James Clyburn Says Racism To Blame For Obama's Problems

McClatchy:

House Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, on Wednesday blamed most of President Barack Obama's political problems on racism.

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[RJchoice]

08:41 PM on 05/28/2011

amazing how these "i just don't like his policies" "non-racist" expects rational people to ignore the fact that the tea party just so happened to pop up right after the 08 election of a black man to the white house, and that Rush nd the ditto heads "hoped that he would fail" even before he was sworn in.. they continue to willfully ignore U.S. accomplshments under his watch, complain about tax hikes when he actually lowered all their taxes, and in the very least have not raised them.. jump started a stagnant economy , saved tons of auto industry jobs , and wall street, all paid for.. early with intrest... yet they are absolutely giddy when the U.S. falls short somehow.. remember the schadenfreude displayed by the right when we failed to get the Olympics? ... or everytime a world leader is not in agreement with our POTUS? even ones they themselves vehemently disagree with?

if they are not primarily motivated by race.. then it is an extreme form of partisanship so childish and petty that they would welcome another 9/11 just to be able to say "Obama can't keep america safe" these folks are the real danger to our nation ... stay viligent those who can see through the "new southern strategy, race baiting, scape goating, GOP teaparty tactics, fox-news"

smh..

[Dhammaflame]

11:58 PM on 05/26/2011

In his "State of the Union" address on January 27 [2010], President Obama said: "But if anyone from either party has a better approach that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen Medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know." Well, ending America's many wars would free up enough money to do anything a rational, humane society would want to do. Eliminating the military budget would pay for free medical care for everyone. Free university education for everyone. Creating a government public works project that could provide millions of decently-paid jobs, like repairing the decrepit infrastructure and healing the environment to the best of our ability. You can add your own favorite projects. All covered, just by ending the damn wars.

[Angelica]

08:40 AM on 05/27/2011

F

[Kells38]

10:07 PM on 05/26/2011

I find it strange that people who ARE racist, hate to be CALLED racist. Be true to yourself and what you are. Don't deny how you were raised even if it was backward- stop trying the old okey doke by saying Obama is racist, which is idiotic because the man's anscestory expands several races. Believe me, you will be better for it. Besides, nobody cares if you are a racist, you have to look at your ugly mug in the mirror every day and live with what you see! Not a pretty picture is it...u homophobes!

[Jefsaid]

09:44 PM on 05/26/2011

There were a lot of non-black voters who voted for Obama purely because they liked him and wanted him to be their president. Some now feel he has not lived up to expectation which is fine. However, there were a large vocal many who simply did not see it acceptable for a person of colour with a Muslim sounding name to be representing the USA ditto. It is these folk who increasingly poison the minds of others with their continual bile...
http://hubpages.com/author/Jefsaid/hot/

[AmericanMark]

12:48 AM on 05/27/2011

"Muslim sounding"? The President's father was muslim, so how is the name "muslim sounding"? It is a muslim surname. The President says he's Christian, so who doubts that? Conservatives don't like his policies, that's all.

[Jefsaid]

06:06 PM on 05/27/2011

Surely his name is Kenyan, not Muslim and I do not refer to Conservatives who could be any creed or colour. I question the motives of those who simply discredit him without any real knowledge or care for his policies.

[donbrown]

07:05 PM on 05/29/2011

Many conservatives made disparaging comments about his Muslim name, as ignorant as that sounds.

Sad, but true...as if he chose his name.

[papapj]

09:39 PM on 05/26/2011

This thread has the worst moderation I've encountered on this, or any board...Ever.

[ShellyintheWest]

06:59 PM on 05/26/2011

I can't think of one group that isn't scrutinized by another group. It has been happening since the beginning of time. There is not one group of people who have not been persecuted. Think about it.

[vgirl1]

06:49 PM on 05/26/2011

HP apparently only supports or allows comments that imply there is no racism being directed at the POTUS.

[supergenius02]

07:31 PM on 05/26/2011

Unless I am mistaken, Obama is half white and half black. So which half is the target of racism? The white half?

[papapj]

08:01 PM on 05/26/2011

He's Black. That's how he identifies and you should respect that.

If he wasn't known to you and you saw him walking down the street, I hardly think you'd say;

"Hey, there goes a half=Black, half-White fellow...I'm sure the taxis won't just zip by him, he does have some White in him, after all....

Get real.

[tagtron]

08:57 PM on 05/26/2011

as a supergenius, you should be aware that America has historically followed the "One Drop Rule" Google it and learn something

[AmericanLeslie]

07:33 PM on 05/26/2011

F

[vgirl1]

06:48 PM on 05/26/2011

i**gord, continues to get to post all his "there's no racism" comments but no counters are allowed.

What's up with that?

[AmericanLeslie]

07:11 PM on 05/26/2011

HINT: read the current and past opinions of the moderator on this thread.

[supergenius02]

06:48 PM on 05/26/2011

The unemployment rate for blacks under Obama as of April 2011 was 16.1% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. When Bush left the White House in 2008, the unemployment rate for blacks was 10.1% according the same Bureau of Labor. That is a jaw-dropping 60% rise rise in unemployment for blacks under Obama. Even prominent black professor Cornell West ripped into Obama over black unemployment. Obama has completely ignored blacks, whites and everyone in between. People not liking Obama has more to do with his incompetence, arrogance, and ignoring those who are hurting more than race. 2011 Black Unemployment Rate: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t02.htm 2008 Black Unemployment Rate: http://www.bls.gov/cps/race_ethnicity_2008_unemployment.htm

[tagtron]

09:01 PM on 05/26/2011

Always interesting when the Right Wingnuts suddenly get concerned over the fate of Black people. It's a red flag. Or red herring. From the party that refers to "welfare queens", "food stamp users", etc. I'm pretty sure if you asked Black folk (know any?) they will quickly tell you they prefer living in the US under BO than Bush

[Jefsaid]

09:02 PM on 05/26/2011

Are you some kind of authority on black people? What are you trying to achieve here...?

[Ross David Tirbeaux]

06:34 PM on 05/26/2011

I don't think it is racism and it is not only this president that is having problems. Bush part 2 was bashed constantly (justly in my opinion) and so was Clinton. I was born during the Carter adm and he was deeply unpopular by the end and Reagan had a ton of detractors too.

Now putting Obama's head on a chimp is pure racism, but I don't think anywhere near the majority of his problems come from race.

[Dhammaflame]

07:03 PM on 05/26/2011

I remember Bush Jr's head was put on a Chimp too. Is that racist? People need to put some shoes on a stop trying to carpet the world! Word taboos are another way to police thoughts and control us. I remember George Carlin with fondness.

[tagtron]

09:03 PM on 05/26/2011

I remember Bush Jr's head was put on a Chimp too.....................Bush does not come from a segment of society that was historically the object of derision by comparison to simians. A subtle distinction you may not be able to grasp

[tagtron]

09:05 PM on 05/26/2011

The day after his inauguration, Limball announced that he was "praying for Obama to fail". This is how BO started his 1st day on the job. With the mouthpiece for the Radical Right instructing them to pray for his failure, before he had created any policies or announced any agenda. What do you suppose that treasonous comment was based upon?????

[Ross David Tirbeaux]

09:59 PM on 05/26/2011

Problem number one you listened to Rush. The only thing he is good for is rile people up, either is agreement or disagreement.

[vgirl1]

06:30 PM on 05/26/2011

Racism remains America's dirty little secret.

Trying to say Obama's win makes this untrue, is to deny the extreme vitriolic attempts by at least half of this nation since his election to classify him as "the other" and to be against everything he supports even if they once supported that something themselves (health care mandate an original Repub idea)

Never before in America has such an entrenched, anti-POTUS movement taken the form we see today. Never have we seen members of the US Congress side with a foreign leader over their own President, even when that President's position is that held by every previous Republican or Democrat president (the Israeli bordery issue).

The willingness to lie about the POTUS's positions and to spread the venom we hear in the public forums of radio and television about the POTUS and the FLOTUS speak volumes that the so called "discontent" is rooted in a disdain that a black man occupies the White House.

A campaign of mis-information, fear mongering, and government paralyzation is the response in an attempt to bring down what they dislike the most - a black man in the White House, no matter how prepared, brilliant or visionary he is.

They'd rather have a "good ol' boy", no matter how ill-prepared or mediocre he may be, as long as he is white.

Race is what we are seeing play out on America's political stage today.

[supergenius02]

07:15 PM on 05/26/2011

What are you talking about? Obama was the least qualified President in the last 100 years. He never had a buck-stops-here leadership position in his life neither in a civilian or government position. Outside of election wins, Obama never had one major accomplishment in his life before coming to the White House. The employment rate under Bush as of December 2008 was only 7.1% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now under Obama, it's 9%. Unemployment for blacks soared 60% under Obama from 10.1% to 16.1%. People don't like Obama because he is incompetent, because he was never qualified for office in the first place, and because the lives of millions of people are worse off now than they were under Bush. People were swayed by speeches rather than actual experience and a proven track record of success and now we are all paying the price for Obama's incompetence. 2008 Unemployment Rate: http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2009/jan/wk2/art02.htm April 2011 Unemployment Rate: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

[Jefsaid]

09:17 PM on 05/26/2011

And Bush was qualified? How? He was as thick as two planks. The economic problems Obama faces are Global and the expectation of him to turn around the multi-trillion $ legacy left by the Bush regime in the blink of an eye sums up the innateness of prejudice. Many who perceive themselves as fair minded do not often recognise their own thoughts and words. His validity as president has been questioned from the day he stepped into office and has not relented since.

[jalexvip]

10:07 PM on 05/26/2011

It truly amazes me when people like you talk. First of all; by what authority can you make a statement that the President is the least qualified in the last 100 years? Who anointed you the authority to judge a person’s accomplishment(s)? There has never been and will never be an accurate accounting of unemployment numbers. The numbers are nothing but assumptions based on general factors that can never be proven and are subject to interpretation by whomever wants’ to use them for their benefit. If any part of your statement were true that would mean that as soon as President Obama came into office people in droves just quit working; which is a ludicrous notion. The President isn't by any stretch incompetent; in fact just the opposite is true. Your statement that people are worse off than they were under Bush has some truth to it but where we before Bush? Bush (who never should have been president in the first place) put this country in the condition it's in today, and if God were the President now that would still be the case. To even entertain the thought that anyone or anything can turn-around 8 years of total destruction in 2 1/2 years are the thoughts of someone suffering from something that probably can never cured. A mental institution for such a person probably wouldn't help. Stop being brainwashed by right wing bigots and racist and start thinking for yourself, if that's even possible.

[MariaTall]

06:17 PM on 05/26/2011

Are people hating on Obama because he is Irish?

Those racists!

[tagtron]

09:07 PM on 05/26/2011

Pretty sure I speak for everyone else in acknowledging just how clever and humorous you are. And we can now understand why you're a Bag Lady

[Jefsaid]

09:26 PM on 05/26/2011

Black and Irish - You could not find a more disadvantaged mix here in the UK 40 years ago...
http://hubpages.com/author/Jefsaid/hot/

[steve11407]

06:08 PM on 05/26/2011

Racism. Just another in a long line of words that have become cliche.

[vgirl1]

06:42 PM on 05/26/2011

Only if you are white and in the majority.

[DaveyNC]

08:08 PM on 05/26/2011

Nah, that word has been so over-used that it's lost it's true meaning. Just because someone doesn't get their way doesn't mean the motivation of his opponents is racist. When you shout down critics with false claims of racism, you hollow out the meaning of the word. If Hilary had been elected instead and pursued the same policies that Obama has, you can bet she would be catching just as much grief and those of you on the left would be accusing her opponents of misogyny.

Fight it out in the arena of ideas and quit playing the race card every time you suffer a setback. Sharpen your argument, not your tongue.

[Vincent441]

11:27 AM on 06/19/2011

only if you have a brain in your head

[MariaTall]

06:03 PM on 05/26/2011

When white politicians mess up, they have to answer for their errs. When black politicians mess up they call you racist if you question them about their errs.

I guess you could call it "Affirmative Inaction."

[Vincent441]

11:28 AM on 06/19/2011

black privilege

[jojitsu]

06:01 PM on 05/26/2011

I absolutely agree with James Clyburn. It's so obvious that some white people are prejudiced against President Obama because they cannot stand the thought of a black man or even a black and white man inhabiting the White House. It challenges their world view that says despite all their faults, at least they are white. Well, the time they are a changing. Get on board or get left behind.