Dastardly racism, says Jimmy Carter over 'You lie' outburst at Obama
Former US president says interjection has exposed 'a feeling in this country' that an African-American should not hold the office
The former US president Jimmy Carter has condemned as "dastardly" and "based on racism" a southern Republican's outburst during Barack Obama big healthcare speech to Congress last week. Carter said the "You lie" interjection by Joe Wilson showed there was "an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president".
The 84-year-old said the case was part of a disturbing trend directed at Obama that has included equating the president to Nazi leaders. "Those kind of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national programme on healthcare. It's deeper than that."
In an interview with NBC News, Carter attributed much of the conservative opposition to Obama to his race. "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.
"I live in the south and I've seen the south come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that share the south's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African-Americans.
"And that racism inclination still exists. And I think it's bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the south but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country. It's an abominable circumstance and it grieves me and concerns me very deeply."
But Wilson, a South Carolina congressman, was defended by his son Alan, who insisted: "There is not a racist bone in my dad's body."
Wilson has already apologised to Obama but said he owed no apology to the House of Representatives, which formally rebuked him in a vote yesterday.
Carter, a Democrat who was president from 1977 to 1981, intervened in the row during a town hall meeting at his presidential centre in Atlanta, Georgia, suggesting Wilson's comment was an aftershock of racist views that had permeated US politics for decades.
"The president is not only the head of government, he is the head of state. And no matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect."
In the aftermath of Wilson's outburst, which came after Obama said illegal immigrants would not be eligible for federal subsidies to buy healthcare , Democrats have insisted he broke basic rules of decorum and civility. Republicans see the vote to rebuke him as a witch-hunt.
Alan Wilson, an Iraq veteran who is running to be attorney general of South Carolina, said: "People can disagree – and inappropriately 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."
Dick Harpootlian, a former Democrat party chairman in South Carolina, said he did not believe Wilson was motivated by racism but added that his actions encouraged racist views. "I think Joe's conduct was asinine, but I think it would be asinine no matter what the colour of the president." Harpootlian, who has known Wilson for decades, said: "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 had received scores of racist emails from outside the state 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. But was he motivated by that? I don't think so. I respectfully disagree with President Carter, though it [Wilson's interjection] gives validity to racism."
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