'Bout time someone said it, dammit!

[Julie Art]

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_heckling_carter

By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer Greg Bluestein, Associated Press Writer – Wed Sep 16, 3:27 am ET
ATLANTA – U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson's oldest son defended his father against a claim by former President Jimmy Carter that the congressman's outburst during a speech by President Barack Obama was "based on racism."

Responding to an audience question at a town hall at his presidential center in Atlanta, Carter said Tuesday that Wilson's outburst was also rooted in fears of a black president.

"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."

But Wilson's son disputed that.

"There is not a racist bone in my dad's body," said Alan Wilson, an Iraq veteran who is running for state attorney general in South Carolina. "He doesn't even laugh at distasteful jokes. I won't comment on former President Carter, because I don't know President Carter. But I know my dad, and it's just not in him."

"It's unfortunate people make that jump. People can disagree — and appropriately disagree — on issues of substance, but when they make the jump to race it's absolutely ludicrous. My brothers and I were raised by our parents to respect everyone regardless of background or race."

Carter, a Democrat, said Joe Wilson's outburst was a part of a disturbing trend directed at the president that has included demonstrators equating Obama to Nazi leaders.

"Those kind of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national program on health care," he said. "It's deeper than that."

Wilson's spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, was formally rebuked Tuesday in a House vote for shouting "You lie!" during Obama's speech to Congress last Wednesday.

The shout came after the president commented that illegal aliens would be ineligible for federal subsidies to buy health insurance. Republicans expressed their disbelief with sounds of disapproval, punctuated by Wilson's outburst.

Tuesday's rebuke was a rare resolution of disapproval pushed through by Democrats who insisted that Wilson had violated basic rules of decorum and civility. Republicans characterized the measure as a witch hunt and Wilson, who had already apologized to Obama, insisted he owed the House no apology.

South Carolina's former Democratic Party chairman also said he doesn't believe Wilson was motivated by racism, but said the outburst encouraged racist views.

"I think Joe's conduct was asinine, but I think it would be asinine no matter what the color of the president," said Dick Harpootlian, who has known Wilson for decades. "I don't think Joe's outburst was caused by President Obama being African-American. I think it was caused by no filter being between his brain and his mouth."

Harpootlian said he received scores of racial e-mails from outside South Carolina after he talked about the vote on Fox News.

"You have a bunch of folks out there looking for some comfort in their racial issues. They have a problem with an African-American president," he said. "But was he motivated by that? I don't think so. I respectfully disagree with President Carter, though it gives validity to racism."

Carter called Wilson's comment "dastardly" and an aftershock of racist views that have permeated American politics for decades.

"The president is not only the head of government, he is the head of state," he said. "And no matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect."

___

Associated Press writer Seanna Adcox in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report.


Carter is at the top of my favorite people's list right now. Finally someone spoke the truth!

[Bunny Hop]

I knew that this was about what Jimmy Carter said, lol.

No one wants to be called a racist because that's bad yet they keep doing and saying things about Obama that they would not have done to any other President.

I'm sure had Hillary won we would have just seen the sexist side of people and it would be ugly too.

[T-Rex91]

i was so frigging happy to hear Jimmy say this!!!!!!!!!!!!! though they will never admit it, it validates that we aren't overly sensitive, everybody sees what's going on.

[Julie Art]

Amen DST! Cause that outburst was re-damn-diclous, and has NEVER been done before through out the history of this country to any previous president (that's because all past presidents have been white men).

[Robelite]

I have always respected Pres. Carter for his honesty. When it comes to sensitive issues, he's always spoken plainly and honestly...remember the issues with then Sen. Hilary Clinton and Sen. Obama during the dem primary? While others were dancing around it, he simply called it like it was. As we can see, he still stands by his convictions and doesn't let anyone intimidate him. He will go down (in my opinion) as one of the most DECENT presidents to ever occupy the WH.

If you all have noticed as of the last week or so, the MSM (MSNBC excluded) is FINALLY beginning to address the issue of racist hatred toward Pres. Obama....something they were talking "around" before. It's a shame it had to get to this point before they would deal with it.

Hell, even David Gergen on CNN got "hot" with that clack that he and James Carville had the exchange with the other night.

[No Screen Name]

I SAW DAVID GERGEN!!!! And I was shocked, because nothing, absolutely *NOTHING* ever moves him!

[Dasani]

Was so happy when I heard he said that and glad that they are addressing this issue.

Question: Do you think that the more the media addresses the racism against Obama or people labeling certain comments against the president as racism will hurt him in the next election? Meaning costing him some of the white independent votes he got or any votes for that matter.