W.H. Defends Larry Wilmore ‘My N*gga’ Joke: Obama ‘Appreciated the Spirit’ of Remarks

‘I’m confident that Mr. Wilmore used the word by design’

Obama not offended by Larry Wilmore's N-word shout-out (The Washington Examiner)

President Obama isn't taking exception to comedian Larry Wilmore's use of the N-word during his speech at the White House Correspondents' dinner Saturday night.

Instead, the White House appears to be offering a tepid endorsement of the way Wilmore used the racist term.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said he had talked to Obama about Wilmore's use of the word and said the president told him "he appreciated the spirit of Mr. Wilmore's expression Saturday night."

"I'm confident that Mr. Wilmore used the word by design. He was seeking to be provocative," Earnest said. "Any reading of his comments made clear that he was not using the president as a butt of a joke."

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