During a recent interview in the September 2012 issue of Black Enterprise magazine, President Obama, responding to a question about whether he'd done enough for black businesses, said: "I'm not the President of Black America."
But what did he mean by that?
Here's the full context:
He said: "I want all Americans to have opportunity. I'm not the president of Black America. I'm the president of the United States of America, but the programs that we have put in place have been directed at those folks who are least able to get financing through conventional means, who have been in the past locked out of opportunities that were available to everybody."
He added: "I'll put my track record up against anybody in terms of us putting in place broad-based programs that ultimately had a huge benefit for African American businesses."
He continued: "My main goal is to be the best possible president and help to put the country on the best possible track going forward. If I do that, then a couple of things will have happened. It means our education system is going to be fixed and so more kids are going to be having opportunities to excel and compete in the 21st Century economy, and that means there are going to be a whole bunch of black and brown kids who are doing well who otherwise wouldn't be."
"If I succeed, then it means that we'll have a health-care system that provides basic health care for every American, and a whole bunch of folks who don't have it. including a whole bunch of blacks and Hispanics, will then have it."
What do you think now that you have seen his remarks in the proper context? Are you offended? Or is he right? Despite such a controversial remark, Obama's popularity among black voters continues to hold up. Recent polls show that his approval rating among African Americans exceeds 90 percent.
To read the full Black Enterprise interview, visit:
www.blackenterprise.com/news/president-obama-interview-small-business-unemployment-exclusive/
