Right-wing media attack Barack Obama's eulogy for John Lewis
After the first Black president eulogizes a civil rights hero, conservatives lash out: “Barack Obama is a national disgrace”
Written by Jason Campbell
Research contributions from John Whitehouse
Published
Updated
Former President Barack Obama delivered a eulogy today for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), commemorating the civil rights icon and longtime member of the House of Representatives. Obama praised Lewis’ history of promoting civil rights and called for action to continue the late congressman’s legacy, including ending the Senate legislative filibuster and passing a new Voting Rights Act.
Right-wing media was quick to criticize Obama’s eulogy, claiming the former president had politicized the event. Some conservative media personalities mocked Obama and derided his speech as a campaign event for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Even following a solemn funeral in which this country’s first Black president praised the legacy of a champion for civil rights, right-wing media continued to demonstrate its shameless hatemongering.
Fox News host Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity spent large chunks of his radio show complaining about Obama's eulogy, including accusing the former president of lying and claiming that voter suppression is a myth even though multiple Republican figures have admitted otherwise. Sen. Lindsey Graham told Hannity that “Donald Trump has done more to help the people they're talking about at the funeral than President Obama did.”
Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton
Turning Point USA president Charlie Kirk
Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe
National Review senior writer David Harsanyi
Managing editor of Newsbusters Curtis Houck
Radio host Erick Erickson
Executive editor of Newsbusters Timothy Graham
Senior editor of Townhall Matt Vespa
Breitbart personality Charlie Spiering
Former Fox personalities Diamond & Silk
The Daily Wire
The Gateway Pundit
Red State
Fox News host Tucker Carlson
Update (7/30/20, 10:15 p.m.): This post has been updated with additional examples.