Ferraro’s remarks about
Obama decried
By ANN SANNER, Associated Press Writer 39 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday she disagrees with Geraldine Ferraro, one of her fundraisers and the 1984 vice presidential candidate, for suggesting that Barack Obama only achieved his status in the presidential race because he’s black. In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Clinton was questioned about Ferraro’s remarks.
The Obama campaign has called on the New York senator to denounce them.
Ferraro told the Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif.: “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”
The newspaper published the interview last Friday.
Clinton said, “I do not agree with that,” and later added, “It’s regrettable that any of our supporters — on both sides, because we both have this experience — say things that kind of veer off into the personal.”
“We ought to keep this on the issues. there are differences between us” on approaches to health care, energy, experience.
Ferraro is a former New York congresswoman and was Walter Mondale’s running mate when he was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1984. She has endorsed Clinton and raised money for her campaign.
Obama called Ferraro’s comments “patently absurd.”
“I don’t think Geraldine Ferraro’s comments have any place in our politics or in the Democratic Party. They are divisive. I think anybody who understands the history of this country knows they are patently absurd,” he told the Allentown Morning Call. “And I would expect that the same way those comments don’t have a place in my campaign they shouldn’t have a place in Senator Clinton’s either.”
Obama senior adviser David Axelrod said Ferraro should be removed from her position with the Clinton campaign because of her comments.
“The bottom line is this, when you wink and nod at offensive statements, you’re really sending a signal to your supporters that anything goes,” Axelrod said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.
“There’s no other way to send a serious signal that you want to police the tone of this campaign,” he added. “And if you don’t do those things then you are simply adding to the growing compendium of evidence that you really are encouraging that.”
Axelrod said Clinton has encountered problems because people view her as a “divisive and polarizing force.”
“The best way to address those concerns is to not allow divisiveness and negativity to flourish among your supporters,” he said. “And this is an opportunity for her to address that.”
Jan Schakowsky, an Obama supporter and Illinois congresswoman, said Democrats should not tear each other down, and instead focus on defeating John McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting.
“I respect every person’s right to promote his or her candidate, but any and all remarks that diminish Senator Obama’s candidacy because of his race are completely out of line,” Schakowsky said on the conference call.
Ferraro also said Obama has it easy because of a “very sexist media.”
“I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama’s campaign — to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against,” she said. “For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It’s been a very sexist media. Some just don’t like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign.”
Last week, a former adviser to Obama resigned after calling Clinton “a monster.”
Lee ADDS: With Obama courting the black vote and with his wife’s demeanor, what else could one say? The TRUTH might hurt but IT IS THE TRUTH!
March 11th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
How much experience did John Edwards have in 2004? Did he not get the VP nod with one term in the Senate?
Here is some reality.
I looked into Geraldine Ferraro’s record at the time she got the VP nod in 1984…she was relatively unaccomplished and one can argue the only reason she was on the ticket was because she was a good attack dog and she lacked a penis, so for her as a “token woman” to say Obama is a “token black man” is hypocritical beyond words…as she is the prototype.
As I’ve shown before, even when you adjust for population, and compare white women to black (of any gender) there have been far more white females as Governors and Senators than any black person. It is not even close. Blacks are 12% of the population and white women are 33% according to http://www.census.gov. That means, if everything was equal there should be no more than 2.75X the rate of white women in those offices than blacks. A moron can find out in 5 minutes the number is way over double that.
There have been 3 black governors (one not elected) since Reconstruction and 2 black Senators (one a woman before Obama) that is it.
Now go check wiki and see how many white women have been in these positions…way more than 3X the black rate.
Historically it has been far easier for any white woman to get elected to higher office than any black (man or woman). How many white (men and women) have benefited from whites bloc voting against them? Quite a few.
So being black historically has not helped anyone in a state wide election and definitely not a national election…she is a bag and a hypocrite.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Dragon Horse…Live in LA LA land all you want but realize this: Obama is not qualifiecd to be President. He a nothing (ZERO) in accomplishments, no VOTING RECORD and a bunch of political NEOPHYTES supporting him. He says he is beholden to no one but that too is a LIE!
Every answer he gives in debates are answers Hillary gave him. She is NOT QUALIFIED either.
Your choice is, either vote for McCain or save your vote for a Canbdidate that KNOWS SOMETHING!
March 11th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
It is amazing to me that the news services have ignored the FACT that the black vote has been overwhelmingly for Obama. I think he is a good canidate as is Hillary. I do think there is a racist movement going on here by the black community. How many black senators have switched over their support to H.Clinton? I do not believe Barack is where he is because of race, but it is a shame that the support is not more evenly split among black and white voters. I just wish the media would stop worring about being political correct and just report on the way the vote is really being cast. Aftter Hillary won Texas CNN made a big deal about white male voters and Hispanics voting for her but no mention of the % of black vote supporting Barack. The media just loves to influance voters. I wish they would stay netrual and just report what is really happening.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Hello! She admits that she wouldn’t have been the VP nom if she were not a woman. She was just stating the obvious. If he were white running against a black man for his district in Chicago he would not have won it. Yes part of why he has captured America’s attention is there are a lot of white people who say “Finally a black candidate I can identify with”. It s hypocrisy when Obama himself has made sexist comments about Hillary when implying that her service as first lady is not relevant. There have been many people who say that she would not be where she is if she were not Bill’s wife. That is probably true, just like it is probably true that if Barak were white he would likely not be where he is. He speaks a lot like Martin Luther King at times. Do you think that a white person could get up on a stage and preach like Martin with any credibility. I think not.
March 12th, 2008 at 12:52 am
The U.S. is a microcosm of the world.
I am only going to use FACTS, no screaming racism.
Most 1st world countries are run by men.
A few 1st world countries are run by women.
No 1st world countries are run by a black person.
Why is this?
March 12th, 2008 at 1:49 am
I applaud Ferraro for having the courage to state aloud what most Americans are thinking, but don’t dare say.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:37 am
As an African American female, I agree with Ms Ferraro.
There is no other way to explain 90% of the community voting blindly for Obama.
I ask my friends and relatives about his stance on the issues and only 1 was aware of any and after discussion, agreed more with Hillary than Obama.
March 12th, 2008 at 5:23 am
When Jesse Jackson ran for president he didn’t receive the same amount of support from the African American community or the European American community as Sen Obama has received.
The same happened when Rev Al Sharpton ran in 2003/04.
So, there is something outstanding about Sen Obama.
Something that has made states where the majority of citizens are European Americans supported him over Sen Clinton.
If Ms Ferraro was correct in her statement, then Rev Jackson and Rev Sharpton should have been just as successful as Sen Obama.
Her statement was totally ridiculous.
African American have supported almost 100% every Democratic candidate for president over the past 40 years. All of those candidates have been European Americans.
Now that they for the first time is giving their support to a candidate of African descent, we see the RACISTS in the Democratic party showing their true colors.
I hope African Americans are learning from these recent revelations.
The Independent and Republican ranks should see more African American joining them in the
future.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
The ONLY THING outstanding about Obama is his ORATORY. He has not done ANYTHING that would entitle his run for the Presidency other than being a MINORITY and flaunting that!