It's one thing to use words one's self.
It's another thing to put them in the mouth of someone else, especially someone who doesn't speak that way, because that's how other people speak who share physical characteristics with him.
It's like approaching a Native American who's wearing a designer suit and saying, "How, kemosabe."
In the same way, you referred to yourself as a cracker. How would you feel if Mr. Obama referred to you that way? If you were annoyed, would that mean you were a poor sport?
This wasn't TB's intention. He wasn't even thinking in those terms. But now we're getting into the "So who cares?" phase of the discussion. If people don't understand the difference, we still have a problem.