A former President says racism is behind a lot of criticism of the current head of state. But some people including the President himself aren't willing to go there.

Former President Jimmy Carter pointed specifically to an outburst at a recent speech, where Joe Wilson called the President Barack Obama. But he says it doesn't end there. But the White House was quick to point out the President doesn't feel that way.

Yolanda Avent is the Director of Institutional Equity and Diversity at Penn State Altoona. She says President Obama will get a lot of criticism just because he's new.  And she says the president is smart not to get involved. But she thinks someone should be considering the possibility, because the public could see it that way too.

Avent thinks some of the criticism is probably based on race. But she says no one can know how much.