addressed it on his show.
One of his co-hosts said to him, “Apparently, you calling her Buckwheat just really set these white folks off.”
“There we go, Buckwheat, Buckwheat, Buckwheat,” Kennedy continued. “Actually, that’s a compliment to Karine Jean-Pierre.”
This is not the first time Jean-Pierre has been referred to as the “Our Gang” staple. Many have ridiculed her, calling her Buckwheat since 2022.
After Kennedy’s remark, one person tweeted, “Otay”! Now that is an astute observation. But she is more of an Affirmative Action Kewpie Doll. Only problem ‘Buckwheat’ had his [crap]Together and she doesn’t.”
