In the debate on October 16, Obama effectively played the race card. Romney accused Obama of covering up the fact that the attack in Libya was a planned act of terror created by an organized jihad group – and not a spontaneous riot caused by an insulting video. Obama said that a suggestion he would cover up such a fact was “offensive.”
The word “offensive” is a common word used by African Americans to imply a racial slur by white person. Such a slur is not only interpreted as unethical and insensitive but even as racist hate speech that is illegal.
Thus Obama presented himself as an “offended” black man being slurred by a white racist. This is the exact accusation that is commonly made among the liberal talk show hosts: they state that many of the people who oppose Obama are racists who don’t want a black man to be president.
An implication from this accusation is that if anyone is opposed to $1 trillion a year deficits must be a racist.
Another implication of this racist accusation is that the only way that one could oppose such a brilliant and ethical politician such as Obama is if one is a racially biased. The Obama opponents are seen as whites clinging to their guns and religion and having antipathy to people who don’t look like them.