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HILLARY CLINTON REGRETS GHANDI JOKE
WINS News ^ | 1/6/04

Posted on 01/06/2004 11:48:00 AM PST by areafiftyone

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized for joking that Mahatma Gandhi used to run a gas station in St. Louis, saying it was "a lame attempt at humor."

The New York Democrat made the remark at a fund-raiser Saturday. During an event here for Senate candidate Nancy Farmer, Clinton introduced a quote from Gandhi by saying, "He ran a gas station down in St. Louis."

After laughter from many in the crowd of at least 200 subsided, the former first lady continued, "No, Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader of the 20th century." In a nod to Farmer's underdog status against Republican Sen. Kit Bond, Clinton quoted the Indian independence leader as saying: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

The director of a U.S. center devoted to Gandhi's teachings said the remarks amounted to stereotyping and were insensitive.

After being approached by The Associated Press to clarify the remarks, Clinton suggested in a statement late Monday that she never meant to fuel the stereotype - often used as a comedic punch line - that certain ethnic groups run America's gas stations.

"I have admired the work and life of Mahatma Gandhi and have spoken publicly about that many times," Clinton said. "I truly regret if a lame attempt at humor suggested otherwise."

Michelle Naef, administrator of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, a Memphis, Tenn.-based organization founded in 1991 by a Gandhi grandson, credited Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, with long having "supported the Gandhi message." But she said Saturday's remarks "could be incredibly harmful."

"I don't think she was, in any way, trying to demean Mahatma Gandhi," Naef said. "To be generous to her, I would say it was a poor attempt at humor. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive, but I find it offensive when people use stereotypes in that way."


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: 2004; apology; badtaste; doublestandard; fundraiser; gandhi; hatespeech; hillary; hillaryclinton; kitbond; mahatmagandhi; mediabias; racialslur; racism; racist; racistjoke; senatorclinton; senatorhillary
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To: areafiftyone
Repub's just got the Asian Indian vote.
41 posted on 01/06/2004 12:27:42 PM PST by muleskinner ("3rd U.S. Arty., Batteries L&M")
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To: areafiftyone
So Hillary is making jokes based on ethnic stereotypes and Dean has been revealed as making stock transactions based on insider information while governor. I'll be sure to tune into Dan Blather's newscast tonight for the latest details!
42 posted on 01/06/2004 12:28:49 PM PST by HenryLeeII
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To: Support Free Republic
He ran a Kwik-E-Mart in Springfield

43 posted on 01/06/2004 12:29:06 PM PST by evets
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To: Blue Screen of Death
That Fozzie Bear joke made me snort beer out of my nose! (My Swedish husband didn't get the joke!)
44 posted on 01/06/2004 12:29:33 PM PST by Rutabega (the only good thing about living in Europe was finding out that we captured Saddam two hours early!)
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To: areafiftyone
The PC liberals begin to eat their own...
45 posted on 01/06/2004 12:30:24 PM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: Blue Screen of Death
That WAS good.

Shalom.

46 posted on 01/06/2004 12:32:18 PM PST by ArGee (Scientific reasoning makes it easier to support gross immorality.)
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To: Blue Screen of Death
he suffered from bad breath

This part is probably true: he drank a glass of his own urine every day, and was not at all shy about recommending that others do it, too. (Here's a google on Ghandi Urine to show you I'm not making it up....)

47 posted on 01/06/2004 12:32:44 PM PST by r9etb
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To: Rennes Templar
"Which is the greatest quality of knighthood? Courage? Compassion? Loyalty? Humility? What do you say, Merlin?

All right. Truth. It must be truth, above all. When a man lies he murders some part of the world."
48 posted on 01/06/2004 12:32:51 PM PST by Search4Truth (When a man lies he murders some part of the world.)
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To: areafiftyone
I wouldn't be offended if a candidate I liked said that, so I'm not offended that Hillary said that.

But in general, I think Americans need to lighten up.
49 posted on 01/06/2004 12:34:40 PM PST by Our man in washington
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To: freedomson
That excuse never works on my wife.
50 posted on 01/06/2004 12:35:31 PM PST by Liberal Classic (No better friend, no worse enemy.)
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To: areafiftyone
At least she didn't call him a FJB.
51 posted on 01/06/2004 12:36:00 PM PST by Remole
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To: areafiftyone
"Clinton suggested in a statement late Monday that she never meant to fuel the stereotype...that certain ethnic groups run America's gas stations".

This is the classic Liberal way;you can say anything about anyone, because you can always apologize later and that's all the media really wants to hear from you anyway, just how sorry you are. It's true, Hillary Rotten truly is one SORRY excuse for a Jr. Janitor from New York.

52 posted on 01/06/2004 12:38:02 PM PST by Pagey (Hillary Rotten is a Smug and Holier- than- Thou Socialist)
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To: areafiftyone

Mahatma L. Nahasapeemapetilon

53 posted on 01/06/2004 12:41:52 PM PST by InvisibleChurch (Want ad: What is the best stamp collecting site?)
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To: night reader
"We don't need to get on the wrong side of PETA by comparing the Hildebeest with an honorable self-sustaining member of the bovine persuasion"

Q - Why can't the Hildebeast get mad cow disease?

A - Because she's a pig.
54 posted on 01/06/2004 12:41:53 PM PST by exile (Exile - Helen Thomas tried to lure me into her Gingerbread House.)
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To: Liz; Joy Angela
Hillary's Latest "Intentional" Verbal Mistake. See what happens when she goes off-script?
55 posted on 01/06/2004 12:43:48 PM PST by Pagey (Hillary Rotten is a Smug and Holier- than- Thou Socialist)
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To: areafiftyone
But did she really apologize?

"I truly regret if a lame attempt at humor suggested otherwise."

Kind of like one of her husband's quotes, "There is no relationship.

56 posted on 01/06/2004 12:45:36 PM PST by ItsForTheChildren
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To: Hildy
Well,

I have it on good authority that Ghandi was actually very calloused from walking everywhere he went and that his frequent fasting left him quite frail with resultant bad breath...

Thus he was a

Are you ready for this/

A Super-calloused-fragile-mystic-with-expected-hallitosis.

57 posted on 01/06/2004 12:46:02 PM PST by N. Theknow (Be a glowworm, a glowworm's never glum, cuz how can you be grumpy when the sun shines out your bum.)
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To: areafiftyone
And we regret Hillary.....EVERY DAY!!!!
58 posted on 01/06/2004 12:49:40 PM PST by international american (support our troops.........revoke Hillary's visa!!)
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To: N. Theknow
Shoulda checked - somebody already threw the super-calloused one out there.

However - NOBODY has mentioned the other Indians

The butler - Mahatma Cote

The Innkeeper - Ali Valiteon Faya - Of the Motel Sikhs

The 4 wheel drive garage mechanic - Bin Unda Dajeep

The Gas station attendant - Filli Dup Fayah

59 posted on 01/06/2004 12:53:22 PM PST by N. Theknow (Be a glowworm, a glowworm's never glum, cuz how can you be grumpy when the sun shines out your bum.)
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To: muleskinner
Indians tend to vote republican anyway
60 posted on 01/06/2004 12:55:21 PM PST by luckydevi
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