Fox News: ESPN analyst reveals how ex-colleague's Obama comments became point of contention

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ESPN analyst reveals how ex-colleague's Obama comments became point of contention

Ryan Clark hopped on Michele Tafoya's podcast to discuss his "only" issue with Sage Steele and why, at one point, he did not want to work with her.......                    ...                        ...Sage Steele, in a lawsuit against her former employer, ESPN, accused analyst You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login of refusing to work with her due to opposing political views.......Clark admitted recently on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login that part of the accusation wasn't false, but he felt the need to clear the air.......Tafoya asked Clark about the lawsuit, which alleged Clark refused to work with Steele after she made controversial comments on former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler's podcast in 2021.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, Steele reflected on an appearance on "The View," in which she said Barbara Walters "ripped me" for saying it was "important" to label herself as biracial.......Steele said Walters then brought up that former President Barack Obama, who is biracial, chose "Black" when filling out paperwork for a census......."I'm like, well, congratulations to the president. That's his thing. I think that's fascinating considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found, but his white mom and grandma raised him. But hey, you do you. I'm going to do me," Steele said on Cutler's podcast.......Clark said he disagreed with Steele on many political topics, including her vaccination stance and Colin Kaepernick's protests, but he had "no issue" with her being a conservative......."Sage Steele being a conservative was, like, the worst-kept secret at ESPN," the former You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login defensive back quipped.......However, her comments on Obama were the "only" thing that "offended" him and prompted him to speak with a producer at ESPN about hosting a segment together.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"As a Black man who understands that no matter what President Obama decides to check off as his race, he's going to be seen as an entire country as a Black man. He's going to be viewed if policemen say, 'The suspect is a Black, tall, slender, light-skinned man,' President Obama would fit that description," Clark said. ......"He's also a man that was married to a Black woman. He was also a man that was raising two young Black daughters. And I felt that was disrespectful to say, 'Why would someone with that blood running through their veins want to represent that culture?'"......Clark admitted he told a producer he wanted another host, Matt Barrie, to "conduct my segment."......"Because what I know is this ... chemistry is a large part of TV. It's a large part of our ability to be able to entertain. And I didn't want my discomfort with what she said to show on screen," Clark said.......Clark said it was a one-time thing with Steele, and they were able to "work ... in a very cordial way" until she left ESPN. He added they no longer speak, "but I obviously wish her all the best in all her endeavors."......"She now has found a place where, entertainment-wise, she feels like she fits, she feels like she has a voice and she has a passion. And I feel like we all should be entitled to that, whether you agree or disagree."......Follow Fox News Digital's You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, and subscribe to You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login....

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