Posted on 01/12/2008 8:17:26 PM PST by TornadoAlley3
RENO, NEV. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday faulted chief rival Barack Obama's campaign for twisting her comments about slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Clinton was questioned by reporters about South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn's reaction to her comments last week that seemed to suggest that President Lyndon B. Johnson should get more credit for passage of major civil rights legislation rather than King.
Clyburn, in an interview in The New York Times, had expressed disappointment in the Clinton campaign over what she had said as well as former President Clinton's remark in New Hampshire about Obama telling a "fairy tale" in his opposition to the Iraq war.
"I regret the way that this matter has been used," Clinton told reporters. "The comments about it are baseless and divisive. I was personally offended at the approach taken that was not only misleading but unnecessarily hurtful."
She suggested reporters consider the sources of the criticism, much of which has come from the black community.
"I think it clearly came from Senator Obama's campaign and I don't think it's the kind of debate we should be having in our campaign," she said.
Clyburn, one of the leading Democrats in South Carolina and a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, has said he will remain neutral in the Democratic presidential primary. South Carolina Democrats vote on Jan. 26.
But the reaction to Clinton's remarks — and comments by surrogates for her candidacy — have riled many in the black community. On Friday, her husband, former President Clinton, called the Rev. Al Sharpton's radio program to say his comment about Barack Obama telling a "fairy tale" about opposing the war in Iraq has been misconstrued as a criticism of the senator's White House bid.
"There's nothing 'fairy tale' about his campaign. It's real, it's strong, and he might win," Clinton said in a phone interview for Sharpton's Radio One network talk show.
Clinton said his "fairy tale" remark on the eve of the New Hampshire primary — won by his wife — was only intended to describe Obama's claim to have exercised better judgment about the war, not as a sign of "personal disrespect."
Race looms large in the South Carolina primary, where half the Democratic electorate is black. Obama, the winner in Iowa, and Hillary Clinton, the victor in New Hampshire, are counting on a win in the state ahead of the mega-contests on Feb. 5.
Separately, the Clinton campaign named finance co-chairs Maureen White and Hassan Nemazee to help with fundraising.
Awwww, will she cry again?
Food fight!
Always someone else’s fault. What a surprise...
Was she complaining about Obama, or simply reading from her own playbook? That sounds like her usual tactics, what the heck is she complaining about?
This is the last battle that Shrillary wanted or expected , but it’s on nonetheless ....love it !
She ain’t no way tard.
So exactly what did Clinton say that cause so many to misunderstand her?
I'm sure we will be treated to an amusing Gullah.
This statement is pure Bullsh*t from start to finish but be honest--look at how well it works.(rememebering that it is aimed at 68% of the population: losers with IQ's between 85 and 115.) This is why Clinton remains a dangerous enemy of the United states.
Good one!
This will hurt her in S.C. There’s a huge black vote in primary.
Her remarks drew a parallel - Obama as MLK; her as LBJ. Needless to say she’s putting down Obama - and therefore MLK. No way around this once the parallel is picked.
BIg mistake and one Obama will make her pay for. She was going to have trouble with the black vote there anyway; this makes it essential for her to GOTV heavy and take bigger margins in the non-black vote.
It was a dumb thing to say that ‘it took a President’ for the civil rights movement...That is correct. It took a Republican party to get the President to sign it. Paraphrasing, LBJ said as he was signing it, “There goes the Southern Democrat vote for the next hundred years.”
Must be the ‘spadework’ she talks about...
The Office of President of the United States is one job I would never undertake.
Hillary if elected will probably get real old in a matter of months. Being President 24/7 is not my cup of tea.
I don’t believe Hillary can take the punishment that comes with that job.
She might win because the republican party is running all their democrats also.
you said it hillary-just like you said on Dec 22nd-”oil will be $60 or $70 a barrel when I’m elected”-okay were going to hold you to that.
Damage control.
Full spin.
Deny - Deny - Deny - Attack !
THese people are worms
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