March 17th, 2008
12:45 PM ET
15 years ago
Bill Clinton: We did not play race card
Watch Bill Clinton speak with CNN's Sean Callebs.
(CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton defended his role in his wife's presidential campaign in South Carolina, disputing claims he made race a campaign issue.
"What happened there is a total myth and a mugging," Clinton told CNN's Sean Callebs in New Orleans, Louisiana, over the weekend.
"It's been pretty well established. Charlie Rangel ... the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in unequivocal terms in South Carolina that no one in our campaign played any race card, that we had some played against us, but we didn't play any."
From CNN Politics
- Before he represented Trump, defense attorney speculated Stormy Daniels saga was true and payment could be seen as an in-kind campaign contribution
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- Untitled
- Parlatore testified to grand jury in Mar-a-Lago classified docs probe in December
- The new cold war in Americans' pockets
- Biden kicks off 'Invest in America' tour next week
Who said we have had seven years of lies in the White House? More like 15! Don't put his wife in, the streak needs to end!
They played EVERY card ... race, Muslim, gender, age ... in fact they played form 2 decks including the joker (Clinton!) I like you, Bill, but if I am not voting for YOU then I don't buy a word you say.
Bill is actually making sense to me here!
OBAMA is not electable. Period. Even if Hillary looses and supports Obama, my vote is going to Nadar.
If you compare Obama to Jackson I don't know what else you can call, but oh wait didn't Clinton lie himself out of impeachment or at least tried too.. If he lied about that he will lie about this. Come CNN report something better than this
Makes perfect sense Joe, he's no longer electable because of what his pastor said. Wait a minute that just sounds stupid.
OBAMA '08, '12
It is a tough political fight. I can't say that I totally believe the idea that the race card wasn't played by the Clinton campaign. Although, I believe that it was bound to come up. I am waiting for some crazy person (men and women are crazy; neither is more crazy than the other) to do something really stupid and regretable. I just hope that I am wrong about this.
Voted against "he" and his wife? Who proofed this article? Try against "him".........
To Mr LeftNut..apparently your left nut doesn't know what your right nut is doing ...
Obama stated he would support Hillary.
Pay attention..we're giving a quiz after this .....
Hillary, in her co-presidential way ..endorsed McCain over Obama..
Get your nuts together
Ah. If someone from the Ways and Means Committee says you didn't play the race card, clearly you did not. And I'm sorry Bill, but which race card was played against you?
P.S. I'm not voting for Barack's pastor. I am voting against Hillary Clinton and her dishonest tactics.
Obama 08
Pardon me, Mr. President, if I don't believe a word you've said.
Thanks Bill for what u are doing and have done for Black Americans.
It is ironic I have not seen Barack do anything for civil rights or people in New Orleans. Although CNN likes to dodge the major facts about Barack and redirects it on you; you are still respected by the Black Community..
Go Hilliary!!!
Bill is a liar, he did play the race card and said some of the stupidest things imaginable.
Did he just say "mugging" referring to senator Obama?? I guarantee that was not an accident. Yet another code word for uneducated whites. keep it coming Billy!! What a racist!
Bill tell me what happened to John Glasgow, the guy that built your library? Things look kinda suspicous, sort of like Vince Foster's depression and later suicide. Sorry nobody's believing your excuse for using the race card to help Hillary. I guess its true what they say about trying to keep a good man down, You can't! OBAMA is the People's Choice!
Obama is UNELECTABLE, NOT fit to be President. All African-Americans can vote for him in GE if he's the nominee he would still LOSE against McCain with a HUGE MARGIN.
And Jessica, you sound a bit confused over McCain's comments of the 100 year presence in Iraq. How many years have we been in Germany since the close of WW2? How many years have we had a base in Cuba at Guantanamo Bay? How many years have we had bases in Japan? The kind of hysterics you spew do not help your cause lady.
Why seek out Bill Clinton and bring this all up again? This will not overshadow the fact of what has happened to the Obama campaign this past week. The media and Obama can't simply sweep this one under the rug by trying to refocus the America people to Bill Clinton and what happened in SC.
Reminds me of the infamous qoute, "I did not have sexual relationsship with that woman"....remember Monica.
"...were voting against he and his wife..." Can't you hire anyone who knows basic grammar?
Yes, he benifited from the black vote, then interjected racial comments in South Carolina. He had an affair with Monica, and ruined Al Gore's chances to become president.
This man is a piece of work. He fails to realize with that one statement, he has ruined his legacy. I love it when the truth comes out.
Bill Clinton is not smarter than God.
Obama 08
Hi Bill
Stop commenting on this issue. It was a mistake. I think the best solution is find a way forward and not to do anything to disintegrate the "Democratic party" after the nominee has been picked.....Obama...all the way.
Actually, it was Ms. Edwards who first broached the race card and gender card; it was in an interview and no one jumped on her for it nor has anyone raised it. I like Ms. Edwards, so I do not raise this as a criticism of her.
"mugging?" oh yeah the black guy was really mugging you bill.