Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NBC’s Williams apologizes after Obama-Ford mix-up (Both look the same to Brian)
The Hill ^ | 2/7/06 | Jeff Dufour

Posted on 02/08/2006 5:35:49 AM PST by frankjr

“NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams told The Hill that he wrote Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.) letters of apology last week after he confused the two men at the State of the Union address.

During NBC’s broadcast, Williams noticed Obama on the House floor and identified him to the viewing audience. Unfortunately, it was actually Ford.

“I made a silly and honest mistake, and knowing both men I knew instantly what I had done,” a contrite and gracious Williams said in a phone call. “I obviously should have corrected it, but the proper time never arose.”

Williams isn’t alone. Rewind to last’s year’s State of the Union. Another reporter asked Obama’s office why he hugged the president. Again, it was Ford.

People mix them up plenty, even though the Capitol Rotunda separates the two men on most workdays. And “they don’t look that much alike,” one Senate staffer said. That they get confused at all is “pretty amazing,” one House aide lamented.

Neither Ford nor Obama’s offices would comment.

The two lawmakers are good friends, and Ford even campaigned for Obama in 2004.

If Ford is successful in getting himself elected to the Senate this fall, the mix-ups may deepen.


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 109th; allblackpeople; allblackslookalike; alllookalike; apology; barackobama; blackpeoplelookalike; brianwilliams; bush; bush43; cartoon; cartoons; congress; corettascottking; ford; g75; globalwarming; haroldford; hatingamerica; jimmycarter; lookalike; lookthesame; nbc; nbcnews; obama; osama; osamaobamabinladen; plantation; racialprofiling; racist; same; sametobrian; senate; socialists; thesame; wealllookalike; williams
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last


1 posted on 02/08/2006 5:35:52 AM PST by frankjr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: frankjr

Easy to get them confused - they're both socialists!


2 posted on 02/08/2006 5:37:41 AM PST by Rummyfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

I don't think they look anything alike. Curious.


3 posted on 02/08/2006 5:37:46 AM PST by twigs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

Can you imagine if someone on Fox had done the same thing? The MSM would be hammering them!


4 posted on 02/08/2006 5:38:37 AM PST by mainepatsfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr


Hmmmmm. Now if Brit had done this.....


5 posted on 02/08/2006 5:38:52 AM PST by onyx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

If this happens to Carl Cameron or Tony Snow, they would've been called racist.


6 posted on 02/08/2006 5:39:12 AM PST by paudio
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

I heard congress was a Republician plantation. I guess not.


7 posted on 02/08/2006 5:39:53 AM PST by Steamburg (Pretenders everywhere)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan
Easy to get them confused - they're both socialists!

Agreed. I would confuse them with Hillary even.

8 posted on 02/08/2006 5:40:25 AM PST by smith288 (The older I get, the dumber I become as im wise enough to acknowledge how much more there is to know)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

For the record, Harold Ford jr is the scion of the Memphis Ford family of political crooks. His relatives are currently being kicked out of the Tennessee State Senate in droves.

He is running for US Senate but everybody knows he is crooked as a snake and his oily manner is just an act.

There will not be enough dead people to make him the winner.


9 posted on 02/08/2006 5:40:31 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. Slay Pinch)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

An apology is not enough. Williams was making a claim that black people all look alike. He should resign! Fight fire with fire!


10 posted on 02/08/2006 5:40:42 AM PST by Wasanother (Terrorist come in many forms but all are RATS.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr
Did he write letters of apology when he mixed up these two?


11 posted on 02/08/2006 5:40:53 AM PST by The G Man (The Red States ... the world's only hope for survival.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

All liberals look the same


12 posted on 02/08/2006 5:41:19 AM PST by gathersnomoss
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan

Exactly!


13 posted on 02/08/2006 5:41:35 AM PST by davisfh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

Programs! Programs! Get your programs here!


14 posted on 02/08/2006 5:42:49 AM PST by Road Warrior ‘04 (Kill 'em til they're dead! Then, kill 'em again!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The G Man
Did he write letters of apology when he mixed up these two?

Certainly no apology needed for THAT!

15 posted on 02/08/2006 5:44:54 AM PST by Tokra (I think I'll retire to Bedlam.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Bushbacker1

Brian Williams engaging in a little Racial Profiling? Eh?


16 posted on 02/08/2006 5:45:09 AM PST by Galtoid ( .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: frankjr
Gee Brian, what's your problem?

Huh, what's that? 'They' all look alike. Oh, okay.

(The again - I guess 'they' would all 'look alike' when your little world consists solely of Manhattan cocktail parties)

17 posted on 02/08/2006 5:47:49 AM PST by Condor51 (Better to fight for something than live for nothing - Gen. George S. Patton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

18 posted on 02/08/2006 5:52:20 AM PST by rabidralph
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummyfan
Easy to get them confused - they're both socialists!

You owe me for a new monitor and keyboard. Mine are covered in coffee now.

19 posted on 02/08/2006 5:53:17 AM PST by D-Chivas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: frankjr

Can you imagine what would happen if Williams was covering a SeaWorld event and the Swimmer was there with Shamu?


20 posted on 02/08/2006 5:58:31 AM PST by Toespi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson