Ferraro: Obama camp 'did it to hurt Hillary'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/03/13/art.ferraro1.ap.jpg caption=" Ferraro is standing by her original comment. "](CNN) - One day after she stepped down from her role in Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, Geraldine Ferraro said she blames Barack Obama's campaign for the uproar over her recent comments.
In an interview Thursday with CNN affiliate WJAR in Providence, Rhode Island, the onetime vice presidential candidate also said the Obama campaign made a mistake in taking aim at her remarks.
"I do think this was a mistake on part of the Obama campaign," she said. "They didn't have to do this, and they did it to hurt Hillary. I just think that's bad. I think it's bad business, and I think it's bad politics.
"I was accused of being divisive. I think those tactics are divisive," she added. "And the amazing thing is it's not something I started, its something they did in reaction to this."
Ferraro also implored Obama's campaign to turn "the spigot off the hate mail I am getting."
"I find it very, very upsetting," she said. " I've been called all kinds of names, and the attacks are ageist, they're sexist, they're racist. It's been very, very uncomfortable.
Ferraro resigned her fundraising post with Clinton's campaign on Wednesday, after taking heat for telling a newspaper last week that Obama's campaign was successful because he was black.
The Illinois senator's campaign denounced the comments on Tuesday and Obama himself called them "patently absurd." Clinton said she repudiated the remarks, though did not publicly call for Ferraro to resign.
In the interview Thursday, Ferraro suggested she did not regret making the comments, saying she was "talking to the facts," and that the issue of race has been raised several times in the campaign before, including by Obama himself.
"The enthusiasm you get from the black community over this black candidate is wonderful, and I don't think you can deny it," she said. "No more than I remember how people felt when I was running."
Ferraro, who was Walter Mondale's running mate in 1984, was the first woman to appear on a major presidential ticket. She has said she raised about $125,000 for Clinton's campaign.
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This election is about old generation V young Generation. All raciest statements in this election were made by people from the stone age . It will never happened that a young person will make those type of remarks at lest not in public. That is why the youngs have spoken that they need Obama to free them from the old school politics
Geraldine seems to be one of thefew politicians that can speak the truth. That's a rare thing.
I wish Ferraro hadn't worded what she was trying to say, the way she did. But, it is over now. What she said (coming from her) was not racist it was a fact and you all know it. If Obama's people do not want comments that seem racist, then quit making sexist comments. After all what is good for the Goose is good for the Gander. It seems like no one is allowed to say anything negative about Obama. But Obama's camp can say anything it wants, then hide behind racism. Do not get me wrong I will vote for which ever democratic candidate wins. Show some respect if you want to be respected. I know racism exists I do not like it. Sexsim also exist and I do not like that either. Hillary, I know will fight and work very hard to get through what is good for most Americans, I do not know anything about Obama.