Colleague Doug Wong wondered in a blog post ^[1] earlier this week if some members of the media were using the race card too much concerning criticism of President Barack Obama’s policies. Specifically, Moore noted Maureen Dowd’s column ^[2]in Sunday’s New York Times about Rep. Joe Wilson’s “You lie” outburst.

But in the days since then, the race card has been employed many times in reference to the incident.

Among them is former President Jimmy Carter, according to the Associated Press ^[3]:

“I think it’s based on racism,” Mr. Carter said at a town-hall-style meeting at his presidential center in Atlanta. “There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president.”

An article by William Douglas ^[4] of McClatchy Newspapers, which appeared today in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, contained this:

The 240-179 vote, largely along party lines, approved a resolution of disapproval of Wilson’s behavior. It capped a day in which both white and black lawmakers voiced deep concern that Wilson’s outburst was the latest in a string of what they think are racially motivated attacks on the nation’s first black president.

“There’s no question that if you look at some of the actions and comments being made, there’s a fringe element that has staked out a racial position towards African-Americans that never has been open for public display” until now, said Rep. Henry Johnson, D-Ga., a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Wilson “didn’t help the cause of diversity and balance with his remarks.”

Yet a story by the New York Times ^[5]‘ Carl Hulse said:

While some lawmakers have suggested that Mr. Wilson’s outburst had a racial component, top Democrats played down that view and said they were acting strictly to uphold proper order in the House.

“I did not take a racial connotation from Mr. Wilson’s remarks,” said Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader, who introduced the resolution. “I do believe that there are expressions throughout the country being made that are unusually harsh. I think the attacks being made on Mr. Obama are unusually vitriolic.”

Clearly, Wilson’s outburst is still being debated by more than just the media. Is it possible — given just the two words that Wilson yelled — to ascribe racial motives?