Obama retreats from Holder's race comment

By GottaLaff

Remember this comment by Attorney General Holder at an event celebrating Black History Month.?

"Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been and we -- I believe continue to be in too many ways essentially a nation of cowards."

President Obama is taking the discussion in another direction:

President Barack Obama says he would not have used the same language that Eric Holder did last month [...]

"We've made enormous progress and we shouldn't lose sight of that," Obama told The New York Times in an interview posted on the newspaper's Web site Saturday.

The president said he understood Holder to be saying the country often is uncomfortable talking about race until there's a racial flare-up or conflict and that the nation probably could be more constructive in facing up to slavery and discrimination.

The first U.S. black president gently departed from the tone of the comments by the country's first black attorney general.

The president said he is not someone who believes that constantly talking about race can solve racial tensions. To address that problem, it will mean fixing the economy, putting people to work, making sure that people have health care and ensuring that children are learning, Obama said.

"I think if we do that, then we'll probably have more fruitful conversations," Obama said in the interview Friday aboard Air Force One.

Did you know President Obama is black? I'm surprised they didn't call this "breaking news".

UPDATE: Audio of President Obama's remarks here.