Whichever it happens to be, former President Bill Clinton draws a distinctive line between himself and Jimmy Carter on CNN:
(CNN) – Former President Bill Clinton told CNN Monday that he thinks some of the criticism directed at President Obama is racially motivated, but added that not all of Obama’s detractors are racist and urged his fellow Democrats to remain focused on trying to enact health care reform.
“I believe that some of the right-wing extremists which oppose President Obama are also racially prejudiced and would prefer not to have an African-American president,” Clinton told CNN’s Larry King in an interview to air Monday evening. “But I don’t believe that all the people who oppose him on health care – and all the conservatives – are racists. And I believe if he were white, every single person who opposes him now, would be opposing him then. Therefore, while I have devoted my life to getting rid of racism, I think this is a fight that my president and our party – this is one we need to win on the merits.”
Clinton later added, “I really think that we should disaggregate lingering problems of discrimination from the attacks to which the president is subject.”
5 comments:
I think Hillary has a plan.
Nay, there is nothing racist about the opposition to Obama on health care reform and no race baiting is going on about it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/21/senate-gop-mailer-suggest_n_293332.html
Dana
That's pretty much my point: Clinton never says anything without calculation.
Here's my far-out hypothesis: Hillary feels the need to insulate herself from the charge that in leading a challenge against Obama in 2010 that she is not pandering to the baser (racist) vote. After having gotten pronged on this very issue in South Carolina, Bill wants to try to set the stage early.
If you read this post as somehow being me suggesting there is no racism or race-baiting involved in the current debate, then either you did not read closely or I did not write clearly.
Steve,
My comment wasn't about your post. I was just adopting an ironical tone as a set up for the link.
Clinton said that some of the criticism is racially motivated. It'd be silly to think some of the fringe right isn't. There will always be them around.
However, if, as much of the Left (and the MSM) continues to imply -- that much or most of the criticism of Obama is race-based, good luck with that. Not only does that serve to worsen race relations, it'll kick the Democrats right in the ass in 2010 and 2012.
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