CNN's Candy Crowley Asks Rep.: Are You More Concerned for Obama's Safety Because He's Black Than You Were for Bush?

CNN's Candy Crowley on Sunday asked the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee whether he had "more concerns" for President Barack Obama's safety because he's black than he had for President George W. Bush.

Crowley's question to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) came at the end of an interview discussing the fallout from the Secret Service Colombia prostitution scandal.

"You have mentioned a couple of times that folks in your district ask you with regularity about the safety of this president," Crowley said on "State of the Union." "Do you have more concerns for the safety of this president because he’s African-American than you would have had for say, George Bush or those that -- you know?"

Cummings replied, "First of all, let me say I have concern about all presidents and everybody who’s seeking Secret Service guards."

"But the fact is African-American people have always expressed concern to me about this president," he continued. "They would see, Candy, folk around this president with guns strapped on their legs, and they’d say, you know, how can that be? And they just worry, and they’re concerned."

Earlier in the interview, Cummings said he was concerned that the scandal has put Obama in danger, The Hill reported.

"We also don't want people to even imagine that they can pierce the shield of the Secret Service," he said. "It bothers me a lot because I know that there are a lot of folks who are perhaps looking for opportunities to do harm to the president or others the the Secret Service guards...and you never know."

Watch below, via NewsBusters: