MSNBC’s Russert Offers ‘Kudos’ to NPR’s Inskeep for Getting Obama to Call Critics Racist

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INSKEEP: “Do you feel over seven years that you’ve come to understand why it is that some ordinary people in America believe or fear that you are trying to change the country in some way that they cannot accept?”

OBAMA: “Well, look, if what you're asking me, Steve, is are there certain circumstances around being the first African-American president that might not have confronted a previous president, absolutely.”

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RUSSERT: “Well, kudos to you for getting President Obama to speak about this, because he's been hesitant to do so in the past, Steve, to the level that he did in your interview. Fascinating. Opening up the idea that yes, he is treated differently …”

INSKEEP: “He was fairly frank. But he never says in this conversation, “I believe that many of my opponents are racist.” He never says anything that direct. And the President has said previously he tries to avoid that kind of language. But you hear him speaking there about quote, ‘my unique demographic.’ There's no doubt what he is saying there. He’s saying that the situation is different because of his race.”

RUSSERT: “Wonderful interview. You cut through so much of what I call the echo chamber and the “Rah, rah, rah!” we often see in those types of features. Great job. Take care.”