--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Was any criticism of Obama permitted? It…" description: "\"Was any criticism of Obama permitted? It was not. We can't criticize the president of the United States. Why? Because he's African-American. And any cr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/rush-limbaugh-28_criticism_was-any-criticism-of-obama-permitted-it_818865.jpg" --- # Was any criticism of Obama permitted? It was not. We can't… ![“Was any criticism of Obama permitted? It was not. We can't criticize the president of the United States. Why? Because he's African-American. And any criticism is said to be racist. And so we have more racists in America today than we've ever had by definition of criticizing the president.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/rush-limbaugh-28_criticism_was-any-criticism-of-obama-permitted-it_818865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/rush-limbaugh-28_criticism_was-any-criticism-of-obama-permitted-it_818865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48e/rush-limbaugh-28_criticism_was-any-criticism-of-obama-permitted-it_818865.jpg) > “Was any criticism of Obama permitted? It was not. We can't criticize the president of the United States. Why? Because he's African-American. And any criticism is said to be racist. And so we have more racists in America today than we've ever had by definition of criticizing the president.” [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism of a Black president is framed as racism, limiting free discourse. **In simple terms:** Criticism is stifled by race claims. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about race and speech. Themes politics race free speech media bias Mood critical skeptical Type political controversial When to use this quote - political commentary - media analysis - public debate Key Concepts censorship identity politics Questions to Reflect On - Is all criticism of Black leaders inherently racist? - How can honest critique be distinguished from prejudice? A Different Perspective The claim oversimplifies complex motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticism Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism-obama-355910/) [Criticism Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism-said-355912/) [Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize/) [Criticize President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize-president-355911/) [Criticizing President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticizing-president-317731/) [Permitted Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permitted-criticize-355913/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) ## Related quotes > [My criticism of the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan was that it was outside the four corners of the Clean Air Act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/my-criticism-of-the-obama-administration-s-clean-power-plan-was-that/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) > [Republicans are always criticizing President Obama for using the teleprompter. Is that a big deal? After eight years of George Bush, I'm glad we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/republicans-are-always-criticizing-president-obama-for-using-the/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [When I said that the court should be willing to suffer even intemperate criticism, I did not mean that people should level intemperate criticism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prashant-bhushan/when-i-said-that-the-court-should-be-willing-to-suffer-even/) [Prashant Bhushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prashant-bhushan/) > [One of the reasons we set up this country, one of the things we celebrate in freedom and democracy of the United States is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/one-of-the-reasons-we-set-up-this-country-one-of-the-things-we/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [How many McDonald's gift certificates would it take to sway a lot of Americans to pledge to never publicly criticize the U.S, President?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/how-many-mcdonald-s-gift-certificates-would-it-take-to-sway-a-lot-of/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [I will criticize President Obama on this level: it's a good thing I'm not president because I would prosecute every person that was involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-will-criticize-president-obama-on-this-level-it-s-a-good-thing-i-m/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [There has been plenty to criticize about President Obama’s handling of the economy. Yet the overriding story of the past few years is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/there-has-been-plenty-to-criticize-about-president-obama-s-handling/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I heard someone in opposition to reform last night criticize the president for saying it's their money. They said it's not their money; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-isakson/i-heard-someone-in-opposition-to-reform-last-night-criticize-the/) [Johnny Isakson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-isakson/) > [Republicans will criticize whatever President Obama does because that is what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/republicans-will-criticize-whatever-president-obama-does-because-that/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [You Weigh How Much You Should Criticize The President Because Hes Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-lemon/you-weigh-how-much-you-should-criticize-the-president-because-hes/) [Don Lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-lemon/) > [The Democrats are incapable of even being accused of violating political correctness, so they don't even worry about it. The Democrats have really grown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-democrats-are-incapable-of-even-being-accused-of-violating/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [You're not allowed to criticize Obama because of his race. And I thought feminism made us all the same, we're all equal. Everybody's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-re-not-allowed-to-criticize-obama-because-of-his-race-and-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [In America , the media lives in a vacuum where they are able to not just criticize; they're able to destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/in-america-the-media-lives-in-a-vacuum-where-they-are-able-to-not/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If you dare go out and criticize Hillary Clinton, they'll call you "attacking the girl," "unfairly the attacking the girl" or "unfairly attacking her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-you-dare-go-out-and-criticize-hillary-clinton-they-ll-call-you/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Rush Limbaugh > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ The real leadership of the opposition is never, ever gonna do anything but continue to ramp up efforts to stop \[Donald\] Trump or destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-real-leadership-of-the-opposition-is-never-ever-gonna-do-anything/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can't see the Democrats working with Donald Trump on tax reform unless the rich get soaked. The thing about this that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-see-the-democrats-working-with-donald-trump-on-tax-reform/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [People from all over the world came to America and assimilated into a single culture rooted in the founding, which is rooted in individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/people-from-all-over-the-world-came-to-america-and-assimilated-into-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The left wants to transform America away from founding ideals, and this is it. And they know it. And they're doing everything they, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-wants-to-transform-america-away-from-founding-ideals-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There is an all-out assault now on the Christian community in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-an-all-out-assault-now-on-the-christian-community-in-this/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ Four states where \[Democrats\] have the governorship and both houses of the legislature. That's it. They have lost seats. They are not gonna win… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/four-states-where-democrats-have-the-governorship-and-both-houses-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Explore all 2,819 Rush Limbaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Was any criticism of Obama permitted? It was not. We can't criticize the president of the United States. Why? Because he's African-American. And any criticism is said to be racist. 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