Media magnate Rupert Murdoch touched off a firestorm Wednesday night when he implied that President Barack Obama isn’t a real black president.

He did it in a tweet that was meant to praise Republican presidential contender Ben Carson.

Ben and Candy Carson terrific. What about a real black President who can properly address the racial divide? And much else.

— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) October 8, 2015

Backlash was immediate and vicious. Amy Davidson, staff writer for The New Yorker magazine, tweeted:

So what, exactly, does @rupertmurdoch mean by “a real black President”? https://t.co/1p9SksB2FC — Amy Davidson (@tnyCloseRead) October 8, 2015

And WPIX-TV reporter Myles Miller really let loose:

This is seriously disgusting https://t.co/cu2QQOZeEo

— Myles Miller (@MylesMill) October 8, 2015

@rupertmurdoch Can you please regularly advise black Americans on which of them is “real”, so they’ll be free of doubt? — Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer) October 8, 2015

Five minutes after his original tweet, Murdoch offered this explanation — but it didn’t seem to help.

Read New York magazine for minority community disappointment with POTUS

— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) October 8, 2015

He was referring to a piece titled, “The Paradox of the First Black President.” But even that didn’t seem to help. Juan Thompson, host of BRIC TV’s “Strike Back,” tweeted:

@rupertmurdoch How do you sleep knowing you directly contribute to racial supremacy and ignorance? I’m much more disappointed in you. — Juan M. Thompson (@JuanMThompson) October 8, 2015

But the fireworks really took off later that night when former Obama green jobs czar, Van Jones, appeared on “CNN Tonight.” Calling the tweet “completely outrageous and disgusting,” Jones claimed that Fox News “has done more to undermine President Obama than any news outlet in history against any president.”

CNN host, Don Lemon, reminded Jones that he was quoted in the New York magazine article as saying, “I understood the tightrope from the beginning. He’s the president of all people. But sometimes it felt like he was president of everyone except black people.“

Jones distinguished the article, which he thought was a fair appraisal of the president, from Murdoch’s statement, which he called “divide and conquer nonsense,” meant to promote Carson.

“If Rupert Murdoch cares about black people,” he said, “he should tell the people at Fox News he does so, because you can’t tell by watching Fox News.”

“Fox News has been an enemy of African-American struggles since it started,” Jones said.

Watch the clip, via CNN. Update follows video.

UPDATE: Murdoch tweeted his apologies Thursday morning for any implication that Obama isn’t a black president.

Apologies! No offence meant. Personally find both men charming.

— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) October 8, 2015

Although the apology wasn’t enough for his detractors, Murdoch still received some support.

@rupertmurdoch Of course you meant offense. Wyy else would you use a phrase like "real black" when comparing the two men?

— Jeffrey Cufaude (@jcufaude) October 8, 2015

@rupertmurdoch We will accept your apology when you cut Fox News

— J J (@swat_wilson) October 8, 2015

@rupertmurdoch Don't apologize for that. HEADLINE: Obama is not really black, he's not really Christian and he's not really American.

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) October 8, 2015

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Michael Dorstewitz

Mike has been with BizPac Review almost from the beginning. Follow him on Twitter at @MikeBPR.

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