Obama: 'I was black before the election'

[Kadie]

Obama: 'I was black before the election'

6 mins ago

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."

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090921/pl_afp/uspoliticsobamarace_20090921222034

[gratuitous]

1. Very diplomatic of the president

It doesn't make what Carter said any less true, though.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Its Not the change of Color...its the Loss of POWER...color is a distraction for some

to others it matters to their racism/bigotry.....

[Skittles]

3. sweet

I think Obama has a delicious sense of humor :)

[KamaAina]

4. He was? No way!

:sarcasm:

[jgraz]

7. Yeah, I really wish they'd tell us this stuff before we vote.

[jberryhill]

10. Wasn't on the ballot

Damn. I KNEW I should have looked at that birth certificate.

[Mz Pip]

5. Yes, he was elected

by a pretty wide margin at that. But in those 59 million people who did not vote for him there is a vocal and nasty racist crowd. They are the one with the racist signs. They are the ones who elect the Joe Wilsons. Rush Limpballs is one of them. He was a racist before Obama won and he is still a racist.

Obama's right in that his election shows an indicator of wider race relations in the country but it hasn't changed for a lot of people and those are the ones who are making the noise. They may be in the minority but they don't seem to be going anywhere or getting over the election of the first Black President.

[lysosome]

6. That's why I voted for him. He's a class act.

[Vidar]

13. He is that! I frequently disagree with his policies, not his demeanor.

[Beetwasher]

8. Walkin' The Tightrope

He makes it look easy.

[TheKentuckian]

9. Yup, and the mouth breathing contingent was pretty racist before the election too (NT)

[mdmc]

11. "YOU LIE!"

[underpants]

17. LOL

Too funny

[Kadie]

18. ROFL!

Excellent.

:rofl:

[alcibiades_mystery]

12. I was a fiend before I became a teen...

:-)

[Seldona]

14. Right, and you weren't President.

Ask any racist if they thought you would win. I somehow doubt it.

[Fuzz]

15. Classy answer, and as President he has to do this, but, the screamers and racists

didn't vote for him.

[hfojvt]

16. I saw that on ABC news.

Freakin' hilarious.