CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer pressed Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Thursday to answer whether he considered President Obama to be “a real black president.”
The line of questioning was inspired by recent public comments by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, a Carson fan, who pondered what it would be like to have a “real black president.”
Carson said he believed Murdoch’s remarks were misinterpreted.
“I believe,” Carson said, “what he was making reference to was the fact that here was a man who is a black president that the black community was very excited about who came in and whose policies have not really elevated the black community, have not been beneficial.”
Calling Murdoch’s remarks “pretty ugly,” Blitzer said to Carson, “You believe the president is a real black president, right?”
Carson, who is the only black major candidate for president, said he “wouldn’t even get into such a conversation.”
“It’s a simple question,” Blitzer said. “Is President Obama a real black president?”
“Well, he’s the president and he’s black,” said Carson.
“So, he’s a real black president,” Blitzer said.
Carson said it was an issue of “semantics” and that he was “the last person who wants to play around with semantics and political correctness.”
