BlackMan Time

You don’t get many “good boy!” points saying the unpopular thing: you just tend to get crucified, unless you’re someone who has earned the right and respect to say things others are too afraid to say.

Former US President Jimmy Carter dared to speak the name of the thing he thinks is plaguing current president Barack Obama: racism. Carter told a public meeting at the Carter Center in Atlanta yesterday there was “an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president”.

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Jimmy Carter: racism working against ObamaNow, if this feeling is really inherent why would a White House spokesman later deny that claim? Maybe diplomacy is the best way to be when you’re trying to push through the most ambitious health care plan in America’s history. Maybe you do have to kiss arse before you can kick it. If this is so Obama and his White House staff are doing some major sucking up!

On the one hand they don’t want to be seen agreeing with the racism crowd: after all they didn’t come to power campaigning on a colour ticket. On the other, to pretend racism is not a factor opposing their every move is like burying your head in the sand and pretending you’ve got a full view of the wider picture.

Perhaps at a later time Obama and his White House spokesman will acknowledge what Carter has so boldly stated. Or perhaps they have just decided to chart a more strategically diplomatic course to get the job done. Either way they will have to pull their head out of the sand sometime.

And that’s when it should get really interesting.