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.
Can we send his cry baby butt a box of tissues? I am getting so over his race card crap I am getting pissed off at this point. Geraldine Ferraro did indeed bring it up, but not in the least bit negatively. I want to kick him in the nads at this point, but of course he is making this successfully into an attack / counter attack situation that is playing in his favor because his constituants have no brains.
This is an interesting strategy on Hillary’s part. A calculated comment, delivered in a timely fashion by her lookalike surrogate on the eve of the Mississippi primary, to appeal to her constituents, which polls in Ohio showed are largely uneducated and racist. If anyone thinks this isn’t a planned strategy, they haven’t been watching the HillandBill show for the last 20 years.
Last time I checked, America was only 12% black. How do explain all of the wins if it’s only black folk voting for Obama?
Geraldine Ferrari is 100% right, they are discriminating agains Hillary Clinton, All the black people are voting for Obama, they dont even care if he doesnt have the experience., look at Mississippi for instance, all the black people voted for him, 91 vs 9. Dont you think thats discrimination against a white person????? Obama wins in all the states that have the majority of black people…. that is so wrong, i really hope he doesn’t win and doesnt do anything for the black people when he is in office.
She is right. And Hilary wouldn’t be in this position if she wasn’t Bill’s wife. If it was just two white guys, this would be a normal race. Whoopie. The comment wasn’t racist at all. It just stated a fact.
It may be divisive but it is the truth. Kudos for Geraldine.
Geraldine Ferraro has “no class” she’s an old “bag” that wants the ” old boy” to stay in his place. She’s old and contrary and shouldn’t be paid to speak to anyone. She meant just what she said in the context and tone she said it in. Who cares whether she’s blue, green, or white, comment was not necessary… was it mandatory to make the comment in response to the question…was there nothing else to be said in return?
And please know Geraldine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Barack doesn’t need you(???????) to raise money for him at anytime. If you were going to raise money for him you’d have done it by now right? What a pretentious -fake response to her comment . some of the women and men that are supporting Hillary or beginning to show true colors and behave like barbaric ….angry hateful pathetics, prone to say anything out of intimidation, Hillary’s behalf. “no class” . GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OBAMA
The comment made by Ferraro is ABSURD! People could say the same thing about good old Hillary! She would never be in this as long as she has only for her name and her husband! This is really a twisted comment. The Clintons are showing their true colors and this is what we DON’T need in the White House! Obama has conducted himself like a gentleman throughout this whole mess and won’t lower himself to the underhanded mudslinging as Clintons have proved they would! GO OBAMA
What she said is true. A junior white senator with little experience would not have this chance in running for President. The press is fueling his campaign with abundant positive news reports based on nothing really but excited crowds swooning at the same pretty words over and over. That Obama is charming, eloquent and cool is not enough to protect our nation and make wise decisions. He has very nice speeches, but no track record. Also, Bill Clinton keeps being called a racist simply because he has said things that would not even be noticed if they were said about a white candidate. That the Obama dreams and rainbows speeches are a “fairy tale” is true and he was raked over the coals for it. Obama does sound like he’s going to wave a magic wand and change everything… there are no policies spelled out, no procedures explained. I am in no way a Bill Clinton fan, but his speech is being limited simply because he can’t criticize a black candidate without being called racist. The press is fearful of the very same thing.
One thing that has come out of this race for the presidency is that racism is still very much alive and well. You’d think that in the 21st century people would’ve moved beyond judging someone based on their skin color and this race is a sad reminder that some people will never change and are still very ignorant. And the people who started playing the race card was the Clintons. Not Barack Obama.