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.
James Clyburn is a Republican !!!!!!!!!!!!!!Or didn’t anyone notice that? Second,who is running here,last count it was Hillary and Barrack.I didn’t see Bills name anywhere when I voted in PA….Anything at all for a story…
Obama is toast! If PA is any kind of indicator of a national outcome(it is), its obvious white voters view Obama too radical based on a long line of associations with leftist/racists people.
Most whites reject racism, but they are not inclined to embrace a non white racist for the purposes of retribution or keeping the peace. So the Dems are stuck, stick with Obama and loose or give Clinton the nomination(and loose). In addition to splintering the DNC, dissing Obama will keep some people home or bring them to McCain as Hillary Clinton has huge negatives. If someone told me McCain was going to be the next president, I ‘d say you were nuts. Regardless, he is a republican and a far better leader than Clinton and Obama combined.
Nice going Howard Dean! Looser in the voting booth, and looser as the head of the DNC. I wish most blacks would realize that Democratic liberals have been taking advantage of them for decades, promising them everything, giving them little and never doubting obtaining 90% + of the black vote.
Enough of this crying foul from Obama supporters and blaming it all on the Clintons. Ridiculous. Have you seen some of the ads that are being developed for the General Election? Get ready for some real heat. There are many of us who are furious that Obama and his supporters are destroying the Democratic chances in the fall by steering so far to the left.
I hope John McCain win this election and I am a black man. I sic of the clintons and this has nothing to do with the election of Barack. I always thought the clintons were crooked and had the black community fooled. I didn’t vote for Bill and I will never vote for hillary. I’m not in favor of the in iraq, and I think john McCain is on the wrong path. So if he wins let the country suffer for it’s choices.
I just wish we had someone who would really put the U.S. FIRST. Bring our jobs back into this country. Put a real health care plan together for the Country. Stop illegal from working in this country.
Why is it okay for black politicians to play the “race” card and then call foul when a white politician points out the thruth that Obama is where he is in big part due to the 80 to 90 percent of black votes he is pulling? Obama will loose in the fall if he gets that far because of what he is, too liberal and who he seems to believe in Rev. Wright and weatherman Ayres, and who he distrusts bitter white folks toting guns.
GOP Bob for Hillary
Howard Dean has the POWER to STOP this trainwreck. The voters are tired of this BS and I for one will not vote for EITHER DEM if this continues. Mccain keeps looking better and better. All the DEMS are doing is running a FIXED ELECTION and I am TIRED of the BS their LEADERSHIP has provided.Don’t worry REPUBLICANS,the DEMS ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO L O S E !!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t the Democratic party see that the Clintons believe that they (the Clintons) are the Democratic Party, and to hell with everyone else’s wishes. To them, only they matter
Clyburn..Who the hell is Clyburn? If his statements are true then maybe Bill shouldn’t run for president.Oh wait a minute,its Hillary running for president not Bill…Tighten down your head gear Clyburn are who ever you are !The media pushes the race card here for a story. Read the artical . They say “black voters “will do this and the black voters will do that..So who is the one seperating the white from black? The United States Of Free Press! There the ones who won’t rest till there is a race war! Wouldn’t that up their ratings?
I registered as an independent. I have been following the 2008 election every day. what I see and hear every day is not what I wanted to hear. both Candidates are tearing each other apart. and Hillary and her Husband started it. I think Iam not going to vote for any of them. who is going to solve American crises: homes, gas, economy, jobs etc.
why is Hillary so desparate, is she the one going to run the office or Bill?
It would be best for the Party and the American people that Hillary step down now, apologize to each other publicly of all the offenses and negative remarks to each other. Give each other a hug or hang shake and show the world they are together and support each other. Hillary needs to let the Democrats and Republicans know that she support Obama if he is the nominated and Obama needs to let them know that he supports Hillary and urge the American people to vote for the candidate. After the nomination, Hillary or Obama needs to be side each other for the rest of this campaign and show the world they are singing out the same hymnal. This can be done. There should be a dream ticket here and it would work out for the best of the Democrats and the people of this Country. I hope Obama and Hillary have read my comment because this makes common and political sense.