USA: President Obama says the backlash against his health care initiative is not about race

Record ID: 278456

  • Title: USA: President Obama says the backlash against his health care initiative is not about race
  • Date: 21st September 2009
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C. UNITED STATES (RECENT) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF WHITE HOUSE "MEET THE PRESS/NBC NEWS" ON SCREEN
  • Embargoed: 6th October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Health,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABZN69ZLYWLX6PXVF6HTXP8Y24
  • Story Text: U.S. President Barack Obama sought to defuse recent controversy that opposition to his health care initiative was motivated by racism in a television interview at the White House on Friday (September 18, 2009).
    President Obama said the controversy about race was media-driven and that the debate was about different philosophies on how government should operate.
    "I think that the media loves to have a conversation about race. This is catnip to the media because it is a running thread in American history that's very powerful. I'm not saying that race never matters. I'm saying that this debate that's taking place is not about race, it's about people being worried about how our government should operate".
    Obama's campaign for healthcare has been marked by raucous debate among Americans sceptical of the plan. Republican Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina had to apologize for shouting "You lie" at Obama during his recent speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
    The exchange led former President Jimmy Carter to complain that Obama was a victim of racism, a claim Obama dismissed, choosing to turn to his message that both sides need to come together and compromise on policy demands.
    "The bottom line is that the American people can't afford to stay on the current path. We know that. And that both sides are going to have to give some, everybody's going to have to give some to get something done."
    President Obama also spoke about Afghanistan and the presence of the U.S. military, striking down the notion that the mission had no end.
    "I don't have a deadline for withdrawal but don't believe in indefinite occupations of other countries," Obama said.
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