Come on. You know as well as I that words matter and how one expresses one's ideas is important. I suspect that you, I and plenty of others can talk about race all day long and never once say a damn thing that panders to political correctness, that is tacitly obsequious toward thin skins, or that could without "stretching" be construed as a racist remark.
I know damn well that if I can do it, and others who aren't entrusted to serve in the highest offices in the land can do it, then it's not asking too much of our elected and appointed high office holders to the same. Of course, one who is indeed a racist probably cannot do so and/or may not be willing to make the effort to do so; or doing so, would think themselves as pandering to political correctness, which, being a racist, they'd be right to think that.
But that would be silly. Just SAY it. Just SAY what you think, and don't apologize for it. All this dodging, and dancing, and tip-toeing!! We need to stop this, just say what we think, and blast the people who do the racist-racist name-calling.