Rupert Murdoch, the powerful media mogul and chief executive of 21st Century Fox, set off a social media firestorm Wednesday when he appeared to tweet support for Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson as "a real black president."
Ben and Candy Carson terrific. What about a real black President who can properly address the racial divide? And much else.
Murdoch has been publicly supportive of Carson, especially on social media.
On Tuesday, Murdoch urged his followers on Twitter to catch Carson's interview on Fox News' The Kelly File, and last week said "pundits keep underestimating Ben Carson."
But it was his latest comment that prompted a wave of responses — and plenty of backlash — from those who took his tweet as questioning President Obama's credentials as a black leader.
Rupert Murdoch = arbiter of Blackness.
Murdoch, being a person working to advance the goals of white supremacy, would naturally prefer to have a black president who helped him.
Murdoch: Ben Carson would be 'real black president' http://t.co/1WtLW4tT50 | Getty
Wednesday night, however, was not the first time Murdoch has publicly questioned Obama's racial identity.
A month earlier, drawing comparisons between Carson and Obama once again, he referenced the president's "white upbringing."
2 stories. Carson, Detroit ghetto to brilliant neurosurgeon. Obama white upbringing to community organizer. Sincere men, different values
The response was swift after Wednesday's comment.
This is seriously disgusting https://t.co/cu2QQOZeEo
Basically my entire Twitter feed consists of flabbergasted RT's of Murdoch. (No immediate comment from his top PR person, BTW)
"A real black President"? Sit down, Mr. Murdoch, before Trump deports you. https://t.co/oMkJB392FB
A spokesperson for 21st Century Fox declined to comment on Murdoch's tweet on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, Murdoch tweeted an apology:
Apologies! No offence meant. Personally find both men charming.