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| White House rejects racism claim | White House rejects racism claim |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama does not believe current criticism of his policies is based on the colour of his skin, the White House has said. | US President Barack Obama does not believe current criticism of his policies is based on the colour of his skin, the White House has said. |
| It was responding to comments by former President Jimmy Carter that much of the vitriol against Mr Obama's health and spending plans was "based on racism". | It was responding to comments by former President Jimmy Carter that much of the vitriol against Mr Obama's health and spending plans was "based on racism". |
| Mr Carter said many thought an African-American should not be president. | Mr Carter said many thought an African-American should not be president. |
| Congress has also witnessed an outburst against Mr Obama that led to the rebuke of Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson. | Congress has also witnessed an outburst against Mr Obama that led to the rebuke of Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson. |
| Mr Wilson's son has denied any suggestion of racism in the outburst and some conservatives have accused the president's supporters of playing the race card. | Mr Wilson's son has denied any suggestion of racism in the outburst and some conservatives have accused the president's supporters of playing the race card. |
| 'Disagreements' | 'Disagreements' |
| White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Mr Obama "does not believe that the criticism comes based on the colour of his skin". | White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Mr Obama "does not believe that the criticism comes based on the colour of his skin". |
| The election of Barack Obama did not usher in a new age of post-racial politics in the US if anyone was naive enough to think that it might class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8260112.stm">Race debate grips America class="" href="/2/hi/americas/8258805.stm">Reaction: Obama 'racism' row | |
| "We understand that people have disagreements with some of the decisions that we've made and some of the extraordinary actions that had to be undertaken by this administration," Mr Gibbs said. | "We understand that people have disagreements with some of the decisions that we've made and some of the extraordinary actions that had to be undertaken by this administration," Mr Gibbs said. |
| Mr Obama has been met with angry protests in recent weeks. Some people have not only protested against the president's policies but have accused him of tyranny and have promised to "reclaim America". | Mr Obama has been met with angry protests in recent weeks. Some people have not only protested against the president's policies but have accused him of tyranny and have promised to "reclaim America". |
| "Those kind of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national programme on healthcare," Mr Carter said at a public meeting at his Carter Center in Atlanta. | "Those kind of things are not just casual outcomes of a sincere debate on whether we should have a national programme on healthcare," Mr Carter said at a public meeting at his Carter Center in Atlanta. |
| "It's deeper than that." | "It's deeper than that." |
| Responding to a question specifically on the Congress outburst by Mr Wilson, he said Mr Obama was the head of state as well as the head of government and - like heads of state elsewhere - he should be "treated with respect". | Responding to a question specifically on the Congress outburst by Mr Wilson, he said Mr Obama was the head of state as well as the head of government and - like heads of state elsewhere - he should be "treated with respect". |
| Mr Wilson was rebuked on Tuesday in a House vote, which said he had breached decorum. | Mr Wilson was rebuked on Tuesday in a House vote, which said he had breached decorum. |
| Jimmy Carter says there is a 'deeper' motive for the criticism | |
| He had shouted "You lie!" while Mr Obama was delivering an address on healthcare to Congress last Wednesday. | He had shouted "You lie!" while Mr Obama was delivering an address on healthcare to Congress last Wednesday. |
| Mr Wilson's eldest son, Alan, denied racism was a factor in his father's outburst. | Mr Wilson's eldest son, Alan, denied racism was a factor in his father's outburst. |
| "There is not a racist bone in my dad's body," he said. | "There is not a racist bone in my dad's body," he said. |
| Mr Wilson himself maintained that his personal apology to Mr Obama should have been enough to resolve the matter. | Mr Wilson himself maintained that his personal apology to Mr Obama should have been enough to resolve the matter. |
| Mr Obama "graciously accepted my apology and the issue is over", he said. | Mr Obama "graciously accepted my apology and the issue is over", he said. |