Clinton touts support from 'white Americans'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/08/art.clintonwhite.ap.jpg caption=" Clinton campaigned in Washington Thursday."](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."
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She is unbelievably pathetic!
None of my family will vote for Hillary, and is it because I want John McCain in the White House? No, it is so I can say, as I do now, "you put her in there, not me".
What? I'm surprised that there havent been any comments about this as yet.
so who is playing the race card again....
Never heard Obama say anything remotely as divisive as these comments.. talk about desperate and dispicable
As a hard-working white American, I would say the most notable "emerging pattern" is the relentless pattern of dishonesty on the part of Hillary Clinton.
I think it has become quite obvious that Hillary is suffering from mental health issues.
Not long ago the Clintons were touting support among African Americans.
It will not be a long time time if she abondons whites if she does not needs us.
She is not only a liar. SHE IS A RACIST! It is so disgusting that democrats continue to to be afraid of Clintons! That's the only way McBush will be elected in November!
Billary has consistently failed to expand her base of poor uneducated hillbillies and old people. Time for her to throw in the towel.
Oh please, it's true. Anyone who does not believe that this election is all about race is dumber than mud. If the black vote had not deserted Senator Clinton Obama would not even be on the radar.
And so ... The Clintons scorched earth stratedgy begins!
We love you Sen. Clinton.
LOYAL CLINTONITES, UNITE! Everyone knows she has a better chance of beating McCain in the fall.
Speechless!
Wow she finally said it. We are now seeing the true side of Clinton. Oh by the way Billary, Obama is catching up to your "white vote". Whats that say about you as a candidate? People with little or no education vote for me....great. You go girl .
It's not a coincidence that uneducated whites support Hillary Clinton. Those who have a college education aren't ignorant enough to believe and support the political waist coming out of that woman's mouth.
It's nice to see HIllary supporting the racism that's been going on in the voting thus far. What's she going to say next? "If you ain't white, you ain't right?"
Oh my, here she goes again. "hey whitey, vote for me!"
Does anyone believe her? Its getting pathetic and desparate.
So much for a graceful "bow out".
She has become the ugly American.
So she told voters earlier today to vote for her because she's a woman and now she's telling voters to vote for her because she's white. Great.
omg, you are so 20 minutes ago. bag it up lady. america has spoken, pander bear
Newsflash: you need black people too, Hillary. Thank Bill for that.
Clinton... once pandering to those who fear, is now pandering to those who hate. Talk about divisive. What a loser.
Does she know which numbers are bigger?? 65% on March 4th is higher than 60% May 6th. That means less support for you. Even my 13 yrs old brothers know that.
wow... who's playing the race card now??
Clinton has race baited all along so what is new? The shame is that many white americans will buy into it and let her make us look like a nation of bigots to the world. The other sad part about this is that the DNC and superdelegates are standing by and allowing her to do so when they have the power to stop her.
If you were confused about her true colors before...
She will tear us apart, I'm sure of it now.
Rachel Maddow was the only one on Tuesday night to say so... she's going to be right.
Umm...
This doesn't sound like a winning strategy.
And didn't she already lose?
What gives? She's not going to be Obama's VP. It's obvious she's trying to divide people to force herself onto ticket.
It's a weak strategy.
One-third of NC voters were African-American and he received over
90% of their votes. If you do the calculation , more than 50% of
Obama's votes in NC came from African-Americans. If this voting
pattern becomes firm, isn't there some concern that in the fall, the
election will become even more divisively racial?