September 18, 2009 8:14 PM
Obama: race not an issue in health care debate
Breaking - and surprising - news:
Obama: Health care anger not motivated by his race 1 hr 7 mins agoWASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said Friday that angry criticisms about his health care agenda are driven by an intense debate over the proper role of government -- and not by racism.
"Are there people out there who don't like me because of race? I'm sure there are," Obama told CNN. "That's not the overriding issue here."
Obama, the first black president in the nation's history, spoke about the issue of race during a battery of interviews on Friday. In a media blitz aimed at pounding home his health care message, he taped interviews with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Univision to be shown during the networks' Sunday morning talk shows.
Some excerpts aired during Friday night broadcasts.
Time and again, Obama was asked about whether the tenor of the health care turned nasty because of undercurrents in racism. Former President Jimmy Carter raised the point prominently this week when he said the vitriol was racially motivated.
Not so, Obama said.
"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," Obama told CNN.
To NBC News, Obama put it this way: "It's an argument that's gone on for the history of this republic, and that is, What's the right role of government? How do we balance freedom with our need to look out for one another? ... This is not a new argument, and it always evokes passions."
Read entire article here.
Like Michelle saying "For the first time in my life, I'm proud of my country," I guess I can say that for the first time during his presidency, I'm proud of something Obama has said,
But will the state-run media be able to let go of their the drumbeat?
Posted in Obama Nation | Permalink
Comments
Loved the "catnip" comment he made re: the MSM. :)
Posted by: Elle | September 18, 2009 10:24 PM
It will be interesting to see how the press handles this one! I am kind of in shock that he said those things. Maybe he's been listening to Rush ;-).
Posted by: Sue | September 18, 2009 11:19 PM
I too am proud that he drew the line linking the controversy surrounding health care reform and racism. I was quite blown away to hear former President Carter draw that conclusion!
Posted by: Ceci | September 19, 2009 10:28 AM
As the leader of the United States of America it's too bad he did not "nip it in the bud" as the race card continues to be played. Rather he waited until Carter and Pelosi got all "wee wee'd up" before he said anything. With the upcoming govt run media blitz tomorrow he must be convinced that empty words and appearances will make everything just fine.
Too funny!
Posted by: A Mac and a Mug O' Joe | September 19, 2009 10:54 AM
Maybe for the first time in his presidency he's thinking like a rational man and not a puppet. Let's hope it continues.
Posted by: Dirtdartwife | September 19, 2009 10:56 AM
Way to go President Obama!
Thank you Barbara, for posting this. When we can agree with him, we need to point it out, as opposed to my lefty friends who could never ever find something good to say about Bush.
Posted by: Debra | September 19, 2009 12:34 PM
I think it's great that he said it, and am genuinely thankful that the truth was spoken.
Nevertheless, our experience with President Obama so far has shown that what he says so eloquently and what he and his administration actually do and intend are not always the same. It's interesting that the playing of the race card at such a feverish pitch and pace has gone on this long, and continues even now. He obviously has not asked others in his administration and under his influence to cut it out. He gets to look as if he's doing the right thing while very much letting the wrong things stand and continue, while enjoying the benefit to him of slandering his opponents.
It reminds me so much of the scene in the original "Cinderella," in which the step-mother subtly points out to the step-sisters that the gown Cinderella has somehow acquired in time to go to the ball includes re-purposed items of theirs that they had cast off with disdain. When the girls attack Cinderella, ripping her gown to shreds, the step-mother tarries in her rebuke of them just long enough that the damage is done. By the time she says for sanctimonious show, "Girls! Girls!" the gown is in tatters and she has achieved her goal of demeaning Cinderella and excluding her from the ball.
(Maybe a dumb analogy, but what can I say? I've seen Cinderella, oh... seems like 10,002 times! My daughter is black, and braiding her hair takes so long that I let her watch whatever movie she chooses to keep her still. Cinderella is her all-time favorite.)
Posted by: Marian | September 19, 2009 11:33 PM
I think Obama made this statement because it was in his best interest -- for once the smears and name calling from the left was actually coming back to bite them. Obama had to distance himself from all of that or it was going to crush him.
I don't know whether he meant it. I don't know whether he even cares. But he said it, and I think that is a victory for us. I think it's a huge step -- the first time the left has been seriously called out for their mud-slinging tactics. I think we should celebrate! :)
Posted by: Michelle Potter | September 20, 2009 1:36 AM
