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Carter: Wilson's Outburst and Tea Parties "Based On Racism"
Former President Jimmy Carter has accused Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), as well as Tea Party activists opposed to President Obama, of being motivated by racism. "I think it's based on racism," Carter said. "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet one on one with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at 10:45 a.m. ET, with an expanded meeting at 11 a.m. ET. At 1 p.m. ET, Obama and the First Lady will host an event with the White House Office on Olympics, Paralympics and Youth Sport, to promote Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Obama will meet with Gen. Colin Powell at 2 p.m. ET, and with Sec. of Defense Robert Gates at 4:30 p.m. ET. Finally, Obama will deliver remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's 32nd Annual Awards Gala, at 8:10 p.m. ET.
Obama To Appear On Sunday Talk Shows -- But Not Fox
President Obama will appear this weekend on five networks' Sunday talk shows: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Univision. However, Obama will not be appearing on Fox News Sunday.
Baucus: "The Door Is Always Open" For GOP Support
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), who is unveiling his health care plan without any Republican supporters on board, told reporters yesterday that he's still working to gain bipartisan support. "The door's always open -- always hoping that somebody, all six, will be on the bill," said Baucus. "We're just going to keep the door open, keep working, keep discussing."
White House Ignoring Law On Foreign Relations, Sending Officials To U.N. Meetings Led By Iran
The New York Times reports that the Obama administration is following in the footsteps of previous administrations, in ignoring a law against the State Department sending officials to United Nations meetings led by representatives of nations that are categorized as sponsors of terrorism. In this particular instance, the State Department is sending officials to meetings of the U.N. Development Program and Population Fund, which will be presided over by Iran.
Reid Predicts Improvement In Numbers Back Home, With Economic Recovery
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told CQ that he expects his currently sagging poll numbers in Nevada to improve by November 2010, when the economy itself will have turned around. "We all know that unemployment lags behind economic recovery," said Reid. "So I feel that Nevada -- like the rest of the states in the country -- within the next year is going to see economic recovery. Once that takes place, I think there's going to be a general good feeling all over the country, including Nevada."
GOP Rep. Gohmert: Obama Insulted The House
The Associated Press reports that partisan tensions will continue to linger in the wake of the Wilson rebuke -- perhaps exemplified by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), who declared after the vote that President Obama was the one who demeaned the House, by saying his opponents were making false claims about his proposals. "He says we're making wild claims," said Gohmert. "That's no way to act when you're invited into somebody else's house."
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Walter Mitty
September 16, 2009 9:11 AM
Obama is on the five Sunday shows and then will be on Letterman on Monday. How long before the "He's over-exposed" criticism pops up again? Of course not two weeks ago it was "Where is President Obama? He's not doing enough to get health care passed."
Did he not offer Fox an interview or did Fox turn him down? Not that I think he should have went on Fox. I mean they're not even pretending to be a legit news station anymore.
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AnswerFrog
September 16, 2009 9:34 AM in reply to Walter Mitty
Good observation. The facile MSM critiques are so predictable.
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ondioline
September 16, 2009 10:24 AM in reply to Walter Mitty
ABC News Dot Com is already running an "Is Obama Overexposed?" piece in light of the announcement of his Sunday talk show/Letterman appearances. What I find amusing is that whenever one of these pieces runs, there's always a choice quote or two from a GOP operative who is so kind as to give a little friendly advice across the political divide... If Obama's appearances were so disruptive to his efforts, and if GOP operatives genuinely oppose his efforts, you'd think they wouldn't have any interest in doing anything that would discourage the Administration from putting Barack Obama on the airwaves 24/7. I don't know about any of you, but I have no problem with Palin, Limbaugh, Beck, O'Reilly and Steele being front and center as the representation of Republican policy, put forth for all to see... I would certainly never go on the record in any publication discouraging any of them from doing more to promote their causes. Have at it!
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CT Voter
September 16, 2009 11:18 AM in reply to Walter Mitty
I know these appearances were scheduled before Carter's blockbuster statements last night, but golly, what great timing, huh?
The morans in the media can speculate about overexposure, but they gotta be salivating at what the ratings are going to be like.
I have mixed feelings about Carter's statements. At this moment, I suspect they may damage the healthcare reform efforts. On the other hand, the shrieking furies on the right will have something else to shriek about, so that might prove to be a net advantage.
Make no mistake about it, though: the right is going to bellow VICTIM VICTIM VICTIM, and the media will, by and large, dutifully broadcast it. They'll do it LIVE, ya know??
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theone718
September 16, 2009 4:39 PM in reply to Walter Mitty
I don't see Obama as scared of being on Fox. I would like to know the reasoning behind that
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coonsey
September 16, 2009 9:30 AM
Carters comments while correct -- may cause problems for Obama again.
This sounds like what happened with gays during Clinton's health care bill -- the story of the month became about Gays rights instead of health care. Even though the gays were right that they were and still are, being discriminated against - it was bad timing to be making it an issue.
If you'd rather blow this whole thing and push the race card even more -- have at it. But don't expect Obama to get ANYTHING done while in office if you do so.
If instead we concentrate on health and energy and he's actually able to get health care reform passed (making history), a huge energy bill pass (again making history) during the worst recession since the Great Depression -- he will have proven to those 'nut cases' that hate blacks, that blacks/African Americans do INDEED have brains and are quite capable of getting things done against all odds.
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Overreach THIS!
September 16, 2009 9:51 AM in reply to coonsey
Respectfully disagree. They're not planning to play nice. Clyburn said an olive branch is seldom effective in S.Carolina politics, and I think it's the case here generally. Just my view.
I think Carter said something that needs to be said, these people who want to say they're so troubled about the economy (and the *Constitution,* there's a knee-slapper!) be put on notice that we've got their real numbers and the citizenry at large knows all about their despicable hatreds and they aren't fooling anybody.
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cube3u
September 16, 2009 9:57 AM in reply to coonsey
The "nut cases" are true-believers in racism. In my experience, it is very rare for this to be changed. Those turning out for their WDC rally are activists and true-believers, IMHO. The signs I saw would be acceptable at a KKK rally--although perhaps on the milder side.
I see no reason for any of us to close our eyes and wish the nonsense away. It's wrong and it's dangerous and it's a very fringe, minority viewpoint in our nation. And I think we have to stand up and say that.
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twoviragos
September 16, 2009 10:09 AM in reply to coonsey
Would you mind clarifying your statements a bit? Are you saying that when someone like Jimmy Carter calls out their perception of racism that it is somehow a red herring? I hope this is not what you are saying but for me it feels like you might be saying that ignoring the issue of race is part of the greater good of getting a political agenda passed.
Also, I would like to point out that the use of the term "race card" is a pejorative used to indicate that someone has deliberately and falsely accused another person of being a racist in order to gain some sort of advantage. If people like Carter define something as racism, do you think that we are trying to use race to get some kind of advantage? Carter has never struck me as that cynical.
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Schmed
September 16, 2009 10:24 AM in reply to coonsey
Didn't Obama say about a year ago that we're capable of doing more than one thing at a time? It's foolish to back-burner every other issue so that we can accomplish the one and only agendum. In fact, it's highly dangerous to be so monofaceted. Finance reform is sorely needed to keep the banks from driving this country over the cliff and into the abyss we narrowly avoided. There's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in place to stop them from doing it again, PLUS they're now operating under the well-founded presumption that we'll bail their asses out with Treasury bailouts just like last time.
Staring hypnotically into the healthcare whirlpool may be all the MSM can manage, but there are other critical issues out there that need to be addressed and racism is one that's been ignored for far too long. Carter is doing us all a great service by voicing the disgust that we should all be voicing. As Linda Loman said, "Attention must be paid!"
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desert rain
September 16, 2009 10:35 AM in reply to Schmed
You've hit the nail, Schmed: It's not the legislators nor the public that have trouble dealing with more than one major issue at once, it's the producers of certain news programs.
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Moe
September 16, 2009 9:30 AM
Regarding racism among the teabaggers etc. While surely it is present in some. I imagine we would be seeing a very large percentage of the same wingnuts behaving in a similar fashion if Hillary Clinton had been elected.
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CityGuy
September 16, 2009 9:41 AM in reply to Moe
Yep. Plus all of the Clinton dirty laundry would have been re-aired, whether America wanted to hear it or not! But still, there IS an element of white entitlement to this whole Teabagger stuff. It simply cannot be denied.
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oskieoskie
September 16, 2009 9:41 AM in reply to Moe
Yep, the Limbaugh and the rest of the hatemongers would be pushing the misogynist buttons instead of the racist buttons. Lots of ways to set off a rightwing kook.
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JohnAH
September 16, 2009 10:28 AM in reply to Moe
Yes, but with "HillaryCare" they fought the bill on what was actually in the bill and not crazy conspiracy theories and wide eyed hatred of the man who asked Congress for the bill.
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jeffgee
September 16, 2009 9:50 AM
Sounds like Gomer and King are reading from the same script.
"Who does he think he is, coming into OUR house and talking like that?"
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Rich in NJ
September 16, 2009 10:11 AM
Obama has become a Rorschach test test on race.
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Icarus
September 16, 2009 10:27 AM
Being a southerner, Carter should know racism when he sees it.
Yes, discussing racism is a diversion when Americans need to understand that our current health insurance policies are immoral. And the Reptile Party loves distractions. Yet we can take time out from our health coverage campaign to point out the KKK wanna-be's among us.
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JohnAH
September 16, 2009 10:31 AM
Baucus: "The Door Is Always Open" For GOP Support -
This statement equals, "I'm willing to water this bill down way more than I already have if anyone has any good ideas on how; especially if it will make my friends at United Health Care, Kaiser Permanente & Cygnet happy.
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Icarus
September 16, 2009 10:37 AM
So Baucus, after diligently watering down a real health care plan, ostensibly to garner support from the other side, is submitting the legislation without any Reptilian support. Why did he bother? The Dems were negotiating against themselves. Maybe we should look again at his corporate contributors for a clue to those Broadway-style impresarios of this show.
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The Old Grouch
September 16, 2009 10:39 AM
Without a doubt, Jimmy Carter is the single best ex-President the US has ever seen. Speaks plain truth, without fear, and without hyperbole.
And he is bang-on right on this.
And that racism he called out needs to be continually called out for what it is, and the racists behind it for what they are.
Thinking we can stand by and let it fail on its own is a grave error - beliefs such as this must be actively opposed, on an ongoing basis.
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Official A
September 16, 2009 11:06 AM in reply to The Old Grouch
"racism he called out needs to be continually"
Any white person born in the south prior to 1960 was born into racism. Jimmy Carter, Joe Wilson, and me. It's part of the DNA. But what separates humans from animals is the ability to resist primal instincts and behave morally by "calling out" your own shortcomings. That's what makes Carter a Christian and Joe Wilson an imposter.
Remember when Carter took a bashing for admitting to Playboy that he had "lusted in his heart"? If only all of us could be so circumspect.
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erichayes
September 16, 2009 2:58 PM in reply to The Old Grouch
Picking nits, I suppose, but Carter is a former President. We only have one ex President in our history: Richard Nixon.
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Hussein Stemper
September 16, 2009 10:52 AM
Agree with all the good things said about Carter above. 2 thoughts:
- If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and rent the Jonathan Demme documentary "Man from Plains" about Carter's book tour for the Palestine book he wrote a few years ago. A great close-up view of a courageous man, and Demme's commentary track is just as valuable.
- Maureen Dowd gets a lot of grief on this list, but would like to point out that she deserves credit for calling out racism here as well:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/opinion/13dowd.html?_r=1
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GTFOOH
September 16, 2009 11:34 AM
Your name is Gohmert and you are from Texas. STFU should be automatic!
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roxsteady
September 16, 2009 12:42 PM
The problem with people like Ghomer Pile, I mean Louie Ghomert is that they don't know their place. The President is up here and they're down there. Yes, that's right, they're beneath the President....in terms of ranking. Wilson needed to be put back in his place as they use to tell some of us who are African American. Only when we say it now about Wilson, we mean it in terms of his ranking and not his race. We Dems won, and the President has the right to govern the way he and his party have chosen. That's the problem with the Republican supporters. They didn't vote for him so they don't want anything the Whitehouse and their party wants. Elections have consequences! The right can be placed into 2 categories. One side that truely has concerns about the countires direction. They don't show up at those rallies though. The other side are racists who don't see Obama as a legit president. Now, see! We're not saying they are all racists. Just the one's that showed up at rallies and townhalls. "I want my country back" Back to Dixie?
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Clavis
September 16, 2009 1:38 PM
""He says we're making wild claims," said Gohmert."
Translation: Republicans get to make wild claims about Obama, but he doesn't get to make wild claims about us.
Once again, Republicans feel so entitled to their double-standard, they don't even notice it anymore. They're such ruthless, unprincipled hypocritical authoritarians that they have utterly and completely internalized the notion that It's OK If You're a Republican.
Thank goodness President Obama isn't continuing to beat the drum of "gaining Republican support"... right?
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