April 09, 2007
Page Disappointed Imus Broke Racism Pledge
Clarence Page just told CNN he was "disappointed" in talk radio host Don Imus, whose mouth has gotten him in another race-related flap. On his widely syndicated show last week, Imus called members of the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos" and a producer referred to the championship players as "jigaboos."
Imus has apologized and said he hopes to meet with the athletes in person, but black activists say this latest episode is the final straw. The Rev. Al Sharpton vowed to picket outside the New York studios where Imus tapes until the disc jockey was removed, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson plans a noon protest today outside NBC's Chicago studio. NBC owns MSNBC, which airs Imus' show every weekday morning.
In a possible sign of reconciliation, Newsday reports that Imus will appear on Sharpton's radio talk show at 1 p.m. EDT -- it can be heard online at sharptontalk.net.
But for some in the black community, Imus' remorseful gestures of contrition are too little, too late. Back in 2001, Page, the Chicago Tribune's Washington columnist and onetime regular guest on the show, pressured Imus to take a pledge "to cease all simian references to black athletes." (Click here to hear Imus take the oath in a critical report on his "media entourage." NPR has a more recent report here.)
While Imus' latest remarks aren't exactly simian in nature, they are arguably just as offensive to blacks. Politicians such as John Kerry, John McCain and Mitt Romney are no strangers to Imus' show. CNN said it asked all the WH '08 candidates to respond to the flap; only Romney sent back a "no comment" comment.
