Playing the Race Card Presidential Style

Kenneth Walsh, veteran White House correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, has just come out with the new book entitled Family of Freedom: Presidents and African Americans in the White House.  In this book, he attributes to President Barack Obama a statement about how race has been a big factor motivating his critics, especially those who have formed the Tea Party movement.

It's nothing new for anyone in politics or the media to use racism, or play the race card as it is often called, to discredit anyone who opposes their point of view.  The reporters and pundits at MSNBC, which I refer to as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democratic Party, have been doing this ever since Barack Obama was elected President.  Unfortunately, it is very sad to see the President, himself, charging those who criticize his policies with having racial motivations for their opposition.

The problem with Barack Obama playing the race card is that it doesn't pass the logic test.  If so many are opposed to him in large measure because he is black, how did he get elected President in the first place.  More than just winning the election in 2008, Obama posted the largest majority for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson did in 1964.  That means he won a greater majority of votes than Jimmy Carter did in 1976 or Bill Clinton in  either of his two election victories in 1992 and 1996.  Sure seems like racism to me.

To believe Obama and his supporters when they cry racism, you have to totally suspend rational thinking.  For this to be true, a large portion of the 53 percent of the voters who cast their votes for Obama in 2008 didn't really know he was black.  You would have to accept the preposterous notion that these people woke up one day and said, "My God, I didn't realize I voted for a black man," and now I must oppose everything he does solely because of his race.

I admit that I didn't vote for Obama, but I was born and raised in Chicago and came to know people who knew of him.  I was told he is a nice guy and a great family man.  I know that his wife is a very intelligent and accomplished woman, and neither of them should have to use race to win an argument.

Besides trying to discredit those who oppose Obama's policies, those who use racism as a tactic alienate otherwise good and decent people who simply disagree.  Playing the race card also is designed to unfairly end debate on an issue and often does because no one wants to be labeled a bigot. 

Barack Obama is too intelligent to use such a tactic.  He should be able to stand on the merits of his policies and accomplishments.  He should be better than that.  I once thought he was.