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Obama: Anger Not About Race

He says anti-government feeling, fear of change fuel rage

By the Associated Press

Posted Sep 19, 2009 8:55 AM CDT
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(AP) – Fear of "big changes" and hostility to the growth of government—not racism—are what's driving angry criticisms about his health care agenda, President Obama said in a series of network television interviews that will air tomorrow morning. "Are there people out there who don't like me because of race? I'm sure there are," Obama told CNN. "That's not the overriding issue here."

In excerpts aired last night, Obama was asked repeatedly whether the tenor of the health care debate turned nasty because of undercurrents in racism. Not so, Obama said.

  • "Now there are some who are, setting aside the issue of race, actually I think are more passionate about the idea of whether government can do anything right," Obama told ABC News. "And I think that that's probably the biggest driver of some of the vitriol."
  • To CNN, he put it this way: "There's been a long-standing debate in this country that is usually that much more fierce during times of transition, or when presidents are trying to bring about big changes."

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during a health care rally at the University of Maryland, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, in College Park, Md.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks during a health care rally at the University of Maryland, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, in College Park, Md.   (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
President Barack Obama gestures while delivering remarks during a health care rally, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md.
President Barack Obama gestures while delivering remarks during a health care rally, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md.   (AP Photo/Rob Carr)
President Barack Obama speaks about the U.S. missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland, that had deeply angered Russia, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington.
President Barack Obama speaks about the U.S. missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland, that had deeply angered Russia, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the...   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama speaks about the U.S. missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland, that had deeply angered Russia, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, at the White House in Washington.
President Barack Obama speaks about the U.S. missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland, that had deeply angered Russia, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009, at the White House in Washington.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 27 comments
jagerhans
Sep 21, 2009 11:14 AM CDT
calvinism fucked you pretty bad in the head.
jagerhans
Sep 20, 2009 11:47 AM CDT
call it «varietism» instead of racism then, but the problem won't change by the least bit.
SilenceDogood
Sep 19, 2009 10:16 AM CDT
I agree dontlikeyou, the trailer trash talk around here gets pretty boring.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

 
Barack Obama • race • anger • health care reform

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