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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009

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NEXT STOP, REALITY TV (MAYBE)

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|NEXT STORY »

Wilson's Son to Carter: Dad's No Racist

Slams former prez's claim 'you lie!' was 'based on racism'

By Matt Cantor| Posted Sep 16, 09 1:03 PM CDT|

(Newser) – Rep. Joe Wilson’s “you lie!” shout wasn’t “based on racism,” whatever Jimmy Carter might say, argues Wilson’s son. “There is not a racist bone in my dad's body,” says Alan Wilson, himself a candidate for attorney general in South Carolina, reports the Daily News. “He doesn't even laugh at distasteful jokes.” People "can disagree—and appropriately disagree—on issues of substance, but when they make the jump to race it's absolutely ludicrous.”

Part of Carter's offending statement, made yesterday in Atlanta: "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."

Former President Jimmy Carter stands inside the Israeli Kalandia checkpoint, between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

In this Sept. 9, 2009 file photo, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC, right, enters his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

Joe and Jimmy. (AP Photos)

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43 comments

VIEWING:

Fondue
Sep 16, 09 1:08 PM CDT

Now it's just a matter of time before someone finds Wilson's "macaca moment". Reply

IN RESPONSE:

NoReallySeriously
Sep 16, 09 3:39 PM CDT

My dad's not a racist! he's just a member of the Sons of the Confederacy and fought for SC to keep the confederate flag!

| 0 minutes ago

gabo
Sep 16, 09 1:09 PM CDT

He'e not a racist, he's just ignorant, arrogant and without any class. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Toon
Sep 16, 09 1:23 PM CDT

And here I thought he was money grubbing. If he isn't racist he is so blinded by the check in the lobbyist's hand that he is willing to believe utter nonsense.

IN RESPONSE:

Snarfeh
Sep 16, 09 3:10 PM CDT

I think he is a racist and this link to an interesting read on Wilson and the Sons of the Confederacy puts forth a good argument that he is racist: http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/19957

| 0 minutes ago

easterner
Sep 16, 09 1:12 PM CDT

"There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president." .........This maybe true But let's not be too quick to point the accusing finger at someone who disagrees with the President in a hurried effort to prove it. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

JoeQ
Sep 16, 09 1:35 PM CDT

easterner. That's a good point and I agree. Joe Wilson claimed he got carried away by the passion of the town hall meetings that he'd been attending. That is hard to believe considering he is supposed to be a member of congress and not a fan at a football game. I think the right wing is desperate enough now that they are deliberately tapping into racism with the organized but incoherent rage that we are seeing at the town halls, at the tea parties, with the birthers and other lunatic fringe, with the hate mongering on Fox and on the radio. I think its going to backfire. The republican party will be so marginalized they might lose midterm elections. That is bad for the country because we truly need pluralism to have a healthy government.

IN RESPONSE:

Snarfeh
Sep 16, 09 3:18 PM CDT

Agreed. Today, I was listening to a right wing radio dick and I don't even know which loser it was because I was just scanning. Anyway, he reminded his listeners that liberals would play the race card if Obama was elected and now we are proving him right. He said if the President were white and had the same goals as Obama, they would fight just as hard against his platform. Personally, I don't believe every republican is a racist, but I do believe that if the President were a white MALE democrat, they would not be as vociferous in their disagreement. I do not believe Joe Wilson would have yelled out "you lie" to a white male. I do not believe republicans would be teabagging each other so much (heh) if the President were a white male. I do not believe they would be as against health care reform as they are if he were a white male. After all, republicans take advantage of government social programs just as much as anyone else, despite what they may say. However, the idea that an african american man is pushing for something that could possibly benefit people of color more than anyone else is more than they can take. Republicans cannot stand the thought of their tax dollars being used to save lives. They prefer their tax dollars be used to take lives.

| 0 minutes ago

Rob
Sep 16, 09 1:14 PM CDT

Carter had no right to say that. he was being arrogant to assume Wilson's inner thoughts. Reply

-10

IN RESPONSE:

Fondue
Sep 16, 09 3:39 PM CDT

Listen at your brown shirt ass telling people what rights they have. Sit the fuck down and STFU. You have no right to say he was being arrogant.

IN RESPONSE:

NoReallySeriously
Sep 16, 09 3:49 PM CDT

are you really putting forth the thought that someone doesn't have the right to free speech?

IN RESPONSE:

NoReallySeriously
Sep 16, 09 3:51 PM CDT

that was directed at Rob originally but - now that I see fondue's post also at you lol

IN RESPONSE:

DontLikeYou
Sep 16, 09 10:38 PM CDT

Fondue sounds like a fascist. No wonder you like Obama.

-2

| 0 minutes ago

Are_you--Nobody--Too
Sep 16, 09 1:26 PM CDT

I'm glad Carter spoke up and said what he thought. I can't say he's right or wrong. But at least he's an intelligent, modest, classy guy (unlike Wilson) who treats people with respect. We can't write off what he says immediately because he's certainly proved himself to be thoughtful and well intentioned. And his saying this will at least give others in Congress pause before they exhibit disrespectful behavior toward our nation's president. Wilson may not consider himself to be racist, but his behavior as a member of Congress on television could easily be interpreted as racist. And that's really all that matters. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

DontLikeYou
Sep 16, 09 10:40 PM CDT

/// ------ We can't write off what he says immediately because he's certainly proved himself to be thoughtful and well intentioned -----/// .................. Are you talking about Jimmy Carter??? You actually believe that load of crap you just posted? Good grief!

-3

IN RESPONSE:

Are_you--Nobody--Too
Sep 17, 09 4:49 AM CDT

Once again, I don't like you either.

| 0 minutes ago

LmtdGovt
Sep 16, 09 1:33 PM CDT

why does anyone care what Jimmah thinks? Reply

-8

IN RESPONSE:

MrsK
Sep 16, 09 3:01 PM CDT

Because liberals love ALL other liberals, no matter how ignorant or jew hating they are.

-10

IN RESPONSE:

Forderon
Sep 16, 09 3:43 PM CDT

Comments made by MrsK on Newser: Bush's wife has class and grace. Michelle is a grossly hideous woman.------ Amazing. What changed? How did B. Hussein's election make any difference? All it proves to me is that Americans are an ignorant people. Easily swooned. Ha, I just answered my own question.-------- Buck toothed Michelle should spend some of that taxpayer money on Invisaligns. She is HIDEOUS!!------- Go Bush!!! It's about time you spoke out about the ass wipe Chicago gangster the stupid libs put in office!!!------- Maxine Waters is a thug.------- The left is the nastiest bunch I've ever seen and beyond belief. May they all rot for how they treat those who do not align with them politically.------- Katie Couric is scum and a "journalist" of the lowest order. May she rot in hell forever for her Palin hit job. Couric sucks.------ Hey, who cares if the country goes to hell in a hand basket as long as we have diversity?------ Keep on crucifying the beautiful, conservative Christian lady. (Palin)------ I miss the good ol' days when we bombed the shit out of our enemies, when America had balls. Sure could use a General Patton about now.----- It doesn't matter that she is overweight. All that really matters is that she is black. (about Surgeon General appointment Regina Benjanmin) ----- Lotsa thugs come from Chicago. Dirty city.------- Sounds like the white version of HusseinO's pastor Reverend Wright. (about pastor praying for Obama to die)------ Could it be that Liberals are waking up to discover they put a thug administration in office? -------

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Sep 16, 09 9:14 PM CDT

To mrsk. I'm liberal & I've read 25 books on The Holocaust. I watch every movie or documentary on the topic.

| 0 minutes ago

Cat-Lover
Sep 16, 09 1:42 PM CDT

Maybe there's not a racist bone in Wilson's body, as his son claims but there's muscle, blood vessels, cells and DNA and therein lies his bigotry. It comes with the territory of being an deep-south office seeker. No one in their right mind would have called out during a presidential speech in a joint session of Congress and worse using the slave-master vocabulary. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

DontLikeYou
Sep 16, 09 10:43 PM CDT

WTF are you talking about? Are you on vicodin or something? Pheeew.

-1

| 0 minutes ago

newsrmandan
Sep 16, 09 2:07 PM CDT

"There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."... makes perfect sense only from the mouth of Jimmy Carter. Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

PhillytoWinnetka
Sep 16, 09 2:23 PM CDT

Yes it is true that in a country of over 300 million there will be a miniscule number of people who won't accept a black president. However it cannot be ignored that Obama got elected b/c more "whites" than not voted for him!!! These "race" witch hunts are rubbish and to continue them will spell disaster for the President. The growing suspicion now is if President Obama-who weighed in prematurely on the Gates incident, is truly seeking to be a uniter or fall back on old rhetoric. So far it seems like old rhetoric is winning.

| 0 minutes ago

PhillytoWinnetka
Sep 16, 09 2:14 PM CDT

Jimmy Carter is still seeking to be relevant today b/c he was totally irrelevant as President in the late 70's(Hostage crisis, gasoline rationing, inflation...etc) It is beneath a former President to make such inflamatory and unfounded remarks. The idea that anyone who questions the President must be racist...is indeed racist b/c they only see the "color" of his skin, not the "content" of his character. I wonder how much in donations Mr. Carter got to his Presidential Library to keep the distraction er discussion going. He will go down in the annals of history as anything but a "southern gentleman". Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

Bryanw55
Sep 16, 09 5:09 PM CDT

Brother, once you have a sitting member of congress calling the president a liar during a presidential debate, let's cut the crap on the high concern of being inflammatory, ok? By the way, did Carter refer specifically to Wilson, or just the whole shebang of idiots we have running their mouths right now?

IN RESPONSE:

yoeydude
Sep 17, 09 6:27 AM CDT

if you remember President Carter was elected on the momentum created by the bush like criminality of the nixon years , which include President Gerald Fords years and pardon of Nixon, he also had to deal with the aftermath of the Arab Israeli war that gave us the oil embargo ,... I remember pushing my car on odd or even days to the gas station ,.... he still got Israel and Egypt to sign a peace treaty ,.... then came the hostage crises , sparked by the Shaw coming to the U.S. for cancer treatments , he couldn't turn him away , with the Shaw away Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran , he tried to attempt a rescue , but that was the dark ages in high tech , so he had a plateful , show some respect , history has different criteria than you my friend , he is a big man , that changed history , you my friend , and I are but also rans

| 0 minutes ago

BlahBlahBlah
Sep 16, 09 2:48 PM CDT

Did anyone actually watch President Carters interview? He didn't call Wilson a racist. He made an observation about America as a whole. It wasn't offensive. Funny, people are often at their most defensive when they are guilty of something. Joe Wilson may or may not be a racist. What is certain is that Wilson appears to be a massive blow hard jerk off. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

archibaldarmstrong
Sep 16, 09 3:23 PM CDT

Most readers/posters probably were only going on what was synthesized in yesterdays (?) Newser article, so you are right. The way it was written here made it sound like he said Wilson was a racist. I hope he didn't say that, because it's too inflammatory for most people to handle. Like me.

IN RESPONSE:

Forderon
Sep 16, 09 3:46 PM CDT

That's the problem with Newser. They love writing sensationalist headlines. And since we live in the ADD generation, most people here simply read the headline and barely read the summary, if even that, and don't bother reading the actual source. Then they'll post some ignorant comment. It's sad how the discourse in this country has devolved.

| 0 minutes ago

bahari@bellsouth.net
Sep 16, 09 3:17 PM CDT

Always expect children to agree with their parents. Case in point: Megan McCain and Liz Chaney. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Metal_gear
Sep 16, 09 3:31 PM CDT

Yea, Jimmy didn't ever direct that comment to Wilson he was talking in general. And sadly he's right! Ever since Obama took office it's been very racist here in the south. Thing is people here are pretty ignorant, I hate to say. But its true, nobody wants to give Obama a chance b/c he is Black. Ive herd some of the most ridiculous things in my life starting when he decided to run. People are afraid to have a black man in office, at least around here. The worst part is nobody even wants to give him a chance! They are so quick to spread these complete nonsense rumors. My advice to the south, give it a rest! Give the guy a chance! Stop being afraid of something different! Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Adapt-Overcome
Sep 16, 09 3:49 PM CDT

Whatever! Like what else is he gonna say, it's his dad for pete's sake. OK. he's a member of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans...and yes they say they do good things for their communities, but they are also racists and have been known to harbor members of the aryian nation and the kkk. But on this flag thing. The Dixie Flag, whether we agree with the usage of it or not...is just that..Their state flag. It was idiots who turned it into a symbol of hate and fear. Those same idiots having their "Tea Party's" and such. I could no easier give up my state flag...because it's a part of our history. So, let's leave the flags out of this. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Bryanw55
Sep 16, 09 5:18 PM CDT

I agree. I even think that you can have a respect for some of the things the Confederacy stood for without being racist, and I am an Obama supporter. There was slavery far longer under the US flag that we honor today than the conferate flag. Additionally, while the North freed the slaves, not their primary objective by the way, there were many children of all races working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in their own factories.

| 0 minutes ago

password12
Sep 16, 09 4:11 PM CDT

If he was a racist, then he was talking to both White's and Blacks's. Because Obama is BOTH. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

DontLikeYou
Sep 16, 09 10:36 PM CDT

Too much logic there. It's just easier if liberals think Obama is black and that's why America dislikes him.

-1

| 0 minutes ago

kansas1946
Sep 16, 09 5:00 PM CDT

Wilson's Son to Carter: Dad's No Racist **************************** No, he's just a jackass. Not a racist. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

cornelison
Sep 16, 09 9:20 PM CDT

Did anyone see Wilson's expression in Congress that night? He looked so enraged that he was scary. That's more than the look of dissent. He really looked like he hated The President. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

cornelison
Sep 16, 09 9:30 PM CDT

Wilson claimed that he was an immigration lawyer. It's a lie. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

DontLikeYou
Sep 16, 09 10:35 PM CDT

Carter is senile. Poor old man. Reply

-4

| 0 minutes ago

LiberalJesus
Sep 17, 09 9:08 AM CDT

Joesph Stalins son said " my daddy didn't kill anyone, he loved everyone" Adolph Hitlers relatives said " He loved the Jews" Custers ancestors swear the General wanted to protect the indians, not massacre them...not his fault the indians ran into the gun fire" Tojo's daughter said "dropping bombs on Pearl Harbor was a nautical mistake...they thought they were bombing the Germans" Like you can believe anything a relative says about a racist in the family. Didnt his own wife even say "what nut yelled at the President?"...losers... Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Shannonals
Sep 17, 09 9:15 PM CDT

Does Alan Wilson even really know his Father's past history? This is the man who called out Sen. Strom Thurmond's daughter because by revealing herself as his daughter she was tarnishing Thurmonds image in that he had an child out of wedlock with a Black woman. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

radnip
Sep 22, 09 7:23 PM CDT

When you call a black guy and a Jewish guy Nazis, you're making no sense. When you make no sense, that's because FEAR rules you. In a country being led by someone who is finally speaking to you like an adult and telling you the problems and ways to deal with them, you either fear because you're a child or because you have other reasons. Racism is an easy reason, but I suppose it could also be because you are a child who has never dealt with a problem in a adult manner. You, in this case, of course, means all those who are schizophrenic right now, trying to hold two completely contradictory visions in one mind. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 43 comments »

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