Obama pokes fun over racism-linked opposition to his healthcare plans

Washington, Sep.22 (ANI): US President Barack Obama has poked fun at suggestions that racism is behind opposition to his health care plans, joking that he had not undergone a miraculous race change since being voted into office.

Speaking to American TV host David Letterman on CBS' The Late Show, he deadpanned: "I think it's important to realize that I was actually black before the election."

According to The Times, the audience whooped with laughter at the subversive remark.

Obama suggested that the fierce objections to his health reform proposals came from a "certain segment of society" that had a tendency to get "riled up" whenever a President tried to make a significant change.

Obama also used his time on the Late show couch to acknowledge that Americans were weary of the war in Afghanistan, and said US troops were performing heroically there and in Iraq.

But he kept things light-hearted as he turned to the subject of his young daughters Malia and Sasha.

The girls "basically just goofed off all summer" he said, adding that he wished he could have done the same.

Obama's appearance on Letterman's popular late-night show wrapped up a media blitz seemingly aimed at putting him in front of as many cameras as possible to sell his message to a skeptical public. (ANI)