Obama on Letterman: "I Was Black Before the Election"

[HopeOverFear]

NEW YORK (AFP) – US President Barack Obama on Monday poked fun at claims that racism was behind fierce opposition to his ambitious political agenda, joking that "I was actually black before the election."

It was the latest attempt by Obama to tone down the debate, after former US president Jimmy Carter commented that much of the conservative fury directed at Obama's health care plans was motivated by racism.

Obama said on the "The Late Show" with David Letterman on CBS that the fact he was elected as America's first African-American president at all was a more accurate indicator of wider race relations in the country.

"I think it's important to realize that I was actually black before the election."

"One of the things that you sign up for in politics is that folks yell at you," the president said, in a taping for the show due to air later on Monday.

"Whenever a president tries to bring about significant changes, particularly during times of economic unease, there is a certain segment of the population that gets very riled up."

Obama also said in a more serious vein that Americans were weary of the war in Afghanistan, and said US troops were performing heroically there and in Iraq.

After The Washington Post printed excerpts of a classified report by US Afghan war commander Stanley McChrystal warning the war could be lost without more troops, Obama said his number one goal was to defeat Al-Qaeda.

"The country is weary of the war. What I'm trying to do at this point is to make sure that... we have got a coherent strategy that can work."

The US leader also dwelt on the life of his young daughters, Malia and Sasha, as they grow up in the White House, saying they "goofed off" during the long summer break.

When Obama said that was an option he did not have, referring to the pressure of world and domestic events, Letterman hit back, saying "others have," in an apparent reference to ex-president George W. Bush who spent long summers on his Texas ranch.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Indeed you were, Mr. President, indeed you were.

[thelordofhell]

2. Ya mean I'm gonna STAY this color??

[HopeOverFear]

6. LOL!!!! Da Horror! Da Horror!

[ZombieHorde]

7. Only if you are elected POTUS. nt

[krispos42]

20. He'll turn white...

...on top :D

[vaberella]

3. Long live The Black. n/t

[DrToast]

4. Can't wait to watch this!

Two of my favorite "celebrities" for an hour.

[HopeOverFear]

5. In other words, Mr. President - Black Don't Crack.

hehe. :)

[rmp yellow]

8. Great point by Obama. if racism is so rampant, how did he beat Hillary and McCain?

And why were protests against Obama non-existent before his election? Obama effectively shows that Republicans will simply attack any Big time Democrat who dared won an election, regardless of the color.

[EffieBlack]

12. The protests weren't non-existent at all - they just occurred in a different venue

People don't tend to protest opposing candidates - some, of course, do, but most don't waste a lot of time going around screaming about candidates from the other party. Instead, they show up at rallies held by their side - and in the case of the McCain-Palin rallies, they showed up and screamed hateful, sometimes racist things about Obama.

Now that he's President Obama, it's a whole different thing. They are out of campaign mode and now are protesting the President. And the racists among the protesters have shifted their tactics to directly address and protest the black president.

Comparing behavior before the election during a campaign with behavior toward the sitting president is comparing apples and oranges.

[PopSixSquish]

9. I Just Watched the Clip at HuffPo and Letterman's Reaction is Priceless

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/21/obama-on-letterman-video-_n_293936.html

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[mucifer]

10. Thanks for that link. I love that they coached the audience to a standing ovation

when President Obama entered. :) Letterman didn't have to do that.

[BeyondGeography]

11. LOL at this HuffPo comment

-This kind of reception makes the Repubs miserable...

-You got that right. It's good PR like this that makes them retreat to their local church, whip out the Rosary beads and say 5 Glen Becks and 10 Rush Limbaugh's...


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/21/obama-on-letterman-video-_n_293936.html

[JI7]

13. the Racists that Carter was referring to did not vote for Obama

they were racist before the election also.

where the problem comes in is the whore media acting like these are regular everyday americans who have "become" disappointed in Obama.

when they are the same racists they were before the election and they never voted for Obama.

[AspenRose]

15. True, true.

[HopeOverFear]

16. ^^^^there ya go

thank you for that truth.

[mucifer]

17. I think it's a matter of focus. Carter is focusing on the negative, Obama is focusing on the

positive. Yes, there are racists and they are very angry right now. There is also a black man in the white house.

[bigwillq]

14. Can't wait to watch!

I love Dave! And I saw that clip, and it's so funny! Should be fun! :)

[TomCADem]

18. Did Joe Wilson Jump Up And Scream, "YOU LIE!!!"?

[Thrill]

19. Its important to mention that Carter didn't say all the protest

were because of Obama's color. He said some. But don't tell the media that.

[nemo137]

21. Every now and again, he reminds me of FDR.

This was one of those times.

[HopeOverFear]

22. Really? I gotta learn more about FDR, then.

He must have been a cool cat.

[msallied]

23. I just hope his re-election isn't like Truman '48...