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Clinton Tip-Toes Around Rev. Wright Issue

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April 28, 2008 12:59 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Senator Hillary Clinton knocked Republican presidential contender John McCain and the Republican party for politicizing the issue of Senator Barack Obama's pastor, Rev. Wright, but tip-toed around her reaction to her Democratic opponent's handling of the matter.

“I have said that that that was a personal decision of his I answered one question about it that made it clear I would not have stayed in that church under those circumstances," Clinton told reporters in Graham, NC.  "But, I regret the efforts by the Republicans to politicize this matter and I believe that if Senator McCain were serious he would do more than just send a letter he is the putative nominee I think he could very clearly tell the North Carolina party tell the Mississippi party that he would not tolerate those kinds of advertisements and I’m waiting to see if he does that.”

When asked if Wright’s comments were a reflection upon Obama, Clinton quickly and matter of factly said, “You will have to ask him that.”

Clinton refused to respond to whether she agrees with Gov. Dean’s proposed time-line - that one of the Democratic nominees must drop out after the June primaries - and instead said, “I think this has been good for the Democratic party.”  She added, “We are going to go through these next contests and see where we end up and well take stock of where we are when we finish but I also believe we’ve got to resolve Michigan and Florida.”

The former first lady was also asked if the divisiveness from the 1990’s should be a concern to voters to which the Senator responded that she was proud of the fighting she and her husband did on behalf of Americans.

“I guess I’ve read enough history and know enough about American politics to realize that if you are going to stand for change big change,” Clinton said. “ I don't think anybody should be surprised that they are going to fight back and they are going to fight back by coming after the people who are standing there fighting for the American middle class. So, I frankly wear that as a badge of courage.”

Clinton was also asked if her campaign is in discussions with the DNC to help begin fundraising for other Democratic candidates running in November. Clinton acknowledged that her campaign was speaking to the DNC, but when the reporter followed up about the status of those discussions, Clinton said, “you will have to ask the campaign.”

Clinton was asked if she thought Obama’s new appeal to blue collar voters will resonate – Clinton said “That will be up to the voters to decide. What voters know about me is that I have a long record of fighting for the interests.”

April 28, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (134)

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Neither Hillary Clinton nor her Husband,
Bill Clinton have ever done anything
for the "middle class"!
This is a lie that the Democrats have
been throwing out for the past several
years hoping some illiterates will
believe it!
Th Clintons probably think a
"middle class" person earns between
$25,000-35,000 a year!

Posted by: reaganfan | Apr 28, 2008 1:06:08 PM

I am waiting for Clinton to "walk out" of her own church after her pastor said she was wrong about Rev. Wright.

It is a shame that religous intolerance has become the platform for some presidential contenders.

Posted by: Deward Bowles | Apr 28, 2008 1:14:20 PM

What has Obama or Clinton said about helping the lower class? Better yet, what has either of them done for the poor except the token of minimum wage increase.

Posted by: Just Curious | Apr 28, 2008 1:21:30 PM

Democrats - you can vote for the empty suit or you can vote for the bag of hot air. Choose carefully!


Posted by: A | Apr 28, 2008 1:22:31 PM

Yes, Becky,

but they did not know him for 20 years nor, did he marry the clintons, nor did he baptize Chelsea. Why is it when ever the negative stuff comes out about Obama the Obama cult memebers begin attacks on Hillary. I thought all the cult members of Obama were about a different kind of politics. Sounds like pretty much of the same old to me.

Posted by: Frank- South Hampton | Apr 28, 2008 1:23:07 PM

Cindy Sheehan as Obama's (aka Soetoro's) vice president? That would be truly representative of the new democratic party.

Posted by: A | Apr 28, 2008 1:26:15 PM

rcpmac

You really think the Clinton followers and the Obama (aka Soetoro) followers will kiss and make up?

Posted by: A | Apr 28, 2008 1:30:09 PM

I don't think Wright is running for anything.

Posted by: Johnny Boy | Apr 28, 2008 1:32:04 PM

Frank - South Hampton: Why do you Hillary people never bring up or want to talk about her truck load of baggage?? She is worse then he is on who you associate with. Sat. on the news they showed her with a terrorist group, she even faced charged on it. You guys go after Obama, go after her, look at the people she still gets money from. She got $50,000 from a terrorist group for her Senator campaign. Please do your homework, her garbage is not hard to find.

Posted by: Becky | Apr 28, 2008 1:32:37 PM

I cannot stand some of thee Obama supporters .. They expect everyone to just give Obama what he wants.

AFter what we know about Obama and his associates, I will surprised people with brain will vote for him for the top most job in this country. But again I could be surprised as we saw the same people electing Bush to the white house that too twice.

God save this country.

Posted by: Rick | Apr 28, 2008 1:33:29 PM

how mad do you think hillary is that she is so far behind in delegates she can't take advantage of all these issues. she has only herself to blame. if only she had closed the deal on Feb. 5.

Too bad hillary. It's over.

Posted by: Marcus | Apr 28, 2008 1:38:08 PM

Obama campaign has always been about himself or about how great his campaign is. NOthing about the people unless they adore Obama. The minute anybody dares to have an uncomfortable question, then Obama or his supporters accuse them of 'old politics', 'mean country' or 'racists'. Obama talks out of both sides of his mouth, he accuses Clinton of feeling entitled, yet it is him who feel entitled because of 90% of the blacks voting for him. Neither him nor Clinton earns a legitimate nomination. This means that we are in unchartered teratory and neither should feel entitled for anything. They need to make the case to the people and delegates. Obama won in Feb through the surprise element with his caucus strategy, but Clinton has fought back in the most impressible manner while he is just wilting away. If Obama can't wage this campaign decisively like Clinton then how can he win against the special interest that he keeps preaching about? He is too weak to do that given that he fails to close the deal against Clinton and worse yet, he can't win the votes from the rest of America.

Posted by: vote4thebest | Apr 28, 2008 1:38:20 PM

Becky

Actually Obama's (aka Soetoro's) baggage is more difficult to find. He's done a better job hiding it but, slowly but surely, it's all being located.

Posted by: A | Apr 28, 2008 1:40:13 PM

This is an incredibly unfair spin. Isn't it more infinitely more noteworthy that she defended her primary opponent?

Posted by: commonsensenj | Apr 28, 2008 1:40:25 PM

Very well put Leanza. Not that my opinion matters but the issue on race will never be over as long as men like Obama and Wright continue to pray on the tragedies of many generations past. The issues that all of our ancestors faced was so long ago, we can move on as long as people close their ears to such nonsence. It's time to be done playing the race card because nobody wins especially our children.

Posted by: kitojj | Apr 28, 2008 1:49:17 PM


this is actually just more evidence that the media is corrupt and biased for Obama.

The Clintons have handled Obama with kid gloves actually. The corrupt media makes it sound like any attempts whatsoever by Clinton to expose Obama as being FULL OF IT is 'damaging him for the general election'.

We all know the obvious fact they could do FAR MORE than they have done, right from the beginning. But didnt do it.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 28, 2008 1:52:13 PM

It is time for the Republican-controlled Media to give this Wright controversy some fairness and enquire of Hillary Clinton and her surrogates the following: Is it true that, (1) Hillary surrogate, Congresswoman Shiela Jackson Lee, is also a devotee of Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright; that he's been preaching at her home church, where she is actively involved, annually for the past 15 years and has an open invitation to return, and, that she sat in the pews for his visits and did not bat an eye?

Is it true that (2) Hillary surrogate, Rev. Marcia Dyson was not only a longtime member of Trinity United Church of Christ but also still considers Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright her pastor? That Rev. Marcia Dyson's seminary education, in part, was sponsored by Trinity UCC and encouraged by Rev. Wright? And was it not at Trinity were she first met her husband, Rev. Dr. Michael Dyson, who's been very vocal in his defense of Rev. Wright.?

And, lastly of Hillary Clinton, that if Rev. Wright would not have been her Pastor, then why did she and Bill when going through Impeachment, turn to Rev. Wright for Prayer and Support and invite him to the White House? These things should be asked and answered.

Posted by: Becky | Apr 28, 2008 1:53:21 PM

I think that if what Rev. Wright said is correct about blacks using the right side of the brain to think, I believe one of his white supporters (that uses the left side of the brain) should advise him to offer Sen, Clinton the VP position, then maybe we can find some peace in the Dem. party.

Posted by: David | Apr 28, 2008 1:55:22 PM

It really is disgusting how ABC News and Yahoo are all for Obama, so much for not picking sides. They should be ashamed of themselves. If their are any violent reprocussions due to this election, it's all on the media not the people. They would be wise to remember that.

Posted by: kitojj | Apr 28, 2008 1:56:42 PM

Unbelieveable , Wright will single handedly do Obama in , the only honest and decent candidate we have who will work for the American people and actually deny special interest , the corporations and lobbyists who have full control over our government now . Wright and dumb and foolish Americans , a tough combo for Obama to beat .

Posted by: Kenneth | Apr 28, 2008 1:57:15 PM

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