Obama Says Ferraro Race Comments Are ‘Patently Absurd,’ Campaign Calls for Ouster
Barack Obama speaks at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., Monday. His campaign called on a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter to step down Tuesday for saying Obama wouldn't be enjoying positive attention if he were white. (AP Photo)
Barack Obama on Tuesday lashed out at Geraldine Ferraro, a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter who says Obama has been helped politically by his race. The former Democratic vice presidential candidate responded that she stands by her remarks.
Ferraro first made the controversial remarks to the Los Angeles-area newspaper The Daily Breeze last week, saying Obama would not be enjoying such positive media attention if he were white.
“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,” Ferraro said during an assessment of Obama’s treatment by the press that she attributes to an infatuation with the racial implications of his candidacy.
“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.”
Ferraro added that Clinton has suffered from a “sexist media.”
Obama labeled the comments as “patently absurd” after his campaign demanded Ferraro leave her post on Clinton’s finance committee. The Democratic presidential candidate told the Allentown Morning Call Tuesday: “I don’t think that Geraldine Ferraro’s comments have any place in our politics or the Democratic Party. … I think they were divisive.”
He added: “I think that anybody who understands the history of this country knows they are patently absurd. 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.”
Ferraro told FOX News Tuesday that she’s “sorry that people thought it was racist.” But she quickly turned the tables on Obama, claiming his supporters are too eager to cry race when faced with criticism.
“What I find is offensive is every time anybody says something about the campaign, you’re accused of being racist,” she said.
She then told The Daily Breeze on Tuesday: “Racism works in two different directions. I really think they’re attacking me because I’m white. How’s that?”
Clinton said in Pennsylvania Tuesday that she doesn’t agree with Ferraro’s remarks, but did not say anything about removing her from the campaign.
“I think it’s important we stay focused on the issues that matter to the American people. Both of us have had supporters and staff that have gone over the line and we’ve both had to rein them in,” she said.
The Clinton campaign also released a statement accusing Obama of trying to renege on an apparent pledge to leave the race issue alone.
“We reject these false, personal and politically calculated attacks on the eve of a primary,” said campaign manager Maggie Williams.
Voters headed to the polls in the Mississippi on Tuesday. The state offers 33 pledged delegates and the largest black electorate of any state. Polls there consistently favor the Illinois senator.
The race comments set off a back-and-forth similar to the one the campaigns shared last week, when former foreign policy adviser Samantha Power left the Obama campaign after calling Clinton a “monster” in an interview with a Scottish newspaper.
Obama chief strategist David Axelrod suggested the emphasis on race is part of an underlying effort that has continued for months. He noted other allegedly insensitive comments by Clinton supporters BET founder Bob Johnson and New Hampshire co-chairman Bill Shaheen.
“All this is part of an insidious pattern that needs to be addressed,” Axelrod told reporters on a conference call Tuesday. “When you wink and nod at offensive statements, you’re really sending a signal to your supporters that anything goes.”
Axelrod said the Obama camp has been “very firm” in dealing with such wayward comments — a reference to the campaign’s handling of Power’s remarks. He said Ferraro should be removed from her campaign positions.
Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky said that Clinton should call on her advisers to “change the tone” of the campaign.
“Any and all remarks that diminish Senator Obama’s candidacy because of his race are completely out of line,” she said. “We need to stop tearing each other down with personal attacks and focus on defeating Senator McCain in November.”
The issue of Obama’s race surfaces periodically, often when a southern state, rich in black voters, is on the line. Bill Clinton raised it in South Carolina, which went heavily for Obama with the help of black voters. Clinton suggested Obama only won because of his race by raising the point that Jesse Jackson also won there when he ran for president.
Click here to read the Ferraro interview in The Daily Breeze.
To much sex in the media. Yes. But sexism, Bias against women. So let me understand Ferraro
is saying the reason is losing, is because she is a women. Hmmmmmm. Could it
have anything to do with her Dismal performance, poor campaign, and lack of
experience? Playing the victim and race card at the same time. Since they
won’t renouce the statements, i would say she is unfit. Stirring up a brew of racism
and sexism to win is pathetic. She needs to step down. Clinton isn’t qualified.
“His credentials are very thin….. he has good speech writers….that does not a President make”
Credentials about getting projects done and working within political arena is strong.
He has a history of getting projects done and working across party lines even if its just the Illinois arena. And many of his democratic advisors urged him to pursue the Pres spot before he becomes jaded in the stalemate in Congress. His attraction among young and old and racial lines are not to taken lightly.
Presidents are suppose to not only write good speech but give great speeches (he’s a politician ain’t he), because mcCain and Cliniton can’t do it doesn’t it less so. Bill Clinition gives those same great speeches.
it takes some time to bring the truth out. actually I am surprised that CNN and MSNBC becomes Sen. Obama’s personal channel. and Foxnews is the only place where I can hear something neutral. but seeing the comments here, I would say WOW, Obama has a real outstanding campaign. he would leave even a corner of internet not under his control. guess this is the CHANGE he is talking about.
Also,
It is so important for our country to revisit its past so that we can better understand why we are in our current situation on this discussion of race and the presidential election, specifically as it relates to Senator Obama. Many individuals on this board are interested in knowing why Barack Obama is considered “Black” when his mother is “White” and father “Black”, please refer to the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule
Alot of you out there cry foul with the idea we cant critisize Obama. Not true at all, making personal attacks him and not on issues are wrong. Hes never ran his campaign as a black man or anything regarding his race hes always kept it on a higher level, he does realize he is running for office that will represent all Americans.
I said it would come about race in the beginning. I personally think that Obama is getting the attention from the media because of his background : black, white and some muslim background on his father side. Let’s not forget that we also have a woman running also for President. There isn’t alot of coverage on Hlillary like obama. People we need to vote on who is best to be Commander in Chief. Really, if you think about it….Congress is the one who really has the say so in all we do, they President can only veto. So in the end who we vote for and who we want is pretty much up to the Electoral votes. We need to get off the ” RACE ISSUE” because the Democrats won’t win and Mcain will and I’m for Hillary, but if this turns to a racial issue, then I’ll vote Republican! I’m so sick of hearing about RACE… Some people just need to get over their color of skin and deal with it maturely. Not just talking about black people, every skin color that comes to our Country….I honestly think they need to do away with RACE Discrimination, because think about, the whites and the blacks are minority today! Think about that!
I guess Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are not BLACK ENOUGH according to this woman. Her claim that he’s winning because is black does not take in to account that there have been blacks who ran like the ones I mention who never even came close to Super Tuesday. What about Billary camp tooting the horn before all this Obama factor claiming victory before any of the primaries with arrogance discounting the people. Now the desperation is evident and the ugliness of the campaign will drive voters to Mccain if Hillary claims victory. What a sack of crap! SHE”S NOT STATING A FACT FOR THOSE IDIOT”S WHO CLAIM THAT it’s a fact. This is not a black thing, its the qualified this STUPID!
Ferraro,
The media is concerned to much about sex, yes. But sexism, or bias against women.
So her arguement is that Hilliary is losing,because of the media, and not her own dismal performance? Sounds to me that the Clinton campaign, want to stir the pot of racism since
the obvious advantage in Pa. wheretheir is more whites.
These statements and lack of correction by Hilliary campaign, show why she is unfit.
I maybe sexist, but that doesn’t mean stirring the brew of hate & racism should be tolerated.
Clintons lack morals & decency, and promote hate.
People try to make the case that blacks are not voting for Obama just because he is black. They say that blacks didn’t vote for Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, but they were not serious candidates. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton didn’t get alot of black votes because they have alot of baggage and didn’t deserve any votes at all. Jesse Jackson is a preacher but he had an affair and an illegitimate kid and paid the mother hush money he got from the non-profit organization he ran. Al Sharpton has made multiple racist statements and Tawana Brawely caused him to lose a liable suit and made a fool out of him. Obama hasn’t done anything, so he hasn’t done anything wrong and has no baggage. 90% of blacks vote for him and seem to think that no one notices this disproportionate support. I would have some respect for the black vote if they would just said “we are black and Obama is black, so we feel obligated to support him like we were obligated let OJ go free”. I’m OK with that. Instead they say that believe in his message, which is nothing but words, so they believe in BS. I’d rather believe in him because he is black than because of the empty rhetoric he is pushing. Go to his web page and read up on his issues. His plan calls for more taxes to pay for it and more government involvement to administer it. When he pulls troops out of Iraq, Iran is going to take it over and oil will go to $200 a barrel. Also, if you read up on Obama’s plan to get out of Iraq, he reserves the right to re-evaluate the situation when he gets in office, which means he might have to change his mind. Also, there is no general in Iraq that agrees that it is even possible to withdraw at the rate Obama has stated. These are all facts that can be verified on Obama’s web page and by looking through articles by the major news channels.
Obama has won small states that probably won’t vote Democratic in the general election anyway. Hilary has carried the big states that are required to win an election. Go Google the past presidents and what states they had to win to carry the election and you won’t find very many of the states that Obama won. Also, everyone is saying that they want to play by the rules and Florida and Michigan shouldn’t count. I say OK, lets play by the rules and not count them but let super delegates vote how they want without any pressure from the Obama camp and Al Sharpton. Most of the super delegates favor Hilary because she is more connected and more experienced. Also, answer this. Ted Kennedy is from Massachusetts and is a super delegate and Obama supporter, but Hilary won Massachusetts, so does Ted Kennedy have to cast his super delegate vote for Hilary?
As an African American male, I have to agree with Ms. Ferraro. Obama is not presidential material and there is no way to get around that. If he weren’t half black, he would no longer be in this race. He’s stayed in by playng the Clintons as racists and getting almost every black person in America to support him. He’s also played the white people by telling them he’s going to unify America. Unfortunately, I’ve seen the opposite. No candidate in history has done more to divide America by race, gender and age. If you pay attention, you can see the truth. Vote however you want, but there’s no way this guy will win against McCain. He is too divisive.