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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Bill Clinton talks of racial progress

Posted: Friday, April 04, 2008 10:51 AM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann
PEMBROKE, NC -- Recognizing the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination today, former President Bill Clinton said that -- more so than the civil rights leader's vision for racial equality -- it is King's dream of equal economic opportunity that remains unfulfilled.

"We've made a lot of progress on the first front" of bridging racial divides, he told a crowd at the University of North Carolina's Pembroke campus this morning. Noting the historic candidacies of both his wife and her opponent, he added, "We now are at a place where people can be judged, in his words, by the content of their character and not the color of their skin."

"We're making progress on that," he said as the audience cheered its approval. "We're doing
well."

The former president went on to say that King's hope of eliminating poverty, exemplified by the "Poor People's March" in Washington after King's death, is an objective on which "we're not doing nearly as well." 

"We're not doing as well on the second front," he said of the economic inequalities faced by the American people. "And that's what this presidential election is about," he added. “We're not doing nearly as well on dealing with equal economic opportunity, and creating a country of shared opportunities, shared responsibilities, and shared prosperities."

A statement issued by the Clinton Foundation this morning echoed the former president's sentiment. "America has made great strides towards Dr. King's dream of a nation where we can all be judged not by the color of our skin, but the content of our character," it reads. "But the poverty, inequality, and violence we deplored persists, making his last mission as urgent today as it was 40 years ago. We can honor him best by embracing, and living, his dream."

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I appreciate the sentiment, though I now doubt the sincerity. The Clintons will say anything or do anything if they think it benefits winning an election.
bill has his nerve. he never did anything for people in poverty in his whole 8 years. he is just pretending to care about poverty. he never followed kings words before so why now? to get his wife elected maybe. we haven't forget his comments in made in south carolina or any other time. it is time for him to go back to new york. he is an embrassment. how low will he go? he needs the black vote back people. don't fall for this.  
Putting the Clintons in office will solve the economic disparity....

Fixing a declining Bush economy is a Clinton specialty, and I just trust Hillary to do a better job on the economy than Obama
Bill Clinton was the most loved president in history.  He did more for the black community than any other president.  His rating when he left office were almost 70%.

After years of investigations and hundreds of millions of dollars, of  American's money spent on all of these investigations of the Clintons....
the republican slime machines found.....

NOTHING.
Bill, do you think you have the moral standing in this country to be talking about a subject such as this?  Do you not remember Monica, and your impeachment?

Your words mean nothing.
Lip service.  It's going to be a nauseating day for those of us who feel the Clinton's have been exploiting racial issues to win a primary.  

President Clinton, I truly hope you and your foundation ably assist President-to-be Obama in his effort to end the inequalities of our economic system.
I'm sure the Obamakin's will find this an awful, racist take on the situation. Stop with the mud slinging. Clinton did a lot to further race relations in this country. Those who continue to belittle and make fun of every word the Clinton's say are hurting Obama. Not every spoken word has a hidden meaning. I no longer support the democrats because of the mud sling on both sides. Obama is using his supporters to attack the Clintons on all fronts. The end for me came when Chris Matthews made his freudian slip on Wed. When questioned about something Obama said in his interview, he said he would have to check the scripture, which he quickly changed to transcripts. I am not impressed by the scriptures according to Obama and MSNBC.
President Clinton is right.  There has been progress.
I remember the 60's very well. This TWP believes that what MLK did was a good thing.  What a shame that Obama decided to be elsewhere today. He will probably play up being in the city where Bobby Kennedy was over being in Memphis.  I am proud of McCain and Hillary for going to Memphis.  
YEAH YOUR CHARACTER SHOW BILL CLINTON! AND I DONT MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY.
Why does every mainstream media outlet campaign for Hillary Clinton?

The 'latte sipping', educated, capable-of-critical-thinking, high-minded, types are not fooled . . .

Bill Clinton... NAFTA.... nuff said.
Unfortunately, after 40years, most of what Dr. King set out to accomplish has yet to be entirely fulfilled.  

Case in point:  The unfortunate undertones of the current Presidential election.

True, if it weren't for Dr. King, Obama would not be where he is.  As Americans, though, we can't forget that the most African Americans 40years and older have faced the worst kinds of discrimination, and just 50 years ago blacks were drinking out of a separate fountain than a white person.  

We must not forget the past, for we would be condemned to repeat it.

He really needs to stop.
He is just as bad as HRC, he can`t tell the truth either.

Bill pls stop with all your foolishness. Go home and take HRC with you.


Go Obama '08
http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/
If the politicians spent half the time getting our jobs back as they do paying lip service to 'Victim Theolgoy' they might actually do some good.
I admire the Clintons and always have. They are very intelligent people and have their head on straight about how to control our economy, etc. If Bill could have stayed president we would not be where we are today. He also admired Martin Luther King and what he stood for. God bless.
Wow.  It's like some people just have blocked out all the good the Clintons did while they were in the White House.  Enough already on the Monica comments - that has NOTHING to do with Bill's efforts for racial equality etc.

I am embarrassed for the people who are just spewing hate with no regard or respect for positive achievements.  You should be ashamed and take a refresher history course since you clearly don't remember how it really was before Bush took office.
Be honest Get Real, MN. Your "turning" point, as you call it, came a long time ago; you've been blogging negativity about Obama longer than just today.
I admire the Clintons and always have. They are very intelligent people and have their head on straight about how to control our economy, etc. If Bill could have stayed president we would not be where we are today. He also admired Martin Luther King and what he stood for. God bless.
I was hoping he would take this time to explain the great work of President L.B. Johnson and how his efforts have made America what it is today.
I can dig what he is saying. I liked the Clinton administration and just because his wife is running doesn't mean that I'd try to erase the past.

Hillary isn't Bill. Her personality isn't as dynamic or endearing. I think that to say this is pandering is as false as to say someone's pastor's views are theirs.

The race is hotly contested so a lot of things are being said around here, but please people relax. Regardless of who you support I'd think that MLK's message would resound in you, Democrats, enough to see the benefit of unity. Keep that in mind when looking at McCain and his group that doesn't really care about us, Clintons or MLK.

(and they're not too fond of Obama either.)
Get Real, your argument doesn't even make sense. You say not every word has hidden meaning, then you claim you won't support Obama over a slip of the tongue by Chris Matthews?

How about not blaming Obama or Clinton for their supporters?

I blame Bill Clinton for his words.

And I resent Hillary for her "He Can't Win". Watch the tape of her denial, it was an obvious lie. Now today she is there for votes & I find it highly offensive.
Majored against Bill's statement to Gov. Richardson barking, "This guy can't win", and the tragic loss of American jobs, because of his NAFTA legacy, his words, as those of a foul manipulator, are deemed as worthless as what is routinely flushed when one leaves the privy.

Pulling for Obama '08
To Get Real, MN

How about you do just that, GET REAL!

Bill Clinton did a lot for the African American community as President.  I am an Obama supporter, but Hillary is no Bill by any means.  She is, however, better than McCain, and if she were to win the primary I would vote for her.  Hillary is not my first choice, but I would never, ever vote Republican after experiencing the last 8 years under G-dub and his band of goons.  

Back to Bill.  I think this primary has caused people to attempt to read between the lines rather than take something at face-value.  I believe Bill is sincere.  If it's an attempt to woo back the African American voters for his wife, then so be it.  He should be working damage control after SC.
Bill Clinton is full if (......) fill in the blanks ...I think he's full of himself ...

He will be in a RUDE SHOCK .. in the General if Hillary snatches this away from Barack.

Whereas McCain is respectful and civil to Obama ... Billary has disrespected him and used racial attack on him !
Question to Bill .. Do you honestly think African Americans will line up behind Hillary ? Do you really ?
They will give you a RUDE SHOCK ! ... Wait and see !
Who cares?  John McCain is the next president, anyway.
Jack

What do you mean putting the Clintons in office?  I thought Hillary was the only Clinton running.

By the way, Hillary cannot manage the finances of her own campaign.  I think the American economy might be more complex than her campaign is.  How in the world can she possibly manage the American economy, when she has made such a mess of her own campaign finances?

Obama in 2008.  Integrity matters and the Clintons have none.
Seems now more than ever each and every one of us should be helping out a friend/neighbor/loved one caught up in this economic plight.  We the people my friends, We the people....
I'm still confused as to which Clinton is actually running for President in 2008.  Your article doesn't help me.
Well, after the statements he made in South Carolina and every step since, cant help but to know that he doesn't believe anything he just said.
I can not understand why there is this constant critisism of the US.  It is truely a land of opportunities and if you have the desire and the will you can rise above your station.  The ability of those in the US to achieve greatness is ever present.  Why do the Democrats continue to foster a culture of entitlement.  My family arrive in the US in 1975 with nothing but the clothes on our backs, I am now an executive in a global company.  There is no entitlement in my life, its all about work ethics and dedication.  If those on welfare stop worry about the $100 new shoes and big TVs and focus on eductaion and working for a living then the country would be in a much better place.  Lets not punish those who earned their sucess to continue a culture of entitlement for those unwilling to better themselves.  You can lead a horse to water but you can not make them drink!
Bill and Hillary and their campaign have played the race card numerous times during the campaign, dealing dirty from the bottom of the deck, while claiming on the surface some eternal loyalty to people of color.  My 19 year old son said it was a worse crime than someone using an ethic slur, since such an offender might have been raised that way and taught to hate without the intelligence and wisdom to have learned better... but "what the Clintons did is far worse because they know exactly what they're doing by trying to narrow people's attention on Obama's race/ethnicity when they look at him as a candidate." I couldn't agree more... it perpetuates the fact that they'd do/say virtually anything to win by any means, despite the damage to our society and all the young people watching these 'leaders' of our country show such low-class and disturbing models of behavior... even going so far as to FABRICATE facts like being under sniper fire, just to get the vet vote.  Obama takes the high-road, inspires unity, and is our best chance in either party for a better country and world.
I don't know how Clinton's hold their head up at these events honoring Dr. King and the civil rights movement.
I think a big part of our problem is we are sending too many of our jobs over-seas and getting an equal number back. Nafta and some of our trade agreements are "Killing Us" and our elected officials somehow think they know better than us who are affected directly.
Bill and Hillary and their campaign have played the race card numerous times during the campaign, dealing dirty from the bottom of the deck, while claiming on the surface some eternal loyalty to people of color.  My 19 year old son said it was a worse crime than someone using an ethic slur, since such an offender might have been raised that way and taught to hate without the intelligence and wisdom to have learned better... but "what the Clintons did is far worse because they know exactly what they're doing by trying to narrow people's attention on Obama's race/ethnicity when they look at him as a candidate." I couldn't agree more... it perpetuates the fact that they'd do/say virtually anything to win by any means, despite the damage to our society and all the young people watching these 'leaders' of our country show such low-class and disturbing models of behavior... even going so far as to FABRICATE facts like being under sniper fire, just to get the vet vote.  Obama takes the high-road, inspires unity, and is our best chance in either party for a better country and world.
I don't know how Clinton's hold their head up at these events honoring Dr. King and the civil rights movement.
If the Clintons believed in racial progress, they would realize they are standing in the way of the first Black President nad bow out gracefully now that it has become obvious they can only do more harm than good.
I CAN NOT BELIVE THAT OBAMA DID NOT GO TO TENN TODAY AND HONOR DR. KING. HE COULD NOT TAKE THE TIME. NO MATTER WHAT THE NEWS MEDIA SAYS OR DOES TO RIGHT THIS WRONG WE IN OUR HEARTS KNOW THAT A SPEECH IN FT WAYNE IS JUST ONE OF OBAMAS SPEECHS. WE KNOW IN HEARTS NOW THAT OBAMA IS A GREEDY PERSON.MC CAIN AND CLINTON COULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING THAT OBAMA IS DOING TODAY AND I WOULD NOT HAVE RESPECTED THEM. OBAMA IS JUST WORDS.
Bill, we would like to believe in your sincerity, but you have done much recently to make that difficult.
John Doe,
I voted for Bill Clinton twice.  I have a framed picture of him holding my then eight year old daughter during a campaign stop in Eastern PA (we lived there then) made just before his second term.  I respected and admired him at that time.  I then had to spend the last few months of his second term trying to explain to that same eight year old what "oral sex" was, and what the "meaning of is, is".  Not to mention trying to defend some of their other shenanigans to friends and relatives who had chastised me for voting for him the first place.  Remember when the Clintons ransacked the White House (official state linens, dishes, etc.) before they left?  He was IMPEACHED.  More explanations to the  daughter about what that meant. The list could go on and on.  No, the Republican "slime machine" couldn't officially pin anything on them, but I for one, do not feel like going down that particular road yet again.  If you really think that the Wright/Rezko issues or anything else that they can dig up on Obama can COMPARE to what the 527's and RNC would dredge up to use against the Clintons, you are dreaming. Do we really want to go there?  

 
Clueless--that's the look in Obama's eyes. It's borne of inexperience and a lack of depth on national issues.

The clueless look isn't exactly a "deer in the headlights look" that Dan Quayle had. It's more an inability to speak from the gut--Hillary speaks about health care from the gut; McCain speaks about national security from the gut.

Obama speaks about national issues (i.e. economy, jobs, etc.) like an academic; he doesn't feel issues in his bones.

It's as though Obama's saying "well, I'm running from Pres.; I better say four things about the economy". Obama can give good speeches and string two good sentences together, but he has no depth, no experience. Obama has a fake passion about him, and it shows up in his eyes.

Obama's clueless.
To say that you do not support democrats--i.e. the the philosophy of the democratic party--simply because you do not agree with the conduct of the Democrat's primary campaign is absolutely nonsensical.  What does that say about the person who takes such action...that they are willing to completely abandon their ideals in favor of completely opposite positions (people v. big business) simply because of percieved mud slinging?   Even if Obama was guilty of mudslinging (a far cry from the out right lies of Hillary in this campaign--Bosnia and, just recently, that she did not claim Obama "couldn't win"), switching from Democrat to Republican because of the conduct of a campaign is really dense.
It if funny how much Obama's supporters WANT to hate since their campaign is supposed to be about hope.  Bill Clinton did a lot to try to bring people from poverty to plenty including his "Welfare to work program" and many other initiatives. I don't understand why blacks in general are turning on him (and Hillary).  The only reason I can think of is  because he is white.  There is no other reason that makes sense.  He stated his opinion against a black candidate (a statement that many blacks would vote for Obama because he is black......WHICH MANY BLACKS INTERVIEWED ADMITTED TO DOING DURING THE PRIMARIES) and blacks HATE Bill now and therefore Hillary.  Bill did more for blacks than most Presidents in this countries history including hiring many of them to high cabinet positions and positions where they could make a real difference.  But somehow now that there is a black (and white) President running for office you have totally forgotten that you had a President willing to work for you and with you and exchanged that for a candidate who has proven only that he is willing to TALK to you.  I think if Obama gets elected that blacks, more than any other demographic, will be unhappy with his ACTUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS in office if he does get elected.  What exactly do you think Obama will do to help you that HIllary would not?

After Bill Clinton's remarks in So. Carolina and
Sen. Clinton's lackluster support by African-Americans;
The Republican Party not exactly being the diverse party of inclusion,
  Those Two Have to Try Harder!
I think voters and supporters know where Sen. Obama stands with regard to his respect for Dr. King.
 (See the Obama website and Michelle's remarks on the Bronx video.)
Hey FirstRead!

Al Sadr controls the situation in Basra. (maybe all of Iraq)

Iraqi troops and police desert en mass and turn their weapons over to Al Sadr in exchange for Olive Branches.

Iran plays a major role in helping Al Sadr control the situation.

Malaki orders a halt to attacks on Al Sadr's forces.


Now I know "the surge is working" and Americans are more concerned about the economy but it is clear to the casual observer that things are not really going our way in Iraq. It seems to me you might be ahead of the game to resume an Iraq Thread.
Also could you check with the people you have covering McCain and see why they don't question him on this? And if they are questioning him on it could you tell us why MSNBC editors see fit not to show us what he says? I know he can be a scary guy when he is pi##ed off but we need to see that to.

Right!  Bill advanced progress BIG time with his
        efforts in So. Carolina, etc.
       Do these two ever stop!
Obama has been elevated too, too high! Clinton cannot overcome her spousal background and his 'antics'. That leaves McCain and maybe that's good? We need his toughness, his myriad experiences. He's my choice!!
WHATS THE POINT, BILL ......It doesn't matter how sincere and how hard you and your wife Hilary try to continue your good work for the African American community they with the help of the "race baiting" obama camp will continue to denigrate and not appreciate you and your wife Hillary Clinton hard work.
Where is Hillary's tax returns.  Nice way to avoid the subject.
Obama is the only one that can really unite the people and the party.  Don't sell the short.  He done his share of work with the blacks just read his history.
John Doe,

uhhhh... i'm pretty sure he LIED UNDER OATH and was also DISBARRED for it.  found nothing??
Why is he talking at all?
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines.
In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)  The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy's premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief's medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation.  What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated.  While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.  Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?  After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America's biggest cities.  This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, who has been in the news for comments he made over the last three decades.  Since these comments became public we have heard criticisms, condemnations, denouncements and rejections of his comments and him.  We've seen on television, in a seemingly endless loop, sound bites of a select few of Rev. Wright's many sermons.  Some of the Wright's comments are inexcusable and inappropriate and should be condemned, but in calling him "unpatriotic," let us not forget that this is a man who gave up six of the most productive years of his life to serve his country.  How many of Wright's detractors, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly to name but a few, volunteered for service, and did so under the often tumultuous circumstances of a newly integrated armed forces and a society in the midst of a civil rights struggle? Not many.  While words do count, so do actions.  Let us not forget that, for whatever Rev. Wright may have said over the last 30 years, he has demonstrated his patriotism.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-oped0404wrightapr03,0,92000.story


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