In his column on Dec. 3, Leonard Pitts Jr. interprets the falling approval numbers of President Barack Obama among white voters as simply more proof of his constant theme of America being a racist country. I disagree with him.

After more than 11 months into the president’s term, national unemployment is at 10 percent, and it is not unfair to state that if one were to take into account those whose unemployment claims are exhausted and those who have simply given up, the numbers would be around 15 percent.

He is alarmingly naive in foreign affairs. Among other things, Americans do not like to see pictures of their president bowing to a Saudi prince.

The price of the proposed health care legislation would bring an already struggling economy to its knees.

Race is now, and probably will be for a while yet, part of our ongoing national debate, but we white folks lost our monopoly on racism long ago. It might be a good idea for Pitts to look into that mirror of which he speaks so fondly.

The reason the president’s approval numbers are falling is simple: More and more people do not think he is doing a good job.

Terence McManus, New Sharon