it takes organized groups working in -- putting pressure on the political system. >> we have a question from twitter. i hear this a lot. how come there is very little discussion of obama as biracial, not black. >> because he calls himself black. >> did you hear that on twitter? >> another question that we have from chicago, is there a double standard in which we repudiate white people that make racial statements but not blacks? while they not repudiated by the black community? tom, you are from the community.

>> a lot of racism goes on called all the time -- uncalled all the time. i hear things i would not dare utter in a room of people here. i call people out on it. most people do not, right? i do not think that jesse jackson and al sharpton are getting a pass. they're not what could be considered racist to begin with. anything that they do say that could cross the line becomes fodder for news commentary, for behind the scenes, talk-show commentary. >> so there is no double standard? people argued for years that there is a double standard.

that we are allowed to get away with certain phrases, comments -- >> it is the same standard -- is the same applies for sexual harassment. to as the power? who is the minority and to is the majority? -- who has the power? who is the minority and who is the majority? they were powerless for railing against the powerful. you can call it a double standard and perhaps it is, but it is driven by what the balance of power is. >> it is like rhetorical guerrilla warfare. >> we have a lot of that right now. >> he said in a couple of days obama and the democrats will be tackling health care, which people argue is huge in terms of his agenda, whether or not he

succeeds politically beyond 20 and -- 2012. we know there has been a very vocal movement against this plan, whatever it turns out to plan, whatever it turns out to be one thing i thought of in planning for this was the tea party movement. i came across an article that quoted the daughter of senator john mccain who was a candidate of the republican ticket. she argued in this article that -- she thought that some of the comments and some of the rhetoric was incendiary and racist. heard and read that people feel that some of the opposition to president obama is not really about politics or policy, but about the color of his skin. is there any truth to that? how do we address that?

i have not done any polling -- >> i have not done any polling. in a kind of nation that we have been united states of america, we have created some unity, but we have a long way to go before we create ultimate unity. sure, some of it is something is -- something else. these are some very complex issues that will impact all of us. i think that -- when i first heard some of the discussions, i was not clear if those who were protesting really knew what they were protesting. i think there is a bigger issue. the largest issue is the president and his team and congress have a huge challenge of finding ways to get resources to main street.

so that people can acquire competence and -- unfortunately, we do not know if we've reached bottom. you have to be very careful when you say this. you also need to be truthful. the people need to know the truth. this economy is obviously very abolish tile right now. when we get to the -- barry boulton i'll -- very volatile right now. when we get to the bottom, you can only go up. one of the greatest issues is -- if the president and his team were merkel workers and could get the economy working appropriately -- were miracle workers and could get the economy working appropriately, some of that would begin to subside. i would like to think that is not the majority. that is just not. -- that is just not positive thinking. >> he continues to do very well

relative to other presidents at a similar poll in their administrations in polling. the polling showed him that 49%. she has higher positive ratings than does the congress -- he has higher positive ratings than does the congress. >> anybody has higher ratings than congress. >> that was a bad choice. when you put somebody up and they immediately begin to be pulled down -- is that race or is that the nature of the way we do politics? >> or is there room for honest policy disagreement? >> i understand what people argue. i see the pictures of the bones through his nose. there is purulent -- it

virulence racism that exists. and people simply disagree with policy -- can people simply disagree with policy? winter racism happens, you stop listening. when you call everything racist, it shuts down the conversation. we're trying to have the conversation and continue the conversation that started on this stage. if we automatically say they are just the tea partiers who are just a bunch of racists, we're writing off a lot of people hop. they did not see it trajectory for their lives which exceeds their parent's. >> we're going to start kicking in audience questions. -- taking audience questions. with two beautiful women who are serving as microphone holders.

>> she summed it up nicely. >> thank you. >> you are welcome. >> which started out on the matter of education and have some educators here. i pause at that the cost of a college education in this country is probably -- posit that the cost of a college education in this country is broadly -- if it could be reduced by 80% we could help a lot of black people and even some white people. that is out of hand. that is one of the things that is trying to destroy our country. this is not exactly a racial matter. i think it does effect race. if education is going to be what helps people rise up, why are we putting that big bear it -- that big barrier? >> give applause.

education cost too much. -- costs too much. you do have our range of choices in higher education. you have the choice of community college, state institutions, private schools. there is a wide range of costs there. some of that is inefficient. some of that could be reduced. another part of the problem on the high cost of education is that so many americans take so long to complete its. our graduation rate is not competed in four-year spread their competed in six-year averages -- in four-years. they are computed in six-year averages. there are opportunities to make post-secondary college education more effective and efficient and less costly as well. >> as an educator, let me add --

and as someone who was a beneficiary of special programs that made it possible -- both loans and grants -- my family could not have afforded to put me through columbia. during the 1940's, president roosevelt created the g.i. bill. during the 1960's, president lyndon johnson expanded that through a federally funded loans and grants. over time, since the 1960's, the value of those grants has gone down. college has become more expensive, especially for people coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. i would like to see the administration [applause] work toward making college education more affordable again in the present -- in the spirit of those presidents. it would benefit students of all backgrounds in ways that are consistent with many of the opinions of president obama. >> do you think president obama

will run for reelection? >> undoubtedly. unless he does not get this health care bill passed. at which point his chances become a lot tougher. all the democrats will turn on him in the next few years. any president runs and its elected on -- automatically it could be assumed that they will seek a second term unless something really horrific happens. there was a huge recession under way. it was not the cash register, which is a disputed incident. think about lyndon johnson who did not run for a second term because of the war in vietnam. >> over here. >> i had been taught that people only change out of pain or

pleasure. i'm curious as to what are some of the benefits that would come for both white people and people of color in creating a more perfect union? >> that is a good question. [laughter] >> wow. >> do you want to think about? >> i will start. we aren't idealistic people. we like this idea that one day we will -- we are an idealistic people. we like this idea that one day we will all hold hands and all get along. that is an ideal of hours. -- of ours. even though we have hit potholes, we're constantly striving to get to a better place, if not for us, but for

our children. what is the point of raising children if we do not think are a lot -- their lives will be better? if we think they're going to suffer a disproportionate blamed for all of the ills of society and get in and of the benefits? that is what we strive for in the cosmic sense when we tried to go for a more -- a more perfect union. it is not just so we do not get called a walmart. -- get called at wal-mart. >> this is a country where we just keep pushing the pomelo. we're not satisfied -- we just keep pushing the bomb elope. -- the envelope. we're not satisfied. i see it different for my children and grandchildren. i expect that, though progress

may be attainable, we continue to make that progress. -- though progress may be painful, we continue to make that progress. there are few places in the world where there are as many embraced differences, where people will look and live differently can live together, as they do in this country. it is not perfect, but i have not found something else i would rather have. >> we're in the national constitution center. when the constitution was signed, the bill for its perfected it. does the protecting process. -- that is the protecting -- that is the perfect thiing proc. >> one thing the civil rights movement showed us is that you have to break some eggs to make

an omelet. you have to push against people's comfort zones. the rev. king and many activists in the north pushed.@@@@@ @ @ @ >> what school are you from? >> west catholic. the think racism will always exist >> >> excellent question. will racism always exist? maybe. that is a very good question.

none of us know the answer to it. we all have an opinion and said to you. -- and so do you. it will look at the progress that we have made -- phenomenal progress -- over the last 60 years, and we look 20, 30, 40 years from now. society will change dramatically. our latino population is larger than the african-american population. i do not like the word minority. i will get to that in a minute. my point is, as society changes and shifts, people are going to have to change so that we can become a better society. ultimately, i do believe that race will one day be a discussion of the past.

clearly, because we have this dialogue, which is great, we need to have more dialogue. my closing point is that humans relations training -- over and over again, that causes you to think of the box. the things that we do that we do not even realize are offensive to others. they do not have to offend. when the others understand culture, because every culture is different. we talked about facial hair earlier. those in corporate america -- corporate culture, in the african-american have to remove -- has to remove facial hair. it does not mean -- it just means that you have to acclimate to succeed at this particular junction. maybe one day that becomes less of an issue. we're just not there yet.

>> another student from west catholic? >> do you think that as our generation grows and becomes hopefully less concerned about ray's future african-american president will not have to worry as much about making plans for -- >> probably. being the first that anything will get you half of a little bit. that is the deal you cut. the first woman or first person of color or whatever -- the hassle is part of the price of admission. a lot of the same questions that are asked of the press -- the first black senator or the first female senator will not be asked of the third or fourth. the next, whoever that might be, maybe you -- the next person of color who becomes president will not have the same burden, i do not think. >> good evening.

i am enjoying this so far. i'm an advocate for young people. we, as adults, have the idea of calling children kids. i do not like that. if you look it up, it is a word for antelope animals. when children grow up, they are not done any more. they looked at were up and they are considered as less than human, especially young african- american males. when our young males, 16-years- old -- i do not like them he st. a group of young kids. it is like an animal. i think we need to start addressing them as young people or young adults, especially african-american males. i'm an advocate for that. it is almost like a slang word that i do not like. i'm just speaking up were i not think we need to respect our young people more.

we need to eliminate that word kid. look it up and see what it means -- antelopes, boats, animals, less than human. we need to start our young people at an early age and address them as young people, young adult, but not kids. >> thank you. over here. >> my name is albert daniels and i'm a vietnam veteran. do you think because of who obama is -- he has not gotten any help with different things from the republicans, because of who he is, his background, so forth, his race -- does that have anything to do with it? they not seem like they want to

even have a discussion with him or come to some kind of compromise about health care. >> it might be that he is a democrat. >> politics play, but i think it is more than that. he was trying to get some kind of thing going with the republicans. >> it goes to the conversation about if it is ray's or not. you said sometimes it is, sometimes it ain't. >> look, maybe he is having it harder than -- he will not be the first african-american who has had it harder than. i am just so proud he is the president having a harder than. [applause] of public confidence that he is capable enough to overcome -- i have a lot of confidence that he is capable enough to overcome and demonstrate that he met the standard, not that he had the

sense to move lower, but that it was held very high and he met the very high bar. >> we learned early on that the bar may be raised. >> we do not want to hear him complaining that they're treating the bad because i am black. >> one last question? over there. we got you. >> good evening. i the question -- i have a question. we should discuss two separate subjects. it is degrading to black people. another subject that is very important a more perfect union is a very important subject by itself. what do you think of the jefferson formula for an effective union?

a perfect individual made perfect [unintelligible] noting that, in our time, it has never been so feasible to stop being selfish. >> not speaking as a historian or sociologist, but we are a long way from human perfection. one thing senator obama said in his speech was that he is an imperfect vessel for the hopes of the perfect union of america. i would just be humble about the possibility. thank you. >> martin made the comment once or twice that the masses must come together and actually force

our leaders to make the changes that we want given that racism and racist -- that we want. given that racism and resists have to hide their feelings to get to positions where they do what they do to keep others down, will we ever really have a conversation on race? will people ever be honest about where they stand as it deals with persons of another color? >> go ahead. >> i mean, you know, the question is really how do we create a climate, or continue to create a climate for what we're doing today? america has to walk and be better.

america, as a nation, is incredible. look to our most recent world catastrophe or two. haiti and chile. americans -- it did not matter -- americans rolled up their sleeves and gave and will continue to do that. haiti will need help for a long time. i hope and pray that we will be there. that is the commitment that we have made. when the tsunami occurred, even during katrina -- some may argue the government was late -- but americans responded. that is the beauty of who we are. if we can continue to appeal to the goodness and extract that, that is one thing i think my father mastered.

instead of always saying what we are getting, trying to figure out what we are able to come together on. ultimately, i think we will get past this issue of race. it will take some time. we're not there yet. we may be a long way from it. we made great strides and will continue to do so. >> go-ahead. >> this is touching on the media piece of this. i would also appeal for people to not be captured by the heat, but by the light. our technology allows us to have good access to the public. they're not a lot of people involved, but they are very loud and the screen and talk over each other. not on pbs, but you know what i am saying. [laughter] we get caught up in the idea that that is representative of where the american people are. it is very entertaining.

it puts more of the burden on us to force the conversation, to try to be better, to try to keep our eye and the prize. it could be obscured by the dust that we pick up in this crazy debate. the people who really want to have a conversation to get to the next place -- when we talk race and racism -- that we do not get so preoccupied that we begin to believe that is the rising -- driving force of every conversation. that responsibility ships to us because of technology. -- shifts to us because of technology. >> one last question. >> what is the media's responsibility to help facilitate the dialogue? right now, anger and talking points sell. what irritates the most -- i was

here to go years ago also -- two years ago also. the thing that irritated me most when i looked at the news coverage was that dor dissecting it like they -- that they were dissecting it like it with the final four or the super bowl. you have pat buchanan on msnbc and others on fox talking about him throwing his white grandmother under the bus. if you look at the last couple of years, what you talked about race or health care -- whether you talk about race or health care, it almost seems like a very few people, you being an exception, there are very few journalists on tv and even the newspapers are starting to get really bad -- where people are not reporting the who, what,

when, where, why, and how, but they're reporting the talking points, usually coming from the republicans. what is the media's responsibility? >> your responsibility is that you owned a remote-control and you do not have to watch. i'm not saying we do not have responsibility. i wrote to blog and which we talked about the eric massa retraction. did you see "up"? the dog would talk and get distracted. you see we in the media are often the talking dog. talking dog. we get distracted by the latest