Juan Williams
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-10-26/juan-williams
Juan Williams is a political commentator for Fox News and until last week he was also a news analyst for NPR. He joined NPR in 1999 as the daily host of Talk of The Nation, and in recent years he’s served as an NPR senior national correspondent. His comments on Fox's The O'Reilly Factor last week prompted a seemingly abrupt dismissal from NPR. Juan Williams talks about his career, his roles as news analyst and commentator, and his reaction to the recent controversy over his dismissal from NPR.
Guests
Juan Williams
FOX News political contributor, former NPR news analyst and author of "Enough."
Related Video
Fox News political contributor and former NPR news analyst Juan Williams discusses his feelings about NPP management and the way in which he was fired last week following remarks he made on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor." Williams described his exchange with NPR senior vice president for news, Ellen Weiss, from whom he received the news of his dismissal: "I asked Ellen Weiss, 'Do you have a conscience?'...she was carrying out orders. This was an execution from her point of view, I guess:"
"I'm a big fan of radio and public radio," Fox News political contributor and former NPR news analyst Juan Williams said in response to Diane's question about whether he meant to attack all of NPR's programming in his recent criticisms of the organization. Williams draws a distinction between local stations' programming decisions and those made at the national level at NPR's headquarters:
Diane's Complete Interview With Juan Williams: Part 1
Diane's Complete Interview With Juan Williams: Part 2
Diane's Complete Interview With Juan Williams: Part 3
Diane's Complete Interview With Juan Williams: Part 4
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
Juan, as a word smith of all word smiths, to act as if this is all just cool is condesending to those of us who listen and think.
As you mentioned, you are an author, you are a pro at communications, listening to you now, you sound simply whining...I have always liked you.
To not acknowledge that you simply got too close to the edge is a simple insult to me....take it like the pro that you are,,,we all miss one once in a while...the leaders are the ones that admit it and go on.
Without that you have lost me fwiw.
Juan, as a word smith of all word smiths, to act as if this is all just cool is condesending to those of us who listen and think.
As you mentioned, you are an author, you are a pro at communications, listening to you now, you sound simply whining...I have always liked you.
To not acknowledge that you simply got too close to the edge is a simple insult to me....take it like the pro that you are,,,we all miss one once in a while...the leaders are the ones that admit it and go on.
Without that you have lost me fwiw.
Juan, as a word smith of all word smiths, to act as if this is all just cool is condesending to those of us who listen and think.
As you mentioned, you are an author, you are a pro at communications, listening to you now, you sound simply whining...I have always liked you.
To not acknowledge that you simply got too close to the edge is a simple insult to me....take it like the pro that you are,,,we all miss one once in a while...the leaders are the ones that admit it and go on.
Without that you have lost me fwiw.
Juan-
I believe that your diversity is what helped make NPR an excellent source of unbiased news reporting, and my opinion of NPR upper management has been greatly diminished.
I am so pleased to hear you on the Diane Rehm Show, which I believe is one of the best well-balanced news sources available in the media today. I agree that you have been sorely mistreated by the leaders of NPR, and I applaud Diane for having you on her show.
I will greatly miss hearing you as an analyst on NPR and I wish you the best of luck.
Diane, thank you for providing an unbiased, in-depth forum for discussing major issues in our country. Great job for hosting Juan today!
Cathy Robbins
Cincinnati Ohio
I listened to Mr. Williams full comments on O'Reilly. I feel his comments were extreme and his protests about "defending the rights of Muslims" do not square up. Glad to see him go.
Juan,
Always been a big fan of your work (you too Diane).
I love NPR as well but I think they made the wrong call here.
I am an Arab-American (born and raised in the U.S.) and fly up to NYC a lot for work and even I get nervous when I see "people in Muslim garb" getting on the plane and these are people who look like my grandparents!!!
If I am getting nervous about it I can't imagine how most average Americans must feel!
Good luck with the rest of your work.
p.s. Fox stinks! =)
Do to upbringing, ( a lot of moving around the country, and education), I have a foot in both "conservative" and "liberal" camps.
Over the years, I have both watched Fox News, and listened to countless hours of NPR. NEITHER media outlet is 100% unbiased.
Watching him on Fox, I never much cared for Juan Williams. He generally expressed his views in a somewhat abrasive way that frankly, often bugged me.
However, that NPR would just fire him in such an off-hand way (after 10 years) strikes me as intellectual cowardice and hypocrisy.
And to question his sanity to boot - disgusting. This implies that any person who has a reaction of anxiety and fear to seeing someone in Muslim garb on an airplane is INSANE. Give me a break. This country is recovering still from the greatest disaster of our generation and being scared reflexively before reasoning kicks in does not mean you're a racist.
We are bending over backwards to not offend anyone, especially Muslims. Searching 80 year old women at an airport is okay, but admitting fear is not.
I am a regular contributor to NPR, and I wish I could take a portion of my recent donation back, or just direct it all to Wait Wait.
Marie, from D.C.
After reading some of the comments on the drshow website in response to today’s interview with Juan Williams (which mainly focused on Mr. Williams’s and/or NPR’s partisan political stance) , I have to say that when I turned on my radio I had a totally different reaction, which was…..why on earth is Diane spending time on this????? This is stuff for Entertainment Tonight not the Diane Rehm show (at least based on what I’ve been listining to over the years). Sure, one could argue that this discussion about about "journalism." It sounds more like a one-sided whining session to me.
Diane- I am very disappointed in Juan. Look, none of the 9/11 hijackers were wearing "Muslim garb", nor were the shoebomber, the underwear bomber, the Times Square bomber, or rest of them. How could you seriously sit down and interview a head of state from Pakistan, Iraq, Indonesia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, etc, after such a comment? They would not sake you seriously.
Also, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists wear what some might think of as "Muslim garb". Juan included a whole swath of humanity with one tiny brush.
Last thing- Juan, you cashed NPR's checks for years Now you want funding to stop. That seems very hypocritical.
Jack
Come on screeners at the Diane Rehm show. Allow some challenging questions on about the alleged "ethics and standards" at NPR. When are you going to allow some questions in about this inconsistency at NPR
Juan and Diane some years ago former employees of NPR claimed that there was an environment of "pervasive cronyism" at NPR. Especially in regard to those who were given talk show host post and programs along with individuals being moved up line. Some of these employees went through the court system with their charges. I have read that there was an outside investigation into these claims and that report about the alleged claims of "pervasive cronyism" at NPR has never been released.
Juan do you think there is an environment of "pervasive cronyism" at NPR? And what can either of you tell us about this alleged report?
It appears that the up line orders to fire you Juan based on the alleged journalistic "ethics and standards" are selective and inconsistent
"... when I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous"
Where is a crump of political analysis? A clear case of panic stricken individual who is trying to peddle his own cowardice as an objective opinion. Whether Mr Williams is a bigot or unstable or just uncanny political speculator, conforming to the fatter employer political trend, I am not sure, but NPR was right to fire him, Fox ought to do the same.
If I want to listen to an apologist for a faux news organization that has no ethics, no journalistic standards, no editorial standards, no wall of separation between the news staff and the Republican talking points machine ... then I'll tune in Faux News itself, thank you very much. I thought we were rid of this sham journalist once and for all. If Juan Williams were a serious journalist, he would NEVER have gone anywhere near Faux News, not once. I am disappointed that Diane has chosen to give Mr. Williams a forum to whine and defend his faux integrity and his very faux objectivity. I'm sure he and the most despicable Rupert Murdoch will be very happy together now and forever. To cite an old joke about Southern Yellow Dog Democrats who switched parties in the Reagan years, Mr. Williams leaving NPR and joining Faux News raises the intelligence quotient of both organizations. Considerably.
It is a shame that NPR fired Juan Williams. I have been a liberal-leaning democrat for many years, and Juan's comments on Fox news or any comments made on NPR have never been over the top. I have been an NPR listener for many, many years. In fact, I like to preset every station in my wife's car to NPR (much to her chagrin). Unfortunately, the Juan Williams firing has made me question the reliability of NPR news. I do not watch Fox News because they are too conservative, but I will no longer be listening to NPR because they are obviously too liberal.
The right to free speech is not an absolute unqualified right. Juan Williams says that he is expressing his honest opinion about a few, only a few, of those who follow Islam and that because it is his honest opinion, he has a right to state it. That is true, but it is not true in every single circumstance.
In the current political environment, NPR has a right to employ those whom it chooses to employ and it also has a right to fire those whom it chooses to fire if codes of ethics or codes of conduct are violated. Working people are fired in private industry every day for some violation and there is little recourse. Perhaps that needs to change, but not at the level at which Juan Williams is employed.
NPR was correct in firing Mr. Williams. The statement that he feels nervous when he sees someone who relates to the world as a Muslim, although honest, was indicative of prejudice and stereotyping just as a white woman clutching her hand bag when she sees a black male is guilty of prejudice and stereotyping. It might be an honest reaction on the white woman's part, but that does not negate the fact that it is also a prejudicial action rooted in an ignorant stereotype.
Juan Williams's reaction to Muslims is also honest but it is also rooted in prejudice and stereotyping. He should have been fired.
He should have been fired.
I don't get it. Why would an Islamist extremist getting onto an airplane draw attention by dressing in traditional Islamic garb? And as to the discussion during the show that black people getting on airplanes wouldn't arouse fear, let's remember that the shoe bomber and underwear bomber both were! The first thing I'd expect of an airborne terrorist is to avoid stereotypes.
Man oh man. The screeners are only letting people who are criticizing Juan. Not one person allowed through criticizing the firing, the inconsistencies at NPR in regard to where they apply these journalistic "ethics and standards"
Talk about bias. Only allowing criticisms of Juan
I work from home, and have news television on in the background during a good portion of each day. I try to bounce between both MSNBC and Fox News, because I find each of them to be biased, and watching both is the only way to get a balanced view of the facts. Fox News is a regular target of derision for its right-leaning bias, but in all honesty, how can you overlook a left-leaning bias of equal intensity on behalf of MSNBC?
My major problem with Juan Williams has been for a while that he has made too much of the news about his own personality. Maybe this is as a result of his time on cable news, but one of the best aspects of NPR is that while they do have on-air personalities that attract followings, these personalities can easily be replaced with guest hosts with no loss in quality because the reporting and analysis in the background stays consistently strong.
Juan Williams on the other hand, seems to constantly believe that he is as important as the news he analyzes. He has become just another cable news talking head, constantly hawking his beliefs and opinions at a bizarrely willing public.
Also, Mr. Williams constantly talks about his "journalism", but he is not really a journalist (at least not any more); he is an analyst or opinion-maker. I wish him the best of luck in his new million-dollar career; NPR can easily replace him, and he will not be missed.
I like Juan Williams' commentary and I am disappointed with NPR for firing him.
I am also disappointed with Juan for joining Fox News. What a terrible waste of his talent to be a part of that kind of entertainment.
Leaving aside the merits or handling of the NPR firing, what I found *really* offensive were his statements after the fact that NPR should have its funding cut and should "compete in the marketplace". He received paychecks from NPR for many years, but suddenly, based solely on his personal pique, he's advocating for public radio to have its funding slashed. I find his blurring of personal feelings and public policy to be totally unprofessional and hypocritical. Indeed, he is on public radio with you right now, funded in part by public dollars.
Either Mr. Williams should give back every dollar he received from public radio over the years, or he should apologize for his rash statement.
Juan Williams is being disingenuous.
He said on FoxNews that NPR should "compete in the marketplace", ie. have its funding cut. Now he is pretending he didn't say that and likes public radio.
Call him on his double speak!
It looks like NPR has some serious corporate governance issues ... Vivian Schiller's performance ranks right up there with Jimmy Coyne and Dick Fuld for unnecessary self-inflicted damage to her organization.
I dont think Mr.Juan understands what it means to be a journalist because a good and honest reporter leaves his personal opinions and views out of his job.
i think mr. juan has gone from a reporter to a pundit for fox news which is known for spreading islamaphobic rhetoric and fear mongering agendas. i believe that NPR did the right thing for firing him
I do not see FOX News as a news agency - It's entertainment much like the Jon Stewart Show. Mr. Williams needs to choose - does he want to be an entertainer or a journalist? NPR shouldn't employ entertainers as journalists. The 2 million pretty much proves the point.
Hold on a minute, please. Grilling Mr. Williams about his background, about Clarence Thomas's behavior, misses the point and is too easy. The issue is not Mr. William's abilities as a journalist. He's a journeyman, and was a credit to NPR. The issue is the unilateral firing, by phone, of an experienced journalist. Where is Vivian Schiller and Ellen Weiss? They made what appear to be poor if not capricious management decisions. Where is their accountability? What kind of working conditions are we, as NPR supporters, permitting for the journalists we so deeply value? Is there no work place democracy at NPR?
This is nothing but an extension of the publicity stunt that began way back with Juan's peculiar role on Fox as well as NPR - inappropriate and inexplicable for a news consumer on the right or on the left. As seen on ABC's "The View" with guest O'Reilly, this is a long-term effort to mainstream Fox.
Perfect example is Juan's statement that Fox's non-prime time news is professional and quality. The kind of news that is anti-education, anti-labor and anti African-American, glaringly evident in Fox's fictional propaganda about the "new" Panther Party.
Why would someone who's been terminated and an employee of Fox be promoted so quickly on NPR?
Mr. Williams argument about journalistic integrity do not carry water. How many journalists would answer the question, “Do you support this bill” or “which candidate would you vote for?” Of course they wouldn’t
Furthermore, while Ms Shiller’s comments were incredibly tacky (she should have said “Priest”) they expressed the needs for you to keep your personal anti-Islam stance private rather than public. Your comments sound like anyone who sees a Psychiatrist is mentally unstable and is incredibly hurtful.
Diane, so good to hear the controversy of Clarence Thomas sexual harrassment come up. He lied during his confirmation, and the most important thing that could happen is to get rid of him. Get him to resign, so Barack(blessing) Obama can nominate a decent justice in his place. The supreme court is "full on" imposing the Reagen-Bush-Bush Jr. agenda on this country. Where is the Fairness Doctrine and what are you and the media community doing to get our democracy back from corporate funding of Psycological operations, call it campaign finance. Our freedom of speech, political speech, political rights and democratic process has been openly destroyed by Clarence Thomas and this right wing activist court. When does the media wake up, forget the Democrats, the jelly fish!
I am sooo glad Mr. Williams is on the show today. Although I am NOT a fan of the FOX commentary network, I was VERY disappointed how NPR handled this situation. WHEN did Political Correctness TRUMP truth? He wasn't talking about Right OR Wrong. He was talking about FEELINGS. How often are our 'feelings' reasonable OR rational?
Disappointed to hear the anger from callers and partisan approach to Juan Williams firing. Why is it so difficult to see him as someone who was fired inappropriately by NPR management. Can't believe the lack of tolerance for someone as 'solid' as Juan Williams. I find it hard to believe Ms. Schiller still has her job after both the comments she made and the lack of leadership she has demonstrated.
Why is it that NPR believes they still deserve taxpayer funding?
here's the op-ed which does not mention Breitbart ( a Fox contributor) or that the video was first posted on Foxnews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/07/21/juan-williams-shirley-sherrod-...