Stephen Moore Gives Painfully Awkward Explanation For Racist Obama Joke

Stephen Moore , who is President Donald Trumps pick for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board, offered up a very awkward defense of a racist joke he once told about the family of former President Barack Obama .

Moore stumbled during an interview with Margaret Hoover on PBS Firing Line as he attempted to explain the gag he told after the 2016 election about Trump kicking a black family out of public housing. Previews of the interview were released online Tuesday.

So, you know, that, that is a joke that I always made about, you know, Obama lives in, you know, the president lives in public housing, said Moore. But I didnt mean it like a black person did.

He continued:

I just meant that, you know, you know, being in the White House, you know, for example, when I was working with a lot of women in families who were involved in the education voucher program, you know, here in DC, and people would say, well, you know, and these were, these were blacks who would say, you know, why does Barack Obama get to send his kids to any school that he wants to and we cant? And theyd say, he lives in public housing, and it was just kind of a joke, and that was referring

Hoover noted how the optics of a conservative white man talking about kicking a black man out of public housing have a particular resonance, especially in this moment.

Moore agreed he shouldnt have said it.

He then alluded to his history of making controversial remarks, such as the derogatory comments he wrote about women in sports in the early 2000s, for which he has now also apologized .

Again, you can, you go back 30 years, youre going to be able to find clips over and over and over again about me, he said. I have a long paper trail. I mean theres no question about it. And I say things that are kind of jokes that if people want to pick them apart, then I probably wont, you know, get on the Federal Reserve Board.

Check out the clip here:

.@StephenMoore explains his 2016 joke about Donald Trump moving into the White House and kicking a black family out of public housing. Moore says, That is a joke I always made, adding he didnt mean it like a black person lived there. I shouldnt have said it, he says. pic.twitter.com/9EO9JzBgtW

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.@StephenMoore explains his 2016 joke about Donald Trump moving into the White House and kicking a black family out of public housing. Moore says, That is a joke I always made, adding he didnt mean it like a black person lived there. I shouldnt have said it, he says. pic.twitter.com/9EO9JzBgtW
Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (@FiringLineShow) April 30, 2019

In a second preview clip from the interview, Moore addressed another contentious statement he made in 2000 about males needing to be the breadwinner of the family.

He acknowledged that times have changed a lot and he shouldnt have said that. Moore also suggested there should be a statute of limitations on saying stupid things, and Ive said some pretty stupid things.

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Check out that clip here:

.@StephenMoore said the male needs to be the breadwinner of the family in 2000. He now says he shouldnt have said that. Watch how he puts it now. pic.twitter.com/lBddLYqLPF

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.@StephenMoore said the male needs to be the breadwinner of the family in 2000. He now says he shouldnt have said that. Watch how he puts it now. pic.twitter.com/lBddLYqLPF
Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (@FiringLineShow) April 30, 2019