This is hard to believe. "I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African American," Carter tells us in the video clip to which I have just linked.
First of all, what is being "intensely demonstrated" at town hall meetings and mass rallies throughout the land is not animosity toward the person Barack Obama, but disagreement with the ideas and policies he champions. Fiscal irresponsibility and socialism are what the protesters primarily oppose. Obama they oppose secondarily as the spokesman of these ideas. Second, disagreement with Obama's ideas and policies has nothing to do with the man's race. If Jimmy Carter were now president and forwarded the same proposals the opposition would be the same.
It's about ideas, not about a man or his race.
Since Mr Carter is not unintelligent, he is capable of understanding the two simple points I have made. So we must conclude that his injection of race into the debate is nothing more than an attempt to distract attention from the issues. 'Playing the race card' is perhaps the signature liberal-left tactic. The race card has become the liberal-left calling card. They play it because it works. And every time they do it we must call them on it.
So, Mr. Carter, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You really ought to be above this sort of thing. We expect this from a two-bit scribbler like Maureen Dowd, but from you?
Are there racists among the those who stand against socialism and for fiscal responsibility? Yes indeed. But so what? There are disreputable elements in every group. Think of the dubious characters among Obama's associates.