HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — President Barack Obama has managed to thrust himself in the middle of the Kanye West-Taylor Swift fiasco at Sunday night's VMAs.
On Monday, CNBC reporter John Harwood asked Obama if his daughters were upset about West famously interrupting Swift during her acceptance speech.
"I thought that was really inappropriate," answered Obama, who considered the chat to be off-the-record. "You know, it was like, she's getting an award and what are you butting in? … The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person, she's getting her award and what's he doing up there? He's a jackass."
The controversial response hit the Web Tuesday, one day after ABC News reporter Terry Moran first tweeted about Obama's remarks.
"The custom in television, as I understand it, is that when you have an interview of this kind, the little chit-chat when you are getting ready to sit down to do the real interview is off the record," Harwood told Politico.com of the controversy.
"It's one of those things that's like an understanding, as people have understandings with sources," he continued. "And if you have a relationship of trust with someone, as I feel I do with the White House and the president, specifically, I felt like I should honor it."
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCdDKEFFU7Q&feature=related]
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