Chuck Todd wants the President to "show frustration" over the Carter remark. He seems to think he

[lamp_shade]

should address this on the Sunday talk shows and say "this is enough". Asswipe.

[Kahuna]

1. Jimmy Carter's timing was really bad seeing that the Prez will be doing

the full Ginsburg this Sunday. Every show will want to pound him on that question, make headlines and continue to bury the healthcare issue.

[zippy890]

5. exactly right- Obama needs to come out strong and deal with the Carter racism issue

now, before all his interviews. His whole health care agenda's getting sidetracked.

[genna]

7. Is that like the genius idea of a beer summit to discuss racial profiling?

Bull pucky.

He needs to sidestep race as he has continued to do. Even if you have someone who is a white supremacist who shoots up the Holocaust museum you'd find Chuck Todd and other neo conservatives saying that race is no longer an issue.

What does Obama gain by talking about race? It is obvious some Americans don't want to see color and difference or talk about its significance. Force feeding them will do what for Obama's long term success especially when Obama says truthfully that one police officer amongst an entire police department acted stupidly.

If he says what he really thinks, the wrath of the soon to be outdated Republicans would be swift and terrible.

Jimmy Carter was right. I am glad he has nothing to lose by saying it.

[jonnyblitz]

9. how in fuck do you all know what "Obama really thinks." I keep

hearing how Obama says one thing for public consumption but *really* thinks or means the opposite. does he send his hardcore followers telepathic messages?

[Myrina]

12. ROFL +10

[genna]

8. Is that like the genius idea of a beer summit to discuss racial profiling?

Bull pucky.

He needs to sidestep race as he has continued to do. Even if you have someone who is a white supremacist who shoots up the Holocaust museum you'd find Chuck Todd and other neo conservatives saying that race is no longer an issue.

What does Obama gain by talking about race? It is obvious some Americans don't want to see color and difference or talk about its significance. Force feeding them will do what for Obama's long term success especially when Obama says truthfully that one police officer amongst an entire police department acted stupidly.

If he says what he really thinks, the wrath of the soon to be outdated Republicans would be swift and terrible.

Jimmy Carter was right. I am glad he has nothing to lose by saying it.

[lunatica]

15. Obama needs to take up all his time on what Chuck Todds tells him to

But Chuck is probably the first to tell us he's a real journalist who holds the President's feet to the fire.

Good thing he's not President.

[shaniqua6392]

2. President Obama is not responsible for the opinions of others!

Chuck Todd is an idiot. Obama will be asked this on every show though because the media wants to talk about anything BUT health care reform! But, I am sure the president will be ready for this and will redirect the conversation off this topic.

[ErinBerin84]

3. the media just recycles same old memes

show emotion! Overexposed! Oh no, the president expressed an actual opinion, that's not accepted either! Blahhhhh.

[Why Syzygy]

4. "frustration"

gimme a break. I agree with Carter and disagree with the White House.


The White House wanted no part of Carter's argument.

"The President does not believe that criticism comes based on the color of his skin," press secretary Robert Gibbs said, adding that Obama had not discussed the matter with Carter.

Obama has long worked to project a "postracial" view of the world, addressing matters of race only when forced. That happened during the presidential campaign when Obama had to defuse an uproar over his ex-pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

As President - a job that requires him to cobble together disparate factions - talk of racism is about as welcome in the White House as a case of swine flu.

Carter's comments drew a furious response yesterday from many of Obama's critics, among them Michael Steele, the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee. "President Carter is flat-out wrong. This isn't about race. It is about policy," Steele said in a statement. "This is a pathetic distraction by Democrats to shift attention away from the President's wildly unpopular government-run health care plan."

Still, overt signs of racial animosity have not been hard to find at anti-Obama protests of late - posters depicting Obama as a witch doctor with a bone through his nose appeared at a mass rally of conservatives in Washington last weekend.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/09/17/200...

[SemiCharmedQuark]

6. I want Chuck Todd to express frustration with CNBC's stupidity.

[Skidmore]

10. Cable news love a cat fight and tries to incite them whenever possible.

What better way to gin up the cycles for the next week or two than to have two Presidents hissing and snarling at one another? AND there is the bonus of shutting down discussion of healthcare reform.

[hileeopnyn8d]

11. I am so sick

of them wanting a comment or reaction out of Obama for every single fucking thing anyone says. Gibbs needs to just tell them that it isn't the responsibility of the President to micromanage or speculate on the thoughts and opinions of every American, former presidents included.

I don't even remember them asking Bush what he thought of Colin Powell endorsing Obama for president.

This is getting ridiculous, and in some ways, as much as I like Gibbs, I think his style as a press secretary enables them. I've watched how the deputy press secretary conducts briefings, and I think he has a better command of the room. Gibbs is snarky, I like snarky, but I think he has set an informal tone that lets them lead him around by the nose. And too often he becomes part of the story. He just doesn't seem to have any control over the message.

[HopeOverFear]

21. Agreed. Gibbs needs to do better.

[SIMPLYB1980]

13. "A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice."

[elleng]

14. Prez O doesn't want to get involved now in what may be an historical watershed

on the subject; he doesn't want to say 'yes, its racism,' or 'no, its not,' as either statement would be a no win for him. Better to have others like Prez Carter discuss the matter civilly, imo.

[firedupdem]

16. Chuck Todd is an idiot. n/t

[jberryhill]

17. The President Is Not Going To Touch This With A Ten Foot Pole

It's like asking an artist to interpret his/her own work.

[DCKit]

18. It's time for the WH to ask for a replacement to fill that empty seat.

Every time Brian Williams introduces Chuck as "Our Sr. Political Correspondent" I can't help but throw up a little. Helen Thomas flushes better down the toilet every morning. Sure, he's got 3,000 pairs or worn out kneepads from his time with BushCo*, but those days are done and now he's making me miss Jeff Guckert - the honest, hard working rent boy.

If Chuck were being assigned on merit alone, he'd be reporting from county fairs and farm shows. It's a real shame he doesn't have a single friend in DC willing to take him aside and explain that he's way out of his league and really needs to stop presuming to set WH policy.

[EndElectoral]

19. Why is Todd not on FOX? He seems so right wing it is pathetic.

[emulatorloo]

24. Right wing? Maybe just not very bright. . .

He can't analyze his way out of a paper bag, he just seems dumb to me.

[BklynChick]

20. I can't stand that guy.

[Uzybone]

22. Exactly what the irresponsible media wants

looking for a way to side track Obama and by proxy black and brown folks into a fight we cannot win.

After watching how American culture reacted to the Skip Gates issue, Obama would be stupid to weigh into what Carter said. Its frustrating, because Carter is speaking the truth. But Obama will be so pilloried by the media (which is largely white) he would not be able to get anything done.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

23. Mr. Todd demonstrated in his appearance in Real Time W/ Bill Maher that he is at best a politician

at worst an overpaid whore for the Washington establishment.