Clyburn Fears Clinton Conduct Could Doom Dems’ White House Chances
Rep. James Clyburn says Bill Clinton's conduct in the Democratic primary could hurt the party come November. (AP Photo)
The highest ranking black member in Congress issued grave warnings to the Democratic candidates Friday, saying the racially charged contest could turn away black voters and doom the party in November.
South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, in an interview with FOX News, singled out Bill Clinton for comments he said were not “seemly” and could damage his wife’s presidential campaign if she becomes the nominee. Clyburn on Thursday had told The New York Times that the former president’s “bizarre” conduct had “incensed” the black community.
“I am concerned … that the conduct of this campaign could very well make the nomination not worth having,” Clyburn told FOX News. “Our party is much bigger than Bill Clinton. It is much bigger than Sens. Clinton or Obama. It is a party that is here to serve the American people. … And I don’t want to see us conduct a campaign in such a way that it does irreparable harm to our being able to do that.”
Clyburn voiced concern that if Hillary Clinton beats Barack Obama, she might do so at the expense of the party’s usually loyal black base.
“When this campaign is over, if Hillary Clinton is the nominee, she cannot get elected president if 25-30 percent of black people vote for (John) McCain. She is going to have … to have that same 92 percent of black people that Obama (has) now,” he said. “And if (Obama) is the nominee he is going to need her help and her husband’s help getting white voters that he is not now getting.
“And I don’t see how you can go back to these people and get them to vote for the nominee if you have done all these things and said all of these things about him during the campaign … because you are not going to be able to reverse field in the middle of general election,” he said.
Bill Clinton took heat in late January for equating Obama’s victory in the South Carolina primary to Jesse Jackson’s win in the state 20 years ago. Obama supporters said the remarks were demeaning since they compared him with a black candidate whose appeal was more narrow.
But the comments came up again Monday, when Clinton told a Philadelphia radio station that he believed Obama “played the race card on me” during the incident.
Clyburn said he didn’t understand that.
“Many of the surrogates in the Clinton campaign of recent days have been saying things that have been angering African American voters over again,” he said. “I mean, who played the race card on President Clinton? … What does he mean by that unless he is trying to send some kind of signal on race?”
Clyburn, an influential superdelegate, says he hasn’t taken sides in the Obama-Clinton race, but analysts say he, like many other prominent black politicians, has been swept up in the near-lockstep support that Obama’s historic bid for the presidency enjoys among black voters.
“Jim Clyburn … is squarely in the corner of Sen. Barack Obama,” FOX News contributor Juan Williams said. “Jim Clyburn and a lot of the older black politicians started out with Hillary Clinton because of their long standing ties to the Clinton camp, but as they saw black voters overwhelming going to Barack Obama they have run to the front of the parade.”
Clyburn stressed Friday that he still hasn’t declared whom he will support at the Democratic convention in August.
Obama himself disputed the notion that the contentious tone of the race is doing irreparable harm to the party.
“I never believe in irreparable breaches,” he said Friday. “I’m a big believer in reconciliation and redemption.”
And Hillary Clinton has repeatedly said it’s Obama who’s running the negative campaign.
Asked about a mailing that criticizes her trade stances during a round of local interviews Friday, she sharply rebuked him.
“He’s done this repeatedly and I don’t why he keeps doing it. It’s misleading, it’s factually wrong,” she told a Louisville, Ky., station. “He’s running a very negative campaign below the radar screen with all of his mailings and phone calls.”
FOX News’ Major Garrett contributed to this report.
Hillary won the sates of Ohio, Texas, NJ, NY and Pennsylvania despite Obama getting over 90% of the Black vote.
Moral of the story: THE BLACK VOTE IN AMERICA HAS BECOME IRRELEVANT. A CANDIDATE CAN WIN EVEN WITHOUT THE BLACK VOTE.
So Mr. Clyburn, please go back to sleep and living off our taxes.
Hillary can’t achieve orbit because she’s being weighed down by Bill’s legacy. Ironic, since she spouts off about how great the Clinton years were. Problem is, most people roll their eyes and remember the bad stuff, like the scandals, the corruption, the abuse of power, the soap operas, etc. But lately, Bill is just out of control, ill tempered and sometimes just a little bit loony. So now, you can add “closet racist” to the list. He probably thinks since some dummy named him the “first black president” he can say anything he wants and get away with it. Unfortunately, poor Hillary would probably be OK on her own, but she can’t jettison HornDog One. She’s stuck with a payload that’s just a load and no pay.
John McCain is obviously going to win. I mean the Democrats don’t stand a chance this year.
Operation Chaos.
Isn’t this a little bit like…”well if I can’t get the Democratic Nomination, then I’ll make
you look so bad that you won’t win in the General Election”…THEN in 4 years I’ll just try
again…Give it up Hillary. The NUMBERS show that you CAN’T win the nomination. It’s time
to STOP before you totally destroy the Democratic chances in November.
In America we hold elections. As the facts come out both good and bad about all of the candidates on both sides of the aisle, it is normal to see public opinoin evolve. When Obama’s star was rising the process was not questioned. The Clinton’s are warriors, they may be too liberal for me but clearly there is no quit in either one of them and who ever beats them is going to earn it. And when their nemesis raises his hand in victory you can expect to see a black eye or two on that same person. Now time is against Obama and I believe he is going to have a real tough run against McCain. I believe the Rev. Wright issue alone will doom him. If McCain had a skeleton in his closet like that the republicans themselves would have given him the boot. Can you imagine if McCain was attending some white supremest rally where they railed against black or Mexican or Jewish or whatever people for 20 years? Impossible to imagine. I think that Hillary is a known player and will likely survive any thing McCain can throw at her and the democratic party will error in nominating Obama. Imagine how many votes McCain would get from the black community if he had done the white version of what Obama has done? A person would be right to say “none”.
Wouldn’t you know it. As soon as Sen. Obama loses in Pennsylvania here comes someone else to play the race card again. I thought Sen. Obama was suppose to bring people together. I have never seen such division. maybe this is to take the focus off of the new Rev. Wright’s remarks. This is the thanks President Clinton gets for all he had done for everyone.
I appreciate Congressman Clyburn for saying what so many are thinking! I thank him for putting that position on the table so that it has become a part of the national discussion.
Another Black congressional member citing racisim and yet seeing it emit from only one side. Influential yes, impartial no. Does he think these comments incite or quell racisim? Does he not realise that the stance by many that if you are white and against Obama you are deemed racist is overwhelming insulting. This situation has many layers it is complex and to put blame in one direction is a huge part of the problem. No one is innocent here.
Yes, it is all Senator Hillary Clintons fault.. SHE IS NOT ONLY WHITE, BUT A WOMEN!!
Shame on congressman James Clybum, James must be a racist!! Does he go to
Pastor Wriight’s church?
Doesn’t he hear how Obama’s people, play the race card. Wesley Snipe playted it.
BEWARE OF THE RACE CARD, IT IS ABOUT WORN OUT.