Clinton Says Obama Made the Right Move By Condemning Pastor, in ‘Factor’ Sit-Down
Hillary Clinton claps at a campaign stop in Portage, Ind., where she spoke briefly about her interview on "The O'Reilly Factor" Wednesday. (AP Photo)
Hillary Clinton, in her first appearance on FOX News’ “The O’Reilly Factor,” said Barack Obama made the right move by condemning Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. but that she was still offended by the pastor’s statements.
In the first part of a two-part interview — the second will air at 8 p.m. ET Thursday on FOX News — Clinton also defended her stances on health care and oil companies and sought to burnish her image as a “fighter” candidate.
Asked about Wright, Clinton said it’s up to voters to decide whether the mounting controversy over Obama’s retired pastor should impact the presidential race.
“(Obama) spoke out forcefully yesterday,” she told Bill O’Reilly in the appearance taped Wednesday in South Bend, Ind. “He made his views clear, finally, that he disagreed, and I think that’s what he had to do.”
Obama went on the offensive Tuesday, saying he was “outraged” and “angered” by Wright’s statements the day before in Washington, D.C.
Clinton matched that outrage and repeated that she would not have stayed in the church if Wright were her pastor.
“Well, I take offense. I think it’s offensive and outrageous. I’m going to express my opinion, others can express theirs. It is part of just, you know, an atmosphere we’re in today,” she told O’Reilly.
Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain told FOX News on Thursday that he doesn’t think Obama shares Wright’s views, which he described as “really, incredibly outrageous,” but he said he doesn’t feel sorry about Obama’s plight.
“I think we all face challenges when we are in political campaigns. Running for president is bean bag … I think he has to have a discussion with the American people, and he said that it’s a valid political issue so I am sure that he will do that,” he said.
McCain stepped back from an earlier effort to stop the North Carolina Republican Party from using the issue in ads for statewide campaigns.
“I wish they wouldn’t but I am not going to referee, I am just going to run my own campaign,” he said.
Wright capped off his recent round of public appearances with a stop Monday at the National Press Club. There, Wright taunted reporters and declined to retract his statement that the government is responsible for afflicting minorities with HIV.
“I sure don’t believe the United States government was behind AIDS,” Clinton said in the Wednesday interview. “This is part of the mosaic and diversity of America. I happen to think it is just totally off base … but what people are talking to me about is not that.”
Clinton also defended her support of a summer gas tax holiday, which Obama has decried as a campaign “gimmick.”
“I’m trying to lay the groundwork so that when I’m president we can get in there and say this has been going on way too long,” Clinton said of record oil profits. “I also want to take on OPEC. You know, OPEC is a cartel, it’s a monopoly.”
Under criticism from O’Reilly, Clinton said she supported universal health care because “it’s a moral issue,” and also said she would raise taxes on people making more than $250,000 a year.
“I’m going to take as much as you were paying in the ’90s,” she said.
Campaign aides said her appearance on the show was designed to reach out to working-class, independent white men who could decide the outcome of next week’s Indiana primary.
“This is a campaign of firsts. I’m sitting down today, another first,” Clinton told O’Reilly.
Clinton also spoke about the personality differences between her and Obama.
Asked if she felt Obama’s momentum stems in part from a perception that she is polarizing, she said: “Well, I’ve been around a long time. I bear a lot of the scars, ideological and political battles. I stand up for what I believe in.”
As for the criticism she’s taken over the years, she said, “This is the way our system is, they take shots at me … you’ve got to be tough (to take on drug and health care companies) and we’ve got to have a president who’s a fighter again.”
Meanwhile, Obama’s handling of the Wright flap hasn’t been all bad for the Illinois senator’s campaign. In a surprise move, the furor over the pastor helped him secure the backing of one Democratic congressman from Indiana.
Rep. Baron Hill said he is “pleased that Senator Obama clearly and unequivocally denounced Reverend Wright’s remarks. Hoosiers don’t feel that way about our country, I don’t feel that way about our country and Senator Obama made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t feel that way either.”
Hill said that the way Obama handled the Wright controversy actually persuaded him to endorse. Indiana’s primary is Tuesday.
Asked about Wright in Indianapolis on Wednesday, Obama said the situation was “difficult.”
“He’s somebody who married us, he baptized our children — he’s done good things in terms of building the church, but frankly what he said over the last few days and in some of the sermons that have been excerpted were unacceptable and … what we want to do now though is to make sure that this doesn’t continue to be a perpetual distraction.”
Click here to see a clip from O’Reilly’s interview with Clinton.
The second part of the Clinton interview with Bill O’Reilly airs Thursday on the FOX News Channel at 8 p.m. ET.
FOX News’ Chad Pergram, Aaron Bruns and Bonney Kapp and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
You call Obama’s comments about Rev. Wright Tough? Take a look at Hillary on the Bill O’Reilly interview, now that’s tough. That’s what the dem. candidate will have to endure in the general election, and I just don’t think Obama can handle it. Hillary is who she says she is, and she doesn’t back down.
Obama will be curled up in the fetal position by November if he is the democratic candidate. Unless you want McCain as your next president, vote for Hillary now, before it’s too late!
Hill didn’t step away from her man for political reasons. Wrong reasons - character flaw.
Obama did step awayfrom his long time friend and pastor for political reasons. Wrong reasons - character flaw.
Senator Clinton has taken the position that Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s statements are wrong , devisive and not reflective of America and that if he were the Pastor of her chuch she would not attend. Can she explain why she still supports her husband President Bill Clinton who has publicly stated how much of an influence former Governor Orval Farbus of Arkansas had on his life. Remember this is the same Governor who was one of the most staunchest segregationalist in the history of America. When can we expect to her Senator Clinton publicly strongly denouce her husband for suppporting this man and more importantly when will the media call for her to do the same.
The comments posted about Wright and Bill are irrelevant. Integrity is not any politicians strong suit, if it were they would not be politicians. All of them are going to say what it takes to be elected. I am looking for the most effective candidate and the most capable. Hillary knows the system, is smart, confident, and will get the job done. Go Hillary!
Hillary proved in the interview that she has no convictions or principles.. The person who is campaigning for the office of President should have definite programs to present, concise explanations of them, and realistic financing estimates that do not increase the taxpayers’ load.. Hillary has shown that she is just as wimpy and flip-floppy as her husband.. However, Willy was able to ride on the coat-tails of the previous administrations’ successes.. Hillary will not have that luxury …
GO OBAMA = GO MCCAIN
That is the new equation in the dem primary.
Obama has morphed into O’Drama….
Good new for Repubs.
If every woman bailed on a philandering husband, there would be about 3 good marriages left in the United States. I bailed on 2 philandering husbands and have been alone for 20 years. I would not recommend that for everyone. Jennifer
O’Reilly’s inetrview with Hillary was challenging and honest , Hillary gave examples of how she could fix problems in detail , none of this fluff and talk in very boring general terms like Obama, her braod knowledge of the issues in reality is what voters should concider, she’s strong, can put up a fight , determined, I’ve cast my vote as a republican for McCain , all of the brain washed supporters of Obama ignore the gross incompetence that would come about in solving the serious problems , he simply can’t , an even bigger question is how he really feels about this country that has offered him so much opportunity, his wife interviewed with CNN last night she and the buffer” Kennedy looked like they had gulpped down a bottle of Night-Quil, boring generic interview.
Maritza
Makes me wonder if you didn’t post my honest and respectfully worded comment I submitted about an hour ago, how many others you don’t post.
Have a nice day.
Wait a minute - didn’t Hillary and Bill Clinton warmly welcome Rev. Jeremiah Wright to the White House? Aren’t visitors to the white House - especially one who’s invited to give them “counsel and spiritual guidance” screened or vetted somehow? I don’t see why she should get a free ride on this - but I haven’t heard anyone ask her about it.