Carter says Obama row is "racist"

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says much of the vitriol against President Barack Obama's health reforms and spending plans is "based on racism". Carter told a town-hall meeting there was "an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president". Carter says Obama row is "racist" Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson was rebuked on Tuesday in a House vote. He shouted "You lie!" while Obama was delivering an address on healthcare to Congress last Wednesday. The House resolution of disapproval described it as "a breach of decorum". But Wilson's eldest son, Alan, has denied racism was a factor in his father's outburst. Some conservatives have accused the president's supporters of playing the race card. Abominable Angry town hall meetings and a recent taxpayers' demonstration in Washington have been vitriolic towards the president, reports the BBC. Many have not just 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 health care," Carter said at a town hall meeting at his Carter Center in Atlanta held prior to the Congress vote on Tuesday. "It's deeper than that." Responding to a question specifically on Wilson's outburst, he said Obama was the head of state as well as the head of government and - like heads of state elsewhere, such as the Queen of England - he should be "treated with respect". It was a "dastardly thing to do", he said. His comments were rejected by Joe Wilson's son, Alan, an Iraq veteran who is running for state attorney general in Georgia. "There is not a racist bone in my dad's body," he said. In Tuesday's vote, lawmakers voted 240-179 in favour of the resolution to censure Wilson.

Carter says Obama row is "racist"

Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson was rebuked on Tuesday in a House vote.

He shouted "You lie!" while Obama was delivering an address on healthcare to Congress last Wednesday.

The House resolution of disapproval described it as "a breach of decorum".

But Wilson's eldest son, Alan, has denied racism was a factor in his father's outburst.

Some conservatives have accused the president's supporters of playing the race card.

Abominable

Angry town hall meetings and a recent taxpayers' demonstration in Washington have been vitriolic towards the president, reports the BBC.

Many have not just 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 health care," Carter said at a town hall meeting at his Carter Center in Atlanta held prior to the Congress vote on Tuesday.

"It's deeper than that."

Responding to a question specifically on Wilson's outburst, he said Obama was the head of state as well as the head of government and - like heads of state elsewhere, such as the Queen of England - he should be "treated with respect".

It was a "dastardly thing to do", he said.

His comments were rejected by Joe Wilson's son, Alan, an Iraq veteran who is running for state attorney general in Georgia.

"There is not a racist bone in my dad's body," he said.

In Tuesday's vote, lawmakers voted 240-179 in favour of the resolution to censure Wilson.