If you think it's racist then you must have skipped the history lesson on The New Deal whereby, in an effort to secure the votes necessary, they (House/Senate) basically had to promise key members that the recovery would touch the "right" people. The right people in this case being white males. Blacks, Asians, and Women of all races were largely cut out of the New Deal unless hiring them was a necessity due to lack of able-bodied white men.
Whenever economists speak of jobs programs for everyone, not just "white male construction workers", this is what they're eluding to.
Whenever economists speak of jobs programs for everyone, not just "white male construction workers", this is what they're eluding to.