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National stage in 2004. >> no other country on earth is my story even possible. >> reporter: in 2008 then senator obama's prospect of becoming the first african-american president was almost derailed when his pastor was caught making racist remarks. forcing obama to address race head-on. >> reverend wright's comments were not only wrong but divisive. divisive at a time when we need unity. >> reporter: michelle obama, too, felt under siege. >> what do you think is the one thing most people get wrong? about you? >> people don't think i love my country. i don't think there could be anything furth...

And i think it's difficult, given the fact that he doesn't have as much political capital as he used to have. >> it is difficult, paul, because at times in the past president obama has stepped in it a little bit. i'm thinking of 2010 when he waded into the controversy in cambridge, massachusetts when henry louis gates was arrested by the cambridge police and president obama called that stupid. and then ended in a beer summit he sort of had to apologize to the police. he can't be seen as always siding against the police. >> that's a good point. especially on that case, you're right. i think it ...

The problems are not just in the imaginations of black people, they are real and they're an american problem. >> the thing i always go back to with regards to obama and race is hesitancy to speak on racism and specifically racism from white americans is his 2009 comments about skip gates and skip gates arrest at his home in cambridge. those comments, you know, resulted in a demonstrable and observable decrease and support among white americans. and after that, what you saw was a recurring pattern of obama on the rare occasions he spoke about racism receiving similar hits in public opinion from...

Skip gates and a recent commencement speech delivered to morehouse graduates. take a listen. >> when you think about why, in the african-american community at least, there's a lot of pain around what happened here, i think it's important to recognize that the african-american community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away. the fact that it has garnered so much attention i think is a testimony to the fact that these are issues that are still very sensitive here in america. my whole life i've tried to be for michelle and my girls what my father...

President. now, the flip side of it is there are some black folk, maybe some white folks who really like me and give me the benefit of the doubt precisely because i'm a black president. you know, ever since president obama was elected to office, the country has been re-examining its feelings about race and prejudice. for many the level and tone of outright disrespect and disdain for the legitimacy of the obama presidency has felt racist. at a time when america is already undergoing tectonic shifts on issues surrounding race, gender, equality, what impact will president obama have on the larger...