Clinton Rejects Carter's Claim on Racism Against Obama

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These accusations of racism (even if true) only work against Obama by distracting from the main issue at hand. This article has a good discussion of how important it is for Obama to distance himself from these comments - http://blog.marketingdoctor.tv/2009/09/22/john-tantillos-brand-winner-and-loser-fox-news-and-jimmy-carter.aspx
To chalk up the criticism to racism is to deny the very real ideological differences. More than just race divides this country.

phillip of MN 11:31AM September 25, 2009

Any reference or idea that can be construed as critical or negative toward Obama is fast becoming immediate fodder for claims of racist attack against the President. My book, "Hulagu's Web the Presidential Pursuit of Senator Katherine Laforge" written in "2003" but not published till November of 2008 has been attacked by some as racist because of references to a junior senator, who is groomed and promoted by a group of politicians and corporate elites to become the next president. Because the novel speaks of this as a nefarious attempt by members of congress and groups of businessmen working together to insure this junior Senator becomes President, it is assumed by some that the book is referring to President Obama. Below are 2 excerpts, which some question or find offensive:
"I know she said that this secret group is enlisting other Senators and in particular junior Senators, with one chosen to become President, but that logically couldn't happen. They would have to convince the public to vote for an inexperienced junior Senator without a power base and no amount of perception management could accomplish that. Senior statesmen would never support the election of a junior Senator. And where would they raise the money? Wall Street would not gamble on a powerless junior Senator. It is inconceivable. But then I also doubt that major contributors like Big Oil or Wall Street would embrace their nemesis, Katherine."
She took in deep breaths and said, 'He is a young junior Senator, and they want him to win. And they will make sure he does.'
These minuscule references to a junior Senator are just part of a sub plot about a junior Senator used to help create a plutocracy and has nothing to do with Obama. This character in my book is never racially described, he is simply spoken of as a junior Senator. How readers can construe this as an attack on Obama is hard for me to understand and I hope this explanation will help defuse this issue. I also hope that the public in general wakes up and realizes that it is necessary to be able to verbally disagree with the policies of this President in the same fashion as we have done with former Presidents without being labeled a racist for exercising this right. Prior Presidents have had their character and names attacked constantly, Lyndon Johnson decided not to run because of the hatred he felt from his attackers, George W. Bush was lampooned and ridiculed constantly, Reagan was often portrayed by the media as to old and senile to lead, and Carter was always a constant joke to the media with his dysfunctional family, the oil embargo, Billy beer, the Iran hostage crisis and more. So let's face reality all Presidents have been the target of ridicule, armchair quarterbacking, and prejudices - that extends from being called a redneck (Johnson & Bush), Kennedy had to contend with anti-Catholic prejudice, and many spoke of Franklin Roosevelt contemptuously as a "cripple." "Res ipsa Loquitur"

David Hearne of TX 11:54PM September 23, 2009

The people who are opposed to health care reform do have better ideas. The problem is that people like you think that everybody who opposes it is a republican and/or a racist and shouldn't be listened to.The reason it didn't get fixed in the last eight years is because The democrats opposed everything Bush did. Do you see where this is going? Now if we have another eight years of this same person in power we will get the same result because republicans will oppose him. What we need to do is, in Obamas own words is to enact "fundimental change". Where we need to start is to send representatives to Washington who actually listen to the people who put them in office not to go there and bring home the money so they can be re-elcted. I sat through a town hall meeting for two hours and I never heard a direct answer to a direct question. As long as people in Washington continue to think that they know what is better for the people than the people do, this unfortunate trend will continue to repeat itself regardless of who is the President and regardless of your politcal affiliation it will be we the people who suffer not the politicians who enact their freedom robbing policies.

J.J.K. of TX 11:52AM September 23, 2009

Once again, President Clinton is right. It does not matter whether President Obama is black or white... No staunch Republican is going to like him. They are afraid of change... Just as they were with FDR. I am so ready for change after eight years of the Bush train wreck. People expect President Obama to work miricles with the mess he was left with. Give the man time, and quit opposing everything he proposes. The people who oppose Health Care Reform, should come up with a better idea...better yet, why didn't they fix it during the last eight years?

Red of TX 10:56PM September 22, 2009

Some Catholic black voters are Ban-Abortionists because their church's Code of Canon Law says abortion is a crime. And, most importantly, it's a sin to be punished by excommunication. That's the worst that can happen to a Catholic. It means no confession, no forgiveness, and that means eternal torture in Hell. Some non-Catholic churches ban abortion. They all do it because women are the sole source of ongoing generations of believers. They will tithe as others die off or lose faith. Obama is far more outspokenly secular than most former presidents. Except for his unconstitutional endorsement of prayer meetings and taxes to faith-based groups and OK of advancing religion in the military, he is doing fairly well with keeping church law separated from civil law. I hope as time passes, he'll be able to stop favoring religion in any way. It's pitiable that adult lawmakers and judges are able to say they "Ask God every day for guidance in how to vote and how to live." There is no God. If they truly believe they hear a voice and see God, they're hallucinating.

auradawn veirs of CA 8:05PM September 22, 2009

I've always admired and respected President Clinton (well not always, since about 1995 or 1996) and think impeaching him was stupid. President Clinton did some great things as President and balanced the budget and made a much needed reform to the corrupt and overly generous welfare system we had up to the 1996 Welfare Reform.
I think we had some awesome Presidents during my lifetime: Reagan, then Bush I, and then Clinton. Bush II would have been better had he not listened to Cheney too much; we all know how that went. Obama is a complete loser and I can't wait until we can throw him out in 2012. He is unfocused on what needs to be done with respect to foreign policy, the wars, debt reduction, and illegal immigration reform. He's instead aggressively CAMPAIGNING for his excessive and costly agenda to enlarge the welfare state (he did this by stealth in the stimulus), pursue a costly healthcare "reform" that may not actually bring about any real benefits, card check, and to control our economy by scaring us about the weather.
I'd take a million years of Bill Clinton instead of another day of Jimmy Carter II...uhm...I mean Barack Obama!

Joe C. of VA 6:29PM September 22, 2009

I'm from South Carolina. There are still plenty of white folks here who think it is not OK for a Black man to be in the White House. Like Rush, they contrive all sorts of exaggerations, and in true Southern gentility style, cover their real opinions with "magnolia mouth".
Clinton is correct, in that these folks would never agree with a Democrat - White or Black. The intensity of their anger and nasty comments is what we can attribute to Obama's race.
The South is famous for a culture of class division brought over from the British Isles. Many here - especially those who are poorer - derive their sense of self importance based on their race, religion and our country's military power. If you are White, Baptist or other type of Protestant, and the USA has more nukes than anyone, even a poor fool living in a trailer on a dirt road can "sleep good at night" knowing he is inherently better than those who are not. He can be a horrible person - but it's the automatic superiority of his color and religion that keeps his head high.
Of course, these folks forgot that Jesus would have thrown them all out of church for their bigoted views. They have taken Christianity to a new low....And they don't mind living close to Blacks and working with them. But they DON'T like working FOR Blacks, and they sure don't like having them marry their kids or calling the shots politically.
This segment in the South still silently wishes segregation would come back, and some like Wilson - not so silently. If Obama was sent directly from heaven, they would reject it based on his race. They comment little, but their silence is often deafening.
There are many wonderful folks here too, who may not be comfortable with a Black president, but they want this country to be successful, so they are trying to stay neutral.
It has only been 50 years since this country stopped institutionally supporting segregation. It is no surprise that some people have not given up on their bigoted upbringing. In many ways it is miraculous that so many have changed for the better.... Let's not say there are no racists - they are here in South Carolina for sure. But tolerance has improved - if not acceptance. It takes generations for all that to fade.
Joe Wilson - put a sock in it. Southern manners never made it to your household. Opinions are many, and we all have a right to express them. But WHERE you express them shows your character. You would not scream personal attacks ike that in church or in school - so a joint session of Congress is hardly the place either. Lies and low-rent behavior is no way to attract voters......just the base you already have...

Dorfy of SC 6:21PM September 22, 2009

Former Pres. Clinton seems absolutely right in his comments about Carter's claims of racism. There seem to be very few persons left around with racist attitudes, and most people seem to be sort of color blind. The people we know who disapprove of this or that policy of the current administration, are most definitely NOT thinking about race but, rather, about either JOBS, their finances, their health plans or their kids' educations! Really--what ELSE do people anywhere think about?

charlotte of CA 6:16PM September 22, 2009

I give Bubba lot's of credit. For his successful eight year term, quickly squandered by the clown who followed. If only Clinton had gotten four terms like FDR, we wouldn't be in this mess.

jake of ND 6:12PM September 22, 2009