Dave Boyer, Washington Times, December 19, 2014

Before flying off to Hawaii for a two-week vacation, President Obama said Friday that most blacks understand America’s history of slavery and segregation isn’t an excuse for their current challenges.

Asked by a reporter to assess the state of black America, Mr. Obama said most blacks are “better off now” than when he came into office, due to the economic recovery. But he said the gap of income and wealth between whites and blacks persists, “and we’ve got more work to do on that front.”

“This is a legacy of a troubled racial past, Jim Crow and slavery,” Mr. Obama said. “That’s not an excuse for black folks, and I think the overall majority of black people understand it’s not an excuse. They’re working hard. They’re out there hustling and trying to get an education, trying to send their kids to college. But, you know, they’re starting behind oftentimes in the race.”

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[Editor’s Note: Below is more from the interview]