9/17/2009

in

Former President Carter plays the race card.

Amasico Rainer

Rep Joe Wilson's outburst during President Obama's speech on health care is still being heard and felt a week later.  
  
Wilson shouted "You Lie" interrupting the president as he presented his health care plan to the nation on television. Past president Jimmy Carter has led a charged nationwide debate stating Wilson's eruption was "based on racism".  
  
Carter's logic was due to a question asked at an Atlanta town-hall assembly on Tuesday.  
  
"There's an inherent feeling among many people in this country that an African American ought not to be president, and ought not to be given the same respect as if he were white".  
  
The White House is trying to down play this incident. Rep. South Carolina Republican Wilson has issued an apology and President Obama graciously accepted.  
  
A spokesman of the White House said, "The president does not believe that the criticism comes based on the color of his skin."  
  
As the president tries to dissociate himself from the topic of race, Carter wants to close the gap by at least creating dialogue.