US President Barack Obama has weighed in on the MTV Video Music Awards controversy that erupted when Kanye West interrupted an acceptance speech by 19-year-old country singer Taylor Swift.
People reports that the President’s comments were not intended to be heard and were part of a conversation with a CNBC reporter prior to an official interview. However the remarks were leaked yesterday.
President Obama was asked by reporter john Harwood if his daughters were upset by Kanye’s actions at the awards show to which Obama replied "I thought that was really inappropriate." He then went on to say "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."
In response to questions about the leaked audio clip, White House spokesperson Bill Burton said “I'm not going to get into what the President had to say in an off-the-record conversation.”
Kanye West went on Jay Leno’s new show on Monday night to apologise for his behaviour.
