Hank Williams Jr: Obama and Biden ‘The Enemy’

Country music legend Hank Williams, Jr. is not a fan of the current administration.

Country music legend Hank Williams, Jr. is not a fan of the current administration. Appearing on Fox & Friends this morning, he dubbed President Obama and Vice President Biden “the enemy” and excoriated Speaker Boehner for playing golf with them, declaring, “It would be like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu.”

GRETCHEN CARLSON: So, I’ll start with an easy question, who do you like in the GOP race?

WILLIAMS: Nobody.

STEVE DOOCY (co-host): Nobody?

WILLIAMS: You remember the — you remember the golf game they had, ladies and gentlemen?

DOOCY: Yeah?

WILLIAMS: Remember the golf game?

DOOCY: Boehner?

WILLIAMS: That was one of the biggest political mistakes ever.

CO-HOSTS: Why?

WILLIAMS: That turned a lot of people off. You know, watching, you know, it just didn’t go over.

CARLSON: You mean when John Boehner played golf with President Obama?

WILLIAMS: Oh, yeah! Yeah. And Biden and Kasich, yeah. Uh-huh.

CARLSON: What did you not like about it? It seems to be a really pivotal moment for you.

WILLIAMS: Come on. Come on. It would be like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu, OK?

CARLSON: OK.

WILLIAMS: Not hardly. In the country this shape is in, the shape this country’s in, I mean, no, I don’t think so.

BRIAN KILMEADE (co-host): Yeah, I don’t understand that analogy, actually.

DOOCY: Well, it’s — it’s out there.

WILLIAMS: Well, I’m glad you don’t, brother, because a lot of people do. You know, they’re the enemy. They’re the enemy.

KILMEADE: Who’s the enemy?

WILLIAMS: Obama! And Biden! Are you kidding? The Three Stooges.

DOOCY: That’s only two.

[…]

CARLSON: I just want to say that we disavow any of those comments or analogies that he’s made, at least I’m going to say that, disavow the analogy between Hitler and the president.

When Steve Doocy is smarter than you and Gretchen Carlson thinks you’ve gone too far in criticizing a Democrat, you might want to think twice about going on national TV and talking politics.

In Hank’s defense, there’s a decent possibility he was drunk.

FILED UNDER: Popular Culture, US Politics, , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Jay Tea says:

    Meanwhile, Roseanne Barr says that people who make too much money should be sent to re-education camps… or beheaded.

    Odd which celebs get called out for their craziness, and which don’t…

    J.

  2. James Joyner says:

    @Jay Tea: Barr is a pathetic has-been. Williams is a beloved American icon. They merit different levels of attention.

  3. WR says:

    @Jay Tea: Hey, Jay’s trying to change the subject! What a shock!

    As for Doocy and the rest, I doubt they were shocked by what Williams said — only that he said it when non-members of the club might hear it.

  4. legion says:

    @James Joyner: Additionally, Barr’s profession is “comedian”. Whether you like her stuff or not, it’s not the same as the rantings of a C&W musician.

    Speaking of which, why do Americans give so much credence & attention to people who are famous for one thing, when they know demonstrably jack squat about other areas? What conceivable value could the political opinions of either a comedian or a musician possibly have to the general electorate? Would you ask your doctor for ideas on where to take your car for a brake job? Would you ask the checkout clerk at the grocery store his opinion on homeopathic remedies? Why in the hell would anyone care what Hank Jr thinks of politics? Are we really _that_ desperate not to think that we’ll take the advice of _anyone_ who holds still long enough get a mike stuck in their face?

  5. When are we going to stop caring about what some actor, singer, or comedian (a term I use very loosely in the case of the incredibly unfunny Roseanne Barr) thinks about politics?

  6. EddieInCA says:

    @Doug Mataconis:

    When are we going to stop caring about what some actor, singer, or comedian (a term I use very loosely in the case of the incredibly unfunny Roseanne Barr) thinks about politics?

    Given your comments on Michael Moore in the past, that’s an ironic statement. Also, it’s hypocritical and unintentionally hilarious.

    http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2007/07/30/single-payer-health-care-doesnt-work-and-michael-moore-is-wrong/

    http://belowthebeltway.com/2009/03/02/rush-limbaugh-the-republican-michael-moore/

    http://belowthebeltway.com/2009/10/30/ron-paul-takes-on-michael-moore/

  7. When idiots like Moore inject themselves in politics, they inevitable force political bloggers to make fun of their buffoonery. In my ideal world, I would ignore all them — and I generally try to at this point.

  8. samwide says:

    Priceless:

    WILLIAMS: Obama! And Biden! Are you kidding? The Three Stooges.

    DOOCY: That’s only two.

  9. Nikki says:

    @Jay Tea: Wow, Jay. Considering that Roseanne Barr is a has-been who says provocative sh*t solely for the publicity, who do you suppose is doing her bidding…James by her ignoring her or you for whining because her sh*t isn’t being talked about?

  10. PJ says:

    @James:

    Country music legend Hank Williams, Jr.

    Williams is a beloved American icon.

    You’re not confusing him with his father?
    You think Junior is a legend and beloved?

    Junior had six number one country records during four years in the ’80s. After that, not so much. Not sure what would make him a legend and beloved?

  11. Jay Tea says:

    I’d be thrilled to see ’em both ignored. But if we’re gonna get worked up about this sort of thing, I think Roseanne’s is more worthy of condemnation.

    J.

  12. mattb says:

    @PJ:

    You think Junior is a legend and beloved?
    … After that, not so much. Not sure what would make him a legend and beloved?

    Being the soundtrack of our national pastime?

  13. Parah Salin says:

    HWJ says Obama and Biden are The Three Stooges.
    Well, they’ve identified someone dumber than Glen Beck.

  14. Chris Berez says:

    @EddieInCA:
    Michael Moore makes political films that are filled with claims and conclusions that can be fact-checked. These films are intended to convince people of his personal ideology and are intended to influence political discourse. Further more, he represents himself as a political authority and voice of the people. Are you really so dense as to not see the difference between criticizing/mocking someone like Moore versus nonthinking buffoons like Barr and Williams, Jr.?

    Or do you just wait for any opportunity that comes up to throw a hissy fit over the fact that Doug is one of those people who calls BS on one of your idols?

  15. @James:

    When Steve Doocy is smarter than you and Gretchen Carlson thinks you’ve gone too far in criticizing a Democrat, you might want to think twice about going on national TV and talking politics.

    FTW.

    And who in their right minds thought Hank was someone who should be commenting on politics?

  16. Jannie says:

    He neglected to name the 3rd stooge – Nancy Pelosi!!!!!

  17. Phil says:

    It’s analogy. Hank didn’t call any one person Hittler. He was pointing out the extreme contrast between the two men.

  18. @Phil:

    It’s analogy. Hank didn’t call any one person Hittler. He was pointing out the extreme contrast between the two men.

    And yet, it is a rather ridiculous analogy.

  19. dianne says:

    They baited him and got more than they bargained for. He is a low information, low IQ fool who
    is a perfect example of the tea baggers that Fox has been encouraging for years. I hope ESPN bans him forever.

  20. haylee says:

    @PJ:

  21. Davebo says:

    Williams is a beloved American icon.

    In what reality exactly? Shouldn’t a “beloved American icon” be able to fill a 300 seat arena at least once a year?

    Here’s a tip James, icons don’t play casinos in Louisiana.

    His Monday Night Football intros was all he had left and he’s lost that now.

  22. James Joyner says:

    @Davebo: The peak of his career as a recording artist was 20 years ago. But he’s still charting hits with some regularity, constantly does duets with today’s stars, and headlines Super Bowls and NFL championship games in addition to the Monday/Sunday Night Football intros. Aside from Willie Nelson, I’m not sure there’s a country star from his era with more mainstream appeal.

  23. mike guthrie says:

    Obama and Biden are the enemy. There are scores of millions of Americans who know this. There are scores of millions more Americans who won’t go as far as to assert they know it, but they will admit they think it is true.

  24. mike guthrie says:

    Obama and Biden are the enemy. There are scores of millions of Americans who know this. There are scores of millions more Americans who wont assert that they know for certain they are the enemy, but they will admit Obama and Biden act like the enemy; consequently, they believe Obama and Biden are the enemy.