fly away

Members of the GOP are responding stridently to reports that President Obama called Kanye West 'a jackass' in an off-the-record portion of a CNBC interview. "It just makes me want to cry when I hear the President of the United States demeaning a private citizen is such a way," said House Minority Leader John Boehner. "Of course, there aren't many things that don't affect me in that manner, but still, Kanye created that great inspirational number 'Jesus Walks'. I've got that song on my iPod; does that make me a jackass?" "The man has run amuck," shouted Rep Joe Wilson of South Carolina. "First he embarrasses me by provoking me into calling him a liar on national television, and now this, insulting one of the nation's most beloved entertainers. Poor Kanye, he looks like an angel." "We already knew he hated white people," tweeted GOP spokesmouth Glenn Beck. "Now we find that he hates black people also." "I say good for the President on this score," said eternal contrarian John McCain, once again bucking his own party. "I saw Beyonce's video and unlike Taylor Swift, I didn't think it was all that hot."