Comments on: Bill Clinton: 'I am not a racist'

By: robert

robert — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:11:15 +0000

Bill Clinton a racist – NO WAY! The media hyped his comments up so that he and Hillary could look bad. Actually I think they still look good. I guess anyone who says anything bad about Obama is a racist. Boy, we sure better watch out if he wins the presidency. No one will EVER be able to critique his agenda. I guess that's what we get for over-protecting our savior.

By: Linda K.

Linda K. — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:08:38 +0000

Bill is not a racist but he did get down and dirty during the primaries. Instead of fighting Obama, he should have embraced him.

McCain has the support of GWB and his father. But a Carter endorsement would be a liability for Obama (I still don't get that and I was in college in the late 70s) and Bill Clinton chose his wife instead. Wouldn't it be great if Obama had a little more support?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:08:21 +0000

Bill Clinton is not a racist! Unless of course it can aid his political agenda. What do they call that? A racist of convenience.

By: Denise

Denise — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:08:16 +0000

Everyone who criticizes Obama is a racist, Bill. Didn't you know that?

By: randy

randy — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:08:11 +0000

The only Racist is Obama who is also surrounded by racist friends. He is done anyway. Bring back hilliary

By: R Wolf

R Wolf — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:08:06 +0000

I think the Press is so much part of the problem this Country faces each and every day. There are so many more important questions they could ask President Clinton other than forcing a conversation where he has to qualify himself that he is not a racist. Why don't they ask McCain about his racist views? Wasn't he the one who didn't want Martin Luther King Day when he was Govenor of Arizona? Isn't he the one who continues to let millions of Americans, of all races, go without health care, lose jobs, pay tax money towards a war they are totally against, have cuts in programs and services so necessary to their health and safety, and on and on and on, while he repeats the same unrealistic and ill advised mantra of his about not raising taxes.

By: Texas Trail Dog!

Texas Trail Dog! — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:07:58 +0000

Oh you OBAMA SUPPORTERS - You all make me sicK. Still calling Bill this and Bill that. you've got your man on top of the DNC's TICKET so let Bill go. He never, AND I REPEAT NEVER DID ANYTHING BAD TO ANY OF YOU, except good things for you. You want to still bring up Monica, and SC. He told the truth about the election in SC. Your good leader MATtIN LUTHER KING was OH such a saint wasn't he. The nerve of you to mention anything negative about Bill. After King's long time affair with his mistress I 'd never mention Bill again. QUIT USING THIS RACE CARD TO GET WHAT YOU WANT. IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK THIS TIME AROUND. WE THE HILLARY'S PEOPLE ARE WISE TO YOUR LYING CRAP NOW AND WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA.

By: Norma

Norma — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:07:43 +0000

Who said Bill Clinton is racist. Really you are stupid. He was a great president and did so many nice things . I really tired to hear and read about RACISM. We dont have RACISM anymore
look aroung and shut up

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:07:17 +0000

President Clinton graciously bit his tongue in this interview. While the reporting was not extensive, the Obama campaign went after Bill Clinton hard BEFORE the South Carolina primary vote, and created faux instances of Bill Clinton fanning racial flames. There is a strategy memo that came from the Obama campaign that attempted to tie attacks that were not necessarily race-based as racial attacks. For instance, the former NH gov's husband, Billy Shaheen, said that Obama's past drug use would be a negative in the general election. The exact same charge was used against Bill Clinton in 1992, and has been raised for other candidates. Questions of drug use are character questions historically in campaigns, yet the Obama campaign ran with it and claimed the Clinton campaign was being racist with this sort of attack. There is nothing that Bill Clinton (or Hillary Clinton) said BEFORE South Carolina voted that was racially charged (though, in my view, B. Clinton's Jesse Jackson comment was not good and did have a bit of a racial component; this of course, occurred after the vote and after the Obama campaign had already run around in SC saying B. Clinton was no friend of black voters and was racist). In fact, even if you want to believe that B. Clinton engaged in racial campaigning in SC, what would have been his incentive? The SC Democratic primary is 50-60% African-American. Why would any white candidate running against a black candidate have a strategy of fanning racial flames BEFORE a vote in which the majority of voters are African-American? Whenver race becomes a major issue, racial polarization ensues. Whichever candidate is the racial minority loses. In the case of the SC Democratic primary, the racial minority was whites and thus Clinton lost because the voting became polarized. Obama benefited handsomely - and it was good strategy on his campaign's part - by accusing B. Clinton and the H. Clinton campaign of playing the race card. Obama didn't consolidate African-American support, espeically among black women, in South Carolina until Obama's campaign began this accuse racism strategy. Even after SC, there is little incentive for the Clinton campaign or any white candidate in a Democratic primary to play the 'race card.' Look at the states voting on Super Tuesday: many of them are western or smaller caucus states where white liberals/progressives and Latinos were voting. Being labeled a racist hurts a white candidate not only with African-Americans, but also with voters of all racial and ethnic backgrounds who are progressive liberals on issues of civil rights. Obama's strategy of damaging Bill Clinton by accusing him of racism and then by insulting Hillary Clinton by arguing she had done nothing on her own outside of her husband's work (ignoring 7 years in the Senate) was a disgrace. Before Obama's atrocious tactics in South Carolina, I liked him quite a bit. I would vote for him now if he apologizes for his tactics in South Carolina and Obama reaches out to Hillary Clinton and/or Bill Clinton. But otherwise, if he wants to go this alone, I'm voting for Nader or McKinney.

By: Jeanie

Jeanie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:07:15 +0000

Anybody who thinks he's a racist is an idiot. The first thing he did after the primaries was run off to Nelson Mandela's birthday, and afterward to Africa to continue on with his battle on AIDS by his foundation. He's directly done more for the African American community than any president or even political figure from the US in recent American history.

By: Curt

Curt — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:07:02 +0000

Bill Clinton is a closet racist. Always has been. The "first black president" talked a good game, but failed to deliver for African-Americans. And he has whispered more asides than Jesse Jackson ever did. Plus, his mouth sunk Hillary's chances early on. I can't for the life of me understand why Barack Obama would want such a hypocrite and loose cannon to campaign on his behalf. I'm afraid if either Clinton campaigns for Obama, we'll witness John McCain being sworn in as our next president.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:07:01 +0000

Let's be reasonable, as an African Amercian, there is no way that I believe that Bill Clinton is, was or ever will be a racist. As for President Obama using the race card, please give it a rest. This was never an issue until a person color has shown that he has the character to lead this nation back to the greatness where we belong. The repub's have done their share to ruin our reputation internationally now we need someone like Obama to build us up again!!!

Obama 08'

By: Steve, Jacksonville Florida

Steve, Jacksonville Florida — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:06:43 +0000

"CNN please do your job and really report both sides"

The problem is that CNN IS doing their job which is to inrease their ratings and sell advertising. Whatever sound bites and phony controversy they can use to accomplish this is fair game. If CNN has the "best political team on television" then the state of Main Stream Media news is in a sorry state indeed. If you are truly interested in both sides, you are going to have to find it for yourself. CNN is not your source.

By: Larry Clifton

Larry Clifton — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:06:41 +0000

How could this man be racist? he cried when those black churches in Arkaksas burned didn't he? What? It never happened?
Nevermind!

By: BWM

BWM — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:06:36 +0000

I don't think you are a racist Bill. I just think you could have used a better choice of words to help your wife. McCain is an in the closet racist, using code words. Many people are not smart enough to read between the lines.
The attack on your character is indicative of the fact that you should be angry with your own people. They are the racist. Bush is untouchable, guilty of an unnessary war; yet you were crucified for something pesonal that should have been an issue with you and your family . It was the BLACKS that supported you before and after and you had to know that.

By: Ron from Texas

Ron from Texas — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:06:25 +0000

Yeah, right, "I've never made a rcaist comment". Like when Clinton said "I never had sex with that women....". "Never" seems to have a different meaning to the ex-pres. He and Hillary backtrack a WHOLE lot.

By: Don't Mess with Bill

Don't Mess with Bill — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:06:03 +0000

Bill Clinton I am Not a Racist .........Bill– I love you and Hiilary always have and always will ...I know deep down in my Heart that you are not A Racist ...You know Bill during a Campaign things that you say or do are blown out of portion verse a normal day ......I don't believe Senator Obama most recent statement ...he does not look like the faces on a dollar etc was Racist ..if it had been said during a non Campaign period ....it would have been consider as a JOKE and it depends on how the Media jumps on it ......I personally think the Cleb Ad had a racial overtone .....the Media did not see it that way ....now it has been 4 days and the Media is still talking about the race card and Senator Obama , this morning it was discussed on Morning Joe ......make no Mistake the Majority of Us Love BILL

By: S Callahan

S Callahan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:58 +0000

I don't believe Bill Clinton is racist. I do think he is a opportunist who will say, or do, anything in the hope of reaching his goal depite who it hurts along the way.

By: Charley

Charley — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:53 +0000

I have voted for black candidates most of my adult life – here in New York City. When I supported Sen. Clinton over Sen. Obama I became caricatured along with other Hillary fans as racist, hillbillies or angry white folks. Guess what ?- Sen. Obama's skin tone makes no difference to me – he is very attractive in many ways but he is a lightweight in heavyweights clothing – I will vote for him reluctantly but many former Hillary supporters will not. It is heartbreaking to fight your whole life, as have the Clintons, for social justice and have a bunch of naive overgrown frat boys with blogs and TV shows call you racists.
That is why Obama is not surging in the polls – Many loyal Democrats are spent from the primary and will not come home. – Shame – We do not need the bigoted freaks in the Republican party – the enemy is within.

By: K.L STINE

K.L STINE — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:47 +0000

"Just read the Obama supporter comments in this section"...-APS in Hawaii...uumm...I thought most of the posts were siding with Bill Clinton...WOW...a little bitter are we?...but I guess thats the concensus with Hillary supporters...

By: Election Watcher

Election Watcher — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:39 +0000

The Obama campaign cherry picked comments Clinton made off the record or out of context to give the impression that Clinton harbors racial prejudice. Using these desperate tactics they inadvertently shot themselves in the foot since Clinton is still very popular among moderates of both parties. I believe his Bill Clinton's could have swayed many moderate voters to support Obama rather than McCain.
Well, that's the cost of running a campaign based on deception and distortion while pretending to be honest and forthcoming.

By: sue

sue — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:38 +0000

Clinton's record is not trustworthy. So, we will never know if he's a raciest or not. He lies.

By: HSNP

HSNP — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:33 +0000

The Obama camp took all of that old Republican ammo left over from the 1990's and used it on the Clinton's. Obama is no better that Dick Cheney and Karl Rove.

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:21 +0000

Bill......................your white, your automaticaly a racist. Pay Up

By: stephanie

stephanie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:05:21 +0000

I BELEIVE you. I support and beleive BILL !!! the man does not have a raceist bone in his body. Speaking as a afro-american women, this man has done so much for our country as a hold , black and white was never a issue, also I know in my heart Obama feels the same way. The media has a way of starting conflict ( remember its their job) Clinton dont take it personal, we know were u stand !!!

By: HICK_IN_TEXAS

HICK_IN_TEXAS — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:04:49 +0000

had a guy fired from my office over a race related joke. I do not think he is racist at all...just a dumb moment on his part. Bill Clinton has had some dumb moments as we all have. When your every word is looked at as individual words and not th whole sentence they are in then there are people that label you racist. What he said was true and if a Black man said Obama or Jesse Jackson won South Carolina because of the black vote...Not an Issue...Grow up and leave it alone...not everyone is out to get us or put us down...the Media will let this go on for years...

By: VV from Indiana

VV from Indiana — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:04:47 +0000

Bill Clinton without a doubt is NO racist. Maybe there were some
comments during Hillary's campaigning that he wished now he
wouldn't have said, but I think it's rather ironic that during the
campaigning he said that Obama was playing "the race card,
and planned on doing it all along." I find it very interesting that
the media is having this same conversation currently, and that
President Clinton was absolutely, 100% correct. For me, it's a big
negative against Obama, but then I really don't care. I am a die-hard
supporter of Senator Clinton's, and even though she HAS to say
all the nice things, and try and unite the Democratic party, I cannot
and willl not vote for Obama.

By: carolflowery

carolflowery — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:04:01 +0000

I find anyone calling any of our Presidents or even insinuating they are is racism all by itself. I dont even relate to such accusations anymore

By: gotcha

gotcha — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:04:01 +0000

Obama is going down, down, down. Ha Ha. The great one is having to face reality. He is racist and so are all black people.

By: Peter of Oregon

Peter of Oregon — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:55 +0000

At least Bill and Hillary didn't resort to The Ridiculous in their desperation to defeat their opponent like what John-Old-Politics McCain's doing. Keating 5's turned childish in the last few months with his negative ads. I don't even know his policy positions, he keeps focusing on what Barack Obama is or isn't doing. I guess with CNN still wondering whether people "in America" not knowing Obama is affecting him in the polls, John Envy's trying to give him some PR by telling folk that Barack's the "One." He's like a huge celebrity fan gone terribly terribly wrong.

By: Robert in raleigh

Robert in raleigh — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:41 +0000

My grand ma always said that " a bit dog will hollow" which mean the guilty will speak the loudest. Come Bill it's time for you to be quiet.

By: educated ron

educated ron — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:36 +0000

Clinton is as un-racist as it gets as a politician. His record and demeanor have shown that he treats people equally based on their actions.

I've met alot of racists over the years, the KKK type and the type who just keeps it inside and says what they think are harmless comments. He seems to be sincere.

The racists of this country seem to be in the majority of those who are uneducated and bitter. They need to blame groups of other people for their predicament instead of blaming themselves.

These same uneducated people are those who are being hurt the most by the current administration policies, but will vote for McCain because Obama's pastor said some 1960s type of comments. Its like shooting a person who is holding you over a cliff trying to pull you up. By reading some of the comments for this topic. There are people who really despise Obama, who attack everything and anything they can. If he says his favorite color is green, they'll say why isn't it blue. If he says he is going to lower peoples taxes who make less than 250k a year, uneducated people who make less than 250k a year say he is going to raise my taxes. All he has done is expose how dishonest the current administration is and wants to give america back to the people. Uneducated people would rather have McCain who wants to continue Iraq for 100 more years and wants the insurance companies to decide health care.

By: karen-phoenix

karen-phoenix — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:35 +0000

This is getting rediculous!!! The far right wing has nothing else but to smear Obama and anyone connected with him! Stop it!!! This is why I am NO LONGER a republican!!! And I voted straight republican for 50 years!!! The right wing has become "evil"!

By: smarter than you

smarter than you — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:12 +0000

Bill and Jessie's days of relevance are over.

TO quote a film:
"It's over Johnny... It's OVER!!"

By: jdc

jdc — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:09 +0000

GO OBAMA (back to Europe and your SOCIALIST/Communist "friends").

By: LinnieFB

LinnieFB — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:03:01 +0000

Bill Clinton is not a racist...but, he is a politician....he, Jackson, and their cohorts are positioning his wife for a 2012 run.

By: John McShame, Obama Is Going to Tax You & Cindy, but Not Me & 95% Americans Making < $250,000/Yr

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:02:44 +0000

NOBODY accused Bill Clinton for being a rascist; he should bame himself for spewing out gibberish that cost his wife her presidential bid. the lost because they had a sense of entitlement and did not make any plans for a long haul campaign. poor planning and taking Barack for granted!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill should get overit and go on some more speaking engagement to pay off his wife's debt and STOP raising dust where there is none!

'nuff said, next!

By: Senior female

Senior female — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:02:43 +0000

If the conversation continues to stay on race, Obama will loose. Plain and simple fact. No one likes to be accused of being a racist and to do so is not in Obama's interest.

By: Chuck, Euigene Oregon.

Chuck, Euigene Oregon. — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:02:34 +0000

We all have a bit of racisim in all of us. Some where along our lives paths we have uttered out loud or under our breaths or in our thoughts something that was racist in nature. That unfortunately is part of our human nature. There is not one person alive that can HONESTLY say they have not thought, or said something that is racist. With that said, I no more believe Bill to be a racist then those members of the CNN staff. Bill is Bill, some like him, some dont, and I am one of those that dont.

By: Tworried

Tworried — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:01:38 +0000

You all seem to forget that Obama has given none of the details of his change however he will be the president of a democrate ran congress. I think we all remember the promises they made during that election, those have worked out well.
A little over one year ago:
1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.
Since voting in a Democrat Congress in 2006 we have seen:
1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $ 4.00/ gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it! Do we want more of Obama's change in 2008?

By: MARY

MARY — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:01:27 +0000

He is not a racists, just very pissed off that his wife lost to a BLACK MAN, that the black community did not support his wife, and that he is not going back to the white house just yet.

Oh well, more time for him to fool around on his wife.

By: Sensible Cape Coral Fl

Sensible Cape Coral Fl — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:00:30 +0000

Of course race is going to be an issue in this campaign. Obama is black or half black. That cannot be denied or ignored. Every comment by any person will be interpreted or MISinterpreted by someone somewhere. Bill Clinton is more open to this distortion than most. Look at his record and make up your own mind.

By: Ron democrat turned independent

Ron democrat turned independent — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:59:48 +0000

and if obama had said John Edwards had won that state twice but still didn't win the nomination, would that have been racist. is it ok to mention white people in a derogatory way without being racist. sen. obama is on record saying his white grandmother made racist and ethnic slurs that made him cringe. he then later referred to her as a typical white person. is this not being racial. or does being racial not apply to African Americans

By: Mike in NYC

Mike in NYC — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:59:29 +0000

These obligatory anti-racist confessions of purity never seem to go out of style.

I'm looking forward to the day when a public figure will say, "Yes, I'm a racist. And what are you going to do about it?"

The reality is that most of the world is racist, in the sense of putting their own kind first. And they'd laugh in your face if you tried to lecture them about it.

By: ashley

ashley — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:59:14 +0000

For those saying no one in the Obama campaign implied that the Clintons are racist ARE WRONG! That was one way for them to get black people to turn against them (and I am African American myself) and look, it actually worked! Otherwise, Clinton could have had this in the bag and black people wouldnt have been voting for him at record highs. I dont believe the Obama campaign believes they are truely racist but they wanted to paint a doubt in the American peoples mind.

No one will wake up to the fact that Obama campaign is the one and was the one smearing their fellow democrats!

By: Chris C for McCain

Chris C for McCain — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:59:01 +0000

He is not a racist he is just a perv!

By: LETS BE HONEST

LETS BE HONEST — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:58:56 +0000

THIS IS HOW MESMERIZED OBAMA FANS ARE...

CLINTON IS A MAN WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

AND FOR THE AFRICAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY....BUT

OBAMA PLAYS RACIST CARD ON CLINTONS...AND HIS NETWORK

CNN AND HIS KOOL AID FOLLOWING...GO ANTI CLINTON

NOW OBAMA TRIED IT ON MCCAIN...AND THEY SNAPPED BACK

OBAMA..I BELIEVED YOU WHEN YOU SAID TIME FOR "NEW POLITICS"

BUT YOUR POLITICS IS DIRTY AND OLD...LIKE EVERYONE ELSE

I WILL NOT VOTE AT ALL....

OBAMA YOU ARE A POLITICIAN...WE WILL NEVER KNOW THE REAL

OBAMA...SHAME

By: Yolanda

Yolanda — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:58:48 +0000

Bill Clinton has done more for blacks than Obama will ever do.

By: A CANUCK

A CANUCK — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:58:34 +0000

He's not a racist ....he's just a narcicistic liar !!!!!!

By: Joyce in Florida

Joyce in Florida — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:57:57 +0000

I agree with Kevin, FL. The Obama campaign has divided our party during the presidential campaign and his camp was disrespectful to Hillary Clinton from the get-go. The only person playing the race card is Obama himself. The 18 million voters who support Hillary WILL NOT forget this. His arrogance before, during, and now after this campaign is still showing somewhat. I am a proud democrat and still support the Clintons AND ALWAYS WILL. I am looking anxiously looking forward to see what happens at the convention in Denver. Still supporting Hillary and have NOT removed my bumper stickers from my car. GO HILLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!