# President Obama uses the N word. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2015, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143 "2015-06-22T12:21:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/1 "2015-06-22T12:21:53Z")
[https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=obama+uses+the+n+word&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=obama+uses+the+n+word&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) So the folks on fox are really upset about this today. They believe it is beneath the dignity of the office. Personally, I’m okay with the president using the word in the way he did. What about you guys? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/2 "2015-06-22T12:32:25Z")
Yep. Adults talking about racism can use difficult words like that. And white politicians can use it too, in such a context, in my view. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/3 "2015-06-22T12:49:39Z")
Oh Deah Lord! I believe I’ve got the vapours! Fetch me my fainting couch and the smelling salts! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/4 "2015-06-22T12:52:13Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > [obama uses the n word - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=obama+uses+the+n+word&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) > > So the folks on fox are really upset [SNIP] …perpetually. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/5 "2015-06-22T12:55:24Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > So the folks on fox are really upset about this today. They believe it is beneath the dignity of the office. Who died and left them in charge of the dignity of the office? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/6 "2015-06-22T12:56:46Z")
Why do all the news outlets call it “the N word” instead of quoting it directly? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/7 "2015-06-22T12:57:30Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Why do all the news outlets call it “the N word” instead of quoting it directly? > > Regards, > Shodan Cowardice, I think. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/8 "2015-06-22T13:05:19Z")
I believe the same rules apply to politicians here as to the general public. You better be black to use the N word, otherwise your a racist. Any white politician who used the word in a public debate, no matter the context, would be totally eviscerated for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/9 "2015-06-22T13:21:48Z")
Well, it got a bunch of people to read articles about Obama’s thoughts on race so “mission accomplished”, I guess. The article on CNBC’s site quotes him directly by the way. Maybe it’s more acceptable as a quote in print. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/10 "2015-06-22T13:23:09Z")
I didn’t read the article but it’s clear that he used it as part of whatever point he is making. So the hell what? I’m so sick of “the n word” (OP, I’m not singling you out, I just mean in general). As long as you’re not saying it to or about someone just grow up and say nigger. The word itself will not make either your tongue or the listener’s ears spontaneously combust. People do understand context. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/11 "2015-06-22T13:25:37Z")
[Politico](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/obama-n-word-marc-maron-interview-119272.html) didn’t print it. Personally, I am not _glad_ he used it, exactly, but I certainly don’t mind its use in the abstract (and that would be true of any white politician.) We dance around the word like we’re nine-year-olds, worried somebody will say, “you said _nigger_, I’m telling!” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/12 "2015-06-22T13:38:03Z")
Sigh. The [use-mention distinction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use%E2%80%93mention_distinction) is probably a lost cause with most people, but here goes. Using the word “nigger” is almost never acceptable, and if Obama had in fact done so, it would in fact have demeaned the dignity of his office. But Obama did not use the word “nigger”; he mentioned it, and that is completely appropriate in a discussion of racism. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/13 "2015-06-22T13:41:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Sigh. The [use-mention distinction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use%E2%80%93mention_distinction) is probably a lost cause with most people, but here goes. Using the word “nigger” is almost never acceptable, and if Obama had in fact done so, it would in fact have demeaned the dignity of his office. But Obama did not use the word “nigger”; he mentioned it, and that is completely appropriate in a discussion of racism. Thank you. With this in mind, I’ll revise my post #2: Yep. Adults talking about racism can mention difficult words like that. And white politicians can mention it too, in such a context, in my view. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/14 "2015-06-22T13:50:47Z")
A man that has had the word flung at him countless times during and before his presidency doesn’t have the right to mention it? ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/15 "2015-06-22T13:58:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Why do all the news outlets call it “the N word” instead of quoting it directly? > > Regards, > Shodan Louis CK agrees with you: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF1NUposXVQ) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/16 "2015-06-22T13:59:03Z")
I was hoping to find a rant about this, after seeing “Obama uses the N-Word!!!” as a lead story on NBC News and Time. Clearly, “Obama has a discussion about race” doesn’t manufacture enough controversy. If it’s possible for us to be infantilized any further by the media, I can’t imagine how. **RNATB** got it exactly right… it’s as though we’re to be a classroom of children howling “AWWWW!!! Barack said a _bad wooooord_!” when the teacher steps out of the room. Completely pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/17 "2015-06-22T14:24:46Z")
Does this mean the SMB poster who goes by **Barack Obama** will now automatically be banned? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/18 "2015-06-22T15:08:13Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > So the folks on fox are really upset about this today. The day Fox News is not upset about something Obama did is the day Obama should really look himself in the mirror and ask if he’s done the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/19 "2015-06-22T15:56:56Z")
Hold on now, the bigger insult to the dignity of the office of the President is that Obama is doing interviews for _some asshole with a podcast_. by which I mean that the interview is a trivial insult, and Obama mentioning “nigger” is less than trivial. I’m trying to find the original transcript but the [podcast’s website](http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_613_-_president_barack_obama) seems to be hammered by this, and I can’t find transcripts anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143/20 "2015-06-22T16:04:11Z")
I’m at work, and haven’t seen/heard the quote, but I’m confident that Obama had good intentions however he used the word. What fox news knows about dignity can fit on the pointy end of a very sharp pin. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-obama-uses-the-n-word/723143.md?page=2)