[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."
its sad to see that in all which has occured she now needs to resort to the lowest of lows in her losing battle. Now it becomes an issue of race batting. Hillary, my support was yours to lose. Well you've lost it. Have the dignity to heal instead of continue your divide of this great nation. RACE has no place in it. Yet you seem to try to inject it. Its time you slide back into the hole that is your heart and go away
White people make up over 60% of the population..
Blacks make up around 11%. of the population.
How on earlth does Hillary explain her 30+ defeats?
Former Hill supporter,
now for Obama
It's the issues that matter, not the person.
Oh, no she didn't. It's official she is still in "Scorched earth" mode.
I was trying to be nice, but the Superdels need to put this old nag out to pasture now!!!
She is finished and she knows it. She is now playing the race card. She is destroying the Democratic party for her own good. She doesn't care about anyone but herself Obama is receiving more support from Superdelegates every day. He has pretty much erased her lead in that category. Hillary do us all a favor and drop out. You CANNOT win!!
Who would have believed it a year ago..., the so-called progressively tolerant party of acceptance, divided by the color of their candidates skin.
Shameful!!
cnn
what happen to my comment
you are so hillary
While Obama is trying to bring the party together, HRC continues to try and drive it apart. Let's ask her then how a Democrat wins without African American support? DOESN'T HAPPEN!!!!!!
just when you start to feel some sympathy for old girl, she shows her true colors. disgusting woman, no wonder bill cheated
I hope that is not what she meant, because that would be very decivise. And I hope she gives America more credit than that.
It is same old politic of dividing people. Can some one advice her to stop playing the race card. It is a shame she has drag Bill into doing all this for her sake. She should understand that some time finishing the race, is not winning the race. For the sake of unity can she gracefully stop this openly destructive manuvering.
Isn't she in effect marginalizing anyboyd whose not white? I'm a white, 46 year old female who supports Obama's unifying character and tone to his campaign. I don't want another "with us or against us" candidate. I don't want And THAT is something Hillary Clinton doesn't get.
SHAME ON YOU HILLARY CLINTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"hard-working Americans, white Americans"
Please tell me CNN is going to cover this blatant race-baiting on the air at some point today
"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."
Oh, you mean like African-Americans??
HILLARY STOP BEING PATHETIC – DROP OUT
DON'T PULL A LIEBERMAN!
hillary is a racist pure and simple
Yeah, yeah, she wants to be Obama's VP... What other chance has she got to justify her campaign expenses?
Hillary ... Shame on you!!! You are divising people and bringing up Race issue her...! All the people voting for Obama are not only black. In the US there are only 14 % of Black people... There are many White voting for him... Just go home... You are the loser... You will do anything to win... But not at this time...
This hard-working white American supports Obama. As does his entire hard-working white family and white friends. 'Course we are those darn college-educated white people.
Hillary... just go away, already.
Her desperate depravity hits yet another new low. Just like a traffic accident, "there is nothing more to see here folks, just a pathetic old woman who has crashed and burned." Go away Hillary, just go away.
Obama always cries "race baiting" when it is to their advantage. I absolutely HATE Obama.
Very unfortunate. Graciously bow out Hillary and Unite the Party and the Country. Now is not the Time to create more division.
Dean, Pelosi, Gore:
Hillary Clinton can no longer be allowed to represent the Democratic Party.
Strip her of her membership in the party, censure her, and take away her delegates.
She has no business in the Democratic Party. Let her run for the Republican nomination with her sleazy race-baiting.
How such Cheap argument. It is nice to leave out with grace. The unity of party and America should come first. Why is she injecting the colour issue now. Very much disappointed. Do whatever to win?? So much disappointing to hear from a candidate who runs to lead a great nation in this universe.
All that I can say is that I am a white woman who will vote for Obama. She is clueless!