‘I’m a strong black woman’: Maxine Waters says she’s not responding to Bill O’Reilly jab
Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., responded Tuesday after Fox News host Bill O’Reilly ridiculed her appearance, saying he was unable to focus during a recent speech she gave on the House floor because he was distracted by her “James Brown wig.”
Appearing on MSNBC’s “All In With Chris Hayes,” Waters delivered a searing retort when asked if she wanted to respond to O’Reilly. She criticized both O’Reilly and ex-Fox News chief Roger Ailes, who resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal.
“No, I’m not responding to him,” Waters began. “First of all, let me thank Hillary Clinton for standing up for all women and in particular for black women,” she continued, referring to a Tuesday speech in which the former Democratic candidate took some swipes at President Trump. “And let me just say this: I’m a strong black woman. And I cannot be intimidated, I cannot be undermined, I cannot be thought to be afraid of Bill O’Reilly or anybody.
“And I’d like to say to women out there everywhere: Don’t allow these right-wing talking heads, these dishonorable people, to intimidate you or scare you,” she said. “Be who you are, do what you do. And let us get on with discussing the real issues of this country. Bill O’Reilly and Roger Ailes have no credibility. They have been sued by women; they’ve had to pay millions of dollars out in fines for harassment and other kinds of things. And so we know about that checkered past. And we also know that when a woman stands up and speaks truth to power that there will be attempts to put her down.”
“And so, I’m not going to be put down. I’m not going to go anywhere. I’m going to stay on the issues.”
O’Reilly, who issued an apologetic statement for the remark Tuesday, again addressed the controversy on “The O’Reilly Factor.”
“‘Talking Points’ believes Ms. Waters is totally sincere in her belief system,” O’Reilly began. “And though many Americans disagree with her extremism from time to time, she deserves a hearing and should not be marginalized by political opponents.”
He continued: “In fact, I made that mistake this morning on ‘Fox & Friends.’ I said in a simple jest that the congressman’s hair distracted me. Well, that was stupid. I apologize. It had no place in the conversation. Now, it’s unnecessary to poke fun at anyone who is speaking from the heart in the public arena, in my opinion. But it is necessary to analyze what’s being said.”
O’Reilly had made the wig quip Tuesday morning on “Fox & Friends” after the show played a clip of Waters on the House floor criticizing the president. On his show that evening, O’Reilly replayed the clip.
“Now, it would be instructive for Ms. Waters to come on ‘The Factor’ to define her beef, what’s bothering her about President Trump,” O’Reilly said. “But of course, she will not do that. Way too risky, because she’d be challenged by me and she doesn’t want to be challenged.”
O’Reilly accused Waters of “spouting the left-wing company line.”
