Maxine Waters Is Not 'Intimidated' by Bill O'Reilly: 'I'm a Strong Black Woman' (Video)

Television By TooFab Staff |

Congresswoman Maxine Waters blasted Bill O'Reilly for his insensitive insult about her hair.

While appearing on MSNBC Tuesday night, the California representative reacted to the Fox News host calling her hair a "James Brown wig" on "Fox and Friends" earlier that day.

"I am a strong black woman, and I cannot be intimidated. I cannot be undermined," she told Chris Hayes. "I cannot be thought to be afraid of Bill O'Reilly or anybody. And I'd like to say to women out there everywhere: Don't allow these right-wing talking heads, these dishonorable people, to intimidate you or scare you."

"Be who you are. Do what you do. And let us get on with discussing the real issues of this country," she continued.

After saying O'Reilly has "no credibility," she added, "When a women a stands up and speaks truth to power that there will be attempts to put her down and so I'm not going to be put down, I'm not going to go anywhere, I'm going to stay on the issues."

The "O'Reilly Factor" host later apologized for his remarks.

"As I have said many times, I respect Congresswoman Maxine Waters for being sincere in her beliefs," he said in a statement. "I said that again today on 'Fox and Friends' calling her 'old school.' Unfortunately, I also made a jest about her hair which was dumb. I apologize."

Hillary Clinton also addressed O'Reilly's comments in a speech at the Professional Business Women of California conference in San Francisco on Tuesday.

"One of our own California congressmen Maxine Waters was taunted with a racist joke about her hair," she said. "Too many women, especially women of color, have had a lifetime of practice taking precisely these kinds of indignities in stride. But why should we have to? And any woman who thinks this couldn't be directed at her is living in a dream world."