Patterico's Pontifications

9/20/2009

Sunday Morning Obama @ CNN: Race Could be An Issue

Filed under: Obama — DRJ @ 1:37 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Appearing on CNN with John King, President Obama refused to rule out racism as a reason why some Americans oppose his policies:

“In the health care debate, heated rhetoric has been flung in the president’s direction. Obama rejected suggestions by some — including former President Jimmy Carter — that much of it is fueled by racism.

In the interview with CNN, Obama acknowledged that racism plays a role in some of the criticism against him but added that race is “not the overriding issue.”

“I think there are people who are anti-government,” the president said. “I think there’s been a long-standing debate in this country that is usually that much more fierce during times of transition, or when presidents are trying to bring about big changes.

“I mean, things that were said about FDR [Franklin Delano Roosevelt] were pretty similar to things that were said about me. ‘He’s a communist, he’s a socialist.’ Things that were said about Ronald Reagan when he was trying to reverse some of the New Deal programs, you know, were pretty vicious as well.”

We’ve seen this before. When things aren’t going well, Obama portrays himself as above the fray but also as the victim of smears that unfairly make people afraid of him and his policies.

— DRJ

10 Responses to “Sunday Morning Obama @ CNN: Race Could be An Issue”

  1. Little pezzydent man thinks he’s comparable to FDR? Awww.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  2. Someone needs to remind our President that a majority of whites voted for him – and part of his appeal was due to his ballyhoed “post – racial” candidacy. He’s revealed himself to be no better than Al Sharpton or Jesse in rolling around in the muck when it serves his interests. Never debate the actual merits of your policies when you can always dive into the gutter instead.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  3. Feets, I thought he was comparing himself to JFK up to this point – I’m so confused.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  4. ‘In the interview with CNN, Obama acknowledged that racism plays a role in some of the criticism against him but added that race is “not the overriding issue.”’

    True. Barack Obama’s 20 year membership in a blatantly racist church is part of the reason I criticize him, but it’s his socialism and anti-Americanism that are the overriding issues.

    Dave Surls (040aaa)

  5. I keep forgetting about racist Democrats when this issue gets raised. In 2007, a majority of them supported Hillary and the Breck Girl for president rather than Obama. Surely that made them card carrying Klan members according to the current MSM and White House definitions.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  6. Dmac: Minor correction. 43 percent of whites voted for him, not a majority. But that was a higher percentage than the number of whites who voted for Kerry or Gore, and it tied Clinton’s best numbers among white voters.

    I’m doubtful Obama needs a reminder of where his votes came from, the way he’s delicately playing this.

    And I agree with the president, I don’t think race is the main thing driving these protests.

    I thought his statement was rather mild, but I’m not going to spend time trying to convince people who think racism is dead, that it’s in fact, not.

    Myron (e63c20)

  7. “I’m not going to spend time trying to convince people who think racism is dead, that it’s in fact, not.”

    Myron – Wise choice given the Democrats are making such concerted efforts to keep it alive and well.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  8. How about a national conversation on race that delves into Dems using the racist card in order to stifle any and all dissent? Let’s have Michael Steele and Stephen A. Smith on one side, with Maxine Walters and Obama on the other. Sound good?

    Dmac (a93b13)

  9. I’m becoming a big fan of Stephen A. Smith.

    DRJ (a51a0e)

  10. This whole “we need to elevate the debate” cr*p pisses me off every time he does it, especially because it usually either precedes or follows him calling us liars, bitter clingers, Nazis (SanFranNan), or evil-mongers (Reid). It is abject b*llshit.

    JD (afa5a9)


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