(CNN) - In what appear to be the New York senator's most blunt comments to date regarding a racial division in the Democratic presidential race, Hillary Clinton suggested Wednesday that "White Americans" are increasingly turning away from Barack Obama’s candidacy.
"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," Clinton said in an interview with USA TODAY.
Clinton cited an Associated Press poll "that found how Senator Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."
"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.
Exit polls from Tuesday's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina show Clinton won about 60 percent of the white vote in both states. That percentage is down from the Ohio primary on March 4, in which Clinton won upwards of 65 percent of the white vote. Meanwhile, Clinton garnered 63 percent of the white vote in Pennsylvania on April 22.
Speaking with the paper, Clinton rejected the notion her comments were racially divisive in any way.
"These are the people you have to win if you're a Democrat in sufficient numbers to actually win the election," she said. "Everybody knows that."
Obama spokesman Bill Burton called Clinton's statements "not true and frankly disappointing."
From CNN Politics
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I can not believe she went there, it does not surprise me one bit. She will do anything to win and its sad!! Drop out already!
wow, outrageous race baiting from hillary. superdels, you need to end this race before the party self-destructs and undermines the general election.
If that's not a racial baiting and polarizing comment, I don't know what is...
If Senator Clinton really had "white" america's vote, then why is she trailing Obama in delegates, popular votes, and fund raising...?
Are blacks the only people voting and donating?!?!
Lets get real!
Well this white person does not want Senator Clinton.
This is truely a desperate tactic from Hillary , she is saying or doing anything to kep this thing going , now she she's using the race card in attempt to split the party, if this isn't selfish and self centerd then I do not know what is , she needs to get over it that she will NOT be the
nominee for the Democrats .............and what are the other delegates waitigng for they need to get their energy behind Obama so we won't continue steady decline in America's economics ........................please post .
All along I thought Hillary was running for the Democratic party nomination, but it appears she was just setting herself up for the Republican nomination. Disappointing? Yes, but disgusting and bigotted would describe it better.
Hillary thinks and makes racist comments. She is letting us know that the Dem party will not come together if she is not the nominee. How could she suggest that whites will not vote for their party when this is over? This is not about RACE HILLARY.
Kenny Rogers: You got to know when hold'em and fold'em.
Clinton touts "broad coalition of uneducated whites"....man, I feel inspired already.
I would agree with the Obama campaign. Very dissapointing statement. She's very intelligent and obviously knows her statement will further add fuel to the "racially divided" party argument. As an African-American who would have voted for Clinton or Obama prior to the South Carolina primary, I'm very dissapointed in what Mrs. Clinton will do to keep her race going.
If there is any trend that suggests that white americans are leaning toward voting for Clinton, it's because she is causing the division between the races. The longer she stays in and deploys her husband to different parts of the country, with his hate-filled speaches against Obama, then white americans will side with someone they feel attached to. Hillary is causing division among EVERYONE who supports the Democratic party. Her ego is causing racial tensions within the party as well. I believe if it were a white male or female in the race ahead of Hillary, then she would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. It is her notion of losing to an african american in such an important political race, that is causing her to continue wasting her supporters and her own money in a losing effort.
Let me translate. I should be the nominee because I am white. Does she stop at nothing?
Racist.
And her TRUE republican roots are beginning to rear its head- not that it already didn't. We all know if it was a republican that said this, he would have a BIG price to pay. He would be called a racist and a bigot, and there would have been an outroar calling for his resignation. But becuase it's a Clinton then it would just be a minor slice in the media news today. Well as a dem, I'm calling her a racist something we've witnessed multiple times in this primary.
To Clinton: you are no longer wanted! The presidency was not yours contrary to the media's attempt to hand it to you. We the voters REJECT you.
unbelievable. hillary has reached a new low. her remarks are divisive and insulting. she is harming the democratic party....i wonder if she even cares?
Yes Hilliary, there is a pattern. It's the pattern you created. You brought this whole race thing into play and it didn't work for you. This is absolutely disgusting.
it seams her white male support is mainly in the south and mid west.
it not a national trend.
To Concerned:
Amen!
"White Americans want me"
...no, we don't
Disgusting. I'm white, I don't drink latte and I am offended by Hillary CLinton's partisan politics. Really really offended.
*sigh*
Why? Why go there? Why, Hillary? What is the point, really? What is the real, honest-to-God point in going there? Geez. This isn't a surrogate, folks, this is Hillary. We have asked for more transparency and we are getting it.
I am a hard-working white American, Hillary, and I don't want you.
I believe there's a lot of hard-working white Americans in many of the 30+ states that Senator Obama has won.
that's mighty white of you. y'all can use my transcamero anytime, it's triple parked just outside the trailer park.
Very sad!!
she sounds like the true colors .... get it "colors" are now coming out... she may need to shut up now
I'm a "white American" who was supported Obama from the beginning after reading his vision for the country in his book. Oh, and I'm a Republican too. So, the whole "he can't pull in the voters he needs" arguement is full of crap.
I told Hillary is not to be trusted she is really destroying the demoncrate party she should be ashame of herself telling white people they should vote for her. Hillary is racist