Clinton: Oops, shouldn’t have said that

Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:01 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: 2008, Clinton

Per the AP, Clinton said in an interview with CNN “that she shouldn't have suggested in a newspaper interview that Barack Obama was having trouble winning over ‘hardworking...white Americans,’ saying the racial issues that have crept into the campaign offended her.”

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Comments

... and the Understatement Of The Day Award goes to...

Hillary Clinton!

Duh.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:07 AM)

Yeah right. How disingenuous.....a day late and a dollar short. How disingenuous.

True American (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:08 AM)

I don't thnink anyone thinks the Clintons are racist, to the contrary. But that doesn't mean they won't use race to try to win the primary. There is a distinction. I think that the Clinton's have successfully painted Obama as the black candidate in the eyes of many voters rather than a candidate who just so happens to be black. Another distinction.

Noel, Hot Springs AR (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:09 AM)

It was calculated... Just happened to be right before the WV Primary. She doesn't make mistakes like that. Its nice to know that she knew she was wrong at the time though..

Eric (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:10 AM)

I don't believe that for a second, she said it to put in peoples minds in WV, that they had permission, from a Clinton to vote their racial heart

Leah in ALA (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:10 AM)

"Whoops, shouldn't have retracted that comment just yet, there's still KY to go. I will need their racist votes! As goes KY so goes the Nation" clinton

Living in Denial (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:13 AM)

Puh-leeze! I doubt she's as offended as I am.

Hardworking older white woman for Obama (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:14 AM)

Clinton knew exactly what she was saying and the audience she was pandering too. Her quote or mispeak was convenient right before West Virginia targeted at a specific audience. Now that she has won West Virginia, she's clear to say "whoops." The Clinton tactics are aimed at specific audiences, there are no accidents. I have friends who canvassed in West Virginia. There is a large older population that still believe African Americans belong on the back of the bus. Clinton words resonated with these folks and she knew they would. Clinton is a smart, strategic politician and she knew exactly how her remarks would resonate and she knew exactly how she would apologize to folks that found the words offensive after she won the WV election handily. She's crafty, smart and a darn good politician. The Queen of Pandering....

Jewel from St. Louis (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:14 AM)

They offended me and most everyone else, Hil---and I DON'T believe for a minute it was a slip of the tongue; rather, it was a cold, cynically calculated panderfest to the whites in WVa and Ky. But then, you're known for being cold and cynically calculating, aren't you?

class warrior, D.C. (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:14 AM)

Except for when it benefited her....such as her toothless, racial win in West Virginia. Too bad we don't believe her apology is sincere.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:15 AM)

Oops, too late!

Nicky, New York, NY (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:16 AM)

.....but it's okay for the media to repeatedly talk about the 90-some-odd percent of black voters who support Barack Obama.
It was okay for Tim Russert to crow about black voters who were offended by Bill Clinton in South Carolina.
I can't wait for this election cycle to be over. The media has become one big hypocritical mass.
This is all a bunch of horse-poop, and I am sick of it.

Unga Bunga Binga Banga, Binga Banga Bunga (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:16 AM)

Then why did she say it? It is obvious to most that she was trying to pad her numbers in West Virginia, a state that will now go down in history as being one of the last bastions of despicable white supremacy in the United States. If it offends her then why does she have to bring it up and give backasswards white Americans a "valid" reason to discriminate?

Or does it make her uncomfortable to equate her base with a bunch of rednecks?

She makes me sick.

Democrat (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:17 AM)

Hillary, your comments offended me and it does not represent the principles of the democratic party which fought hard for equality and civil rights.

voter (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:18 AM)

hillary you knew exactly what you were saying and now almost a week and a half later you saying you should not have said that!! PLEASE!!!!! If you had any backbone, you would have stood by what you said. but now that rangel and others including the press are calling you out, its WHOOP'S i should not have said that!!!! AGAIN PLEASE!!!! its too late for that now, damage is already done, your win in WV and guys like Pat B on MSNBC are running with this crap you put out and its all over the news every night!!!

HILLARY THE DEM THANK YOU FOR THAT!!!!
Your hillary clinton and you know you approved of that message!!!

jeff D Evanston IL (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:18 AM)

Plouffe can say the racist voters are already in McCains camp, Obama can call women derogatory terms like "sweetie" but Hillary cannot say "white American". How can liberal Obama supporters allow him to get away with using a derogatory term like "sweetie"?

Kyle (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:19 AM)

Barack Obama deservedly dissed Hillary yesterday with the Edwards Endorsement.She has spoken down to him countless times & this was his way of saying "This is My time". I commend his campaign for this. They have been on Top of their game from Day One. She has only congradulated him a couple of times on his Many Victory's.

Hillary your Victory Lap is Over. The spotlight if Off of you ( deservedly so)& it's time for All Democrat's to come together & open up a can of WHOOPASS on the GOP.

GWB attacking Barack in Isreal is Lame. Scoreing point's there won't help McCain any at all.

Barack Obama for POTUS !

Rick,Ky (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:20 AM)

Obama is the equivalent to what George Bush was to the extreme Right Wing Republicans in 2000. `Obama is just a puppet seeked out and groomed by the extreme `Left wing Demacrats. They have been pushing for him and grooming him for a long time now. Their main purpose is to get him elected to pursue the `Main Left wing Cause, such as Gay Rights, Pro-choice, womens Rights etc. HILLARY WOULD MAKE A BETTER PRES. FOR OUR COUNTRY, BUT SHE DID'N STAND A CHANCE AGAINST THE MASS `LEFT WING CONSPIRACY, against her to force her out and put Obama in. "THE RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY COULD'T BRING HER DOWN -- BUT THE LEFT WING CONSPIRACY DID.

g.eglesias`nepa (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:22 AM)

HILLARY IS:

The kettle calling the cat black-ass.

HILLARY HAS RUN A BLATANTLY RACIST CAMPAIGN. .... (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:23 AM)

Typical Democrats. Speaking the truth is not a good thing to do.

tr, california (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:23 AM)

She also shouldn't have voted for the war

mary lee w atlanta georgia (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:23 AM)

NEARLY EVERYONE OUTSIDE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY –-- PUNDITS, MEDIA, REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS --- ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OBAMA SHOULD BE THE PARTY’S PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE. BUT A CONTINGENT OF HILLARY’S SUPERDELEGATES WITHIN THE PARTY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. INSTEAD, THESE HILLARY-SUPER-DELEGATES KEEP HOPING THAT SOMEHOW THIS BLACK MAN WILL NOT BE THE PARTY’S NOMINEE. AND, HILLARY KEEPS SUGGESTING CODE-WORD ARGUMENTS OF HOW OBAMA CAN BE DENIED THE NOMINATION.

HILLARY’S AND HER SO-CALLED UNCOMMITTED SUPERDELEGATES ARE SHOWING HOW DEEPLY RACISM IS ENTRENCHED IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLITICS.

RACISM IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLITICS? .... (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:25 AM)

Not worth a comment. Just alot of the same old bull!

nwp lost / Va (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:26 AM)

It was more than likely those CFTA med's talking...
Tipsily Clintons pointing the finger away from their own words....
Remember this Billary...it's not judged what goes into thy mouth...but it's judge what comest out of thy mouth...
Just food for thought...don't choke on it...

Bill ( Hussein ) Jones (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:26 AM)

Hillary who ?
Girl .. the general election has just started ... Obama vs. McCain vs. Bush ...
Again Hillary who ?

Steve B... NewYork NY (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:27 AM)

Okay...for arguments sake, lets say I give Sen. Clinton the benefit of the doubt here and assume that this "racial divide" drama her campaign has been subtly (and not so subtly) expousing against not only Sen. Obama but toward all the other hard-working non-white voters who have equally contributed to this country as going against her true ideals and intent. We can put the blame for these sad tactics on the shoulders of Smith, Wolfson, McAulffie, etc. Fine.

However, the bottom line is that this is HER campaign and therefore SHE is ultimately responsible for the tone and content of what is being fed to the public for mass consumption. After the harranging Sen. Obama got over "bitter" by the Clinton camp and the media pundits her offense to these antics should have been made loud and clear the FIRST time it was perpetrated. But this isn't the first time nor likely will it be the last so therefore, should her statement be taken as sincere and genuine or more "what you think we want to hear" rhetoric?

No Sale (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:31 AM)

She didn't seem so shook up after she said it. Took awhile to her backhanded "I'm sorry" conversation. She is just saying this now for damage control.

Problem is......
The damage is done......

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:31 AM)

This seems to happena bit too often (like every time she's under pressure) to be coincidence. Shoot first, ask questions later. Part of why people consider her, frankly, less competent to handle the job---judgment which is tone deaf.

iowan (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:32 AM)

Do ya'll remember hillbillary's interview on tv when asked if Obama was a muslin, "no, she said, not as far as I know". then this racist remark. Hillbillary is not in this race for the people, she is still in for herself, but sadly she has turned into an embarresment to our party. She will do and say anything to get the nomination, but the people have already spoken, and they have chosen Obama. Hillbillary will somehow have to come to terms with that fact, and so will her supporters for the good of the party and our goal to get a democrat in the whitehouse and sweep the republicans out of congress.

justthinkinoutloud (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:34 AM)

I shouldn't have said it but am sending a hidden message to Kentucky. With this statement

patty,sd,ca (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:34 AM)

Gosh, what a piece of work. So she brings her racial divisiveness to the forefront again with her fake regret.

When will people get tired of her?

sotiredofignorance (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:35 AM)

Why apologize Hillary? YOU ARE RIGHT!

Thanks again Obamabots, for handing us a Mondale like loser candidate!

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:41 AM)

Thanks for the apology Senator Clinton. It means alot.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:42 AM)

Oh, peeeelllllzzz, Hillary Clinton is "offended" by her own strategy. The Clintons will say anything and then deny it all the next day.

Lilly, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:42 AM)

Uh, DUH.

Now that you've won WVA you can go back to being above it all. Thanks a lot.

Mrs. Clinton, your pandering is showing.

MI Chick (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:43 AM)

No duh!! D'ya think!!

Phred, NH (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:46 AM)

Oops! I guess not. But I still didn't hear Senator Clington apologize for the remark. The only thing she did say was that she was "quoting" an article by the AP.

Why has no one expected her to apologize for insulting so many people with thoughtless words? Why has no one held her accountable?

They certainly made a major production out of the "bitter"/"clinging" remarks of Senator Obama.

Or - - - could it be that the Clinton's just don't apologize?

Mrs J - Illinois (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:47 AM)

I do not believe that this woman makes mistakes. Everything she does is calculated and clinical.An as Obama supporter, all I have to say is that he had better not turn his back on her. I fully expect another dust-up before the Rules Committe makes a decision on the seating of the Florida and Michigan delegations on May 31st.

Cindi in Louisiana (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:47 AM)

"...saying the racial issues that have crept into the campaign offended her [sense of entitlement to the nomination, which she totally deserved, and which was totally stolen from her by this upstart kid who had no business taking away *my* *rightful* *claim* to the nomination, so sure I got a little carried away and I'm *totally* not a racist but when you deserve something so much, you lose yourself a little, eh?]."

Tom, Seattle, Washington (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:50 AM)

A poor choice of words for sure but the point was right on. Obama does not do well with a very large demographic of the country and this includes white individuals that earn their money doing manual labor.

Campdog (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:50 AM)

All of the racial issues that have been introduced into the campaign have come at her campaign's bidding. Ferraro ("only because he is BLACK"),Bill Clinton( Well,remember, Jesse Jackson won here too.), Hillary("hardworking ...WHITE Americans" ) and on and on. UN-believable that NOW she suggests that SHE is offended.

R. Simpson, Portland Oregon (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:51 AM)

:...saying the racial issues that have crept into the campaign offended her.”

OFFENDED HER????

That's why she said what she said, the way she said it, when she said it, where she said it - to show how offended she really is?

Sad and pathetic ploy.

Being offensive is the only way she can get some free press and air time....

feeling better in ne (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:53 AM)

The most damaging fallout from Hillary's reference to "hardworking...white Americans" is its implication that non-whites such as Latinos and Asian-Americans are not hardworking. Intentional or otherwise, the comment has the effect of dividing Americans (and Democrats in particular here) a;ong racial lines at a time we badly and urgently need to be uniting.

Jim, Buffalo, NY (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:55 AM)

Just like Bill in S.C. another case of engaging the mouth before the brain which has been the trade mark of the Clinton campaign.Of course when she's nailed on it why her response is always to deny the implication of what she just said and worse what she ment and that was that Black Boy can't win but White Girl can...

Robert N.Y. (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:55 AM)

Somehow I do not believe that. Hillary Clinton has made a HUGE mistake by making racist remarks. African-Americans are forgiving people but are not stupid. In doing anything to win—she showed her true colors.

Andrea, New York City (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:55 AM)

The racial issues that have crept into the campaign offended her as far as she knows!

Mark, Salem,CT (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:57 AM)

Why didn't she say this before the WV primary?\

Diamond (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:03 AM)

I get it. She needed the racist vote in WV first.

Diamond (Sent Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:03 AM)

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