Earlier on Wednesday, as Guy and our sister sites of Twitchy and Red State covered, Eugene Daniels, the president of the White House Correspondents Association, went after Fox News' Brian Kilmeade, claiming that the "Fox & Friends" host spoke about how Vice President Kamala Harris was going to speak at a "colored sorority." He actually said "college sorority."
The audio reveals that Kilmeade said "college." Co-host Lawrence Jones also indicated he said that, as did Fox News, which Daniels acnowledged after he posted the clip claiming Kilmeade said "colored." That didn't stop DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison from going after Kilmeade and Jones in a ranting post over X. Daniels has deleted his old post and put up a new one, hours after the fact. Kilmeade also addressed the smear campaign against him during his Wednesday radio show.
I spoke to Fox News about this and plan on speaking to Brian when he is off air. They've made clear to me that he used college, not colored.
— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) July 24, 2024
The audio is garbled but I am going to take Brian and his team at their word. pic.twitter.com/PNNV15xbfe
A Fox rep has reached out to me, asserting Kilmeade said "college" instead of "colored" sorority here ...
— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) July 24, 2024
During Wednesday's edition of the "Brian Kilmeade Show," the Fox News host doubled down in making clear that he said "college sorority."
"She will not show up for the prime minister's joint session of Congress today. She'd rather address in the summer a sorority, a college sorority. Like she can't get out of that. So that's her decision," the clip made Kilmeade had said about Harris, who was skipping out on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address that took place on Wednesday.
"So I said a college sorority, right? No problem. College sorority. This idiot, some jerk, goes out and writes on Twitter... writes on Twitter that I said 'colored.' Now you realize, of course, that colored was a term used to describe African Americans in the 19th century," Kilmeade continued.
He also made clear not only did he not use the word "colored," but he's never said the word before. "I’ve never used that word in my life, if you're listening to what I'm saying, if you know where she's speaking, why would I even say that?"
Kilmeade also addressed how Jones was dragged into the situation, which he was done perhaps most notably and most shamefully by the DNC chairman.
"But they went out there and they write that Lawrence Jones was angered by it. Lawrence Jones has since, and to his credit, and we have pushed back and said what the truth is, but if you hear this clip, this is an example of how everybody is looking to jump on other people for no reason," the host continued, making a particularly apt point.
He also highlighted how this could be a lesson for the Trump campaign. "Anything gender-related, anything race-related, they're going to look for anything where they can label you a racist, a sexist, a segregationist. Who knows? But it's not going to stand," Kilmeade offered. As he also cautioned, "people use your heads. Don't look for something trending on Twitter and just assume it's true. I hope we're smarter than that by now."
He went on to thank media relations, Jones, and his produce, Alyson. "But if you see this later in the day, I didn't make a mistake. They made a mistake," Kilmeade emphasized. The host also pointed out that "I make mistakes in this world, you do too, I do, you're on the air."
"To go and characterize something I said, mischaracterize it, and then make me say something I didn't to the point where it would be beyond politically correct, it would be just flat out wrong to say it," he continued, highlighting further how ridiculous such an accusation is.
Kilmeade also provided further context about the term. "I looked it up and it hasn't been used in our country, and I imagine around the world, regularly, in an accepted fashion since the 1800s. All right, that means my grandfather wasn't even using that word, but I'm supposed to be using it on the couch today, and then you go to town on it."
"Hopefully you'll see it today and you'll push back on it," he went on to say on his show, offering again "a special thanks to Lawrence for speaking up," adding "I appreciate that.”
It's worth noting that as of Wednesday night, even with Daniels deleting his post and adding subsequent ones, Harrison has yet to offer any subsequent post acknowledging that Kilmeade said "college."
Even Daniels has said "I am going to take Brian and his team at their word," albeit hours after the fact.
“A COLORED sorority” … in 2024 on national tv… this clown thought it was correct and appropriate to use the term “colored” to describe a distinguished and historic African American sorority.
— Jaime Harrison (@harrisonjaime) July 24, 2024
But what is even worse… a Black man sat a few feet away on that couch and didn’t… https://t.co/DLjkfst8u3
I’m the black man. You’re so damn dishonest. He said “college.”
— Lawrence Jones III (@LawrenceBJones3) July 24, 2024
But that’s all you have. You know the bullshit that you advocate for only brings death, poverty, and destruction to our black communities. You are welcome on the show anytime to debate it.
Me and you. https://t.co/j4g1G1dDRx
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