Saying that she is “sorry that people thought” her comments about Sen. Barack Obama’s race being part of his success were “racist,” former Democratic vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro defended her remarks Tuesday, adding that “sexism is a bigger problem” than racism in a Fox News interview.
Despite her defense, Ferraro still made the decision to resign from Clinton’s finance committee Wednesday. “I am stepping down … so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign,” she wrote in a letter obtained by CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux Wednesday. “The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won’t let that happen” she added.
Her original remarks, made to the Torrance Daily Breeze late last week, have sparked a war of words between the Obama and Hillary Clinton camps in the already tense nominating race.
“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,” Ferraro, said when asked about Obama’s popularity. “And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”
Clinton separated herself from the statement, saying “It is regrettable that any of our supporters — on both sides, because we’ve both had that experience — say things that kind of veer off into the personal,” according to the New York Times.
Obama’s campaign, not satisfied with Clinton’s stance, earlier called for Ferraro’s removal from her finance team.
“When you wink and nod at offensive statements, you’re really telling your supporters that anything goes,” Obama’s chief strategist David Axelrod said, according to the Washington Post. “She ought to be removed from those positions. There’s no other way to send a serious signal that you want to police the tone of this campaign.”
Obama called the remarks “divisive” and said they don’t “have any place in our politics of the “Democratic Party,” the Allentown Morning Call in Pennsylvania reported.
On Fox News Tuesday evening, Ferraro said she respects Sen. Obama and he “shouldn’t antagonize people like” her, who could become crucial fundraisers if the Illinois senator becomes the Democratic nominee.
On ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Ferraro was on the defensive, saying she has been unfairly criticized, according to a Los Angeles Times account, and turning the blame on Obama’s campaign for the dust-up.
“My comments have been taken so out of context and been spun by the Obama campaign as racist,” she said on the morning talk show Wednesday. “That, you know is doing precisely what they don’t want done — it’s going to [divide] the Democratic Party and dividing us even more.”
Last week on the NewsHour, Ferraro told Jim Lehrer she is concerned about Obama’s leadership and his ability to win in the general election.
“There are no caucuses in November. Can we win in November?” she asked. “Can he win in the large states where they’re out counting votes in elections? That’s an important issue.”
I have been a long-time newshour viewer. I am concerned that your reporting of Senator Barak Obama's victories has been played down and/or left out of the headlines. How can we continue to turn to the newshour as long-form quality analysis in reporting when you use your format to reflect America's longstanding, deep seated racial bias? Shame on you. There is time to do better! It is time to wake up with the rest of the world.
I don't understand how newscasters can sit there and report on some of the statements being made about which state is more importantant than the other. It is a stab in the chest to every voter who stood out in the cold to vote in large numbers during this election season. It will be the last time that happens if the actual number of people who voted is ignored and manipulated to give the nomination to one who did not get the most votes. I cannot under stand why the Democratic party would allow that to happen. It is an insult to the American people and the Democratic party would have to change it's name since it certainly wouldn't be considered "democratic"!
On your panel last night, Lorenzo Morris, himself an African-American, claimed that Obama's success was not due to race. Then, on every question regarding Obama's success, Morris referred to the high number of black people in a state as to why he won, or would win.
I applaud Ferraro for having the nerve to state the obvious. If Obama were a white man weaving his dreamy platitudes, no self-respecting black person would vote for him.
We need true discussion that comes out of the facts of this electtion. If we continue to short cut the debate by injecting "racism" related conflicts, shows that we are people trying only to conviniently avoid facts, for whatever purpose. That makes this country backwards. We should not respond to "crying wolf" tactics.
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I have been a long-time newshour viewer. I am concerned that your reporting of Senator Barak Obama's victories has been played down and/or left out of the headlines. How can we continue to turn to the newshour as long-form quality analysis in reporting when you use your format to reflect America's longstanding, deep seated racial bias? Shame on you. There is time to do better! It is time to wake up with the rest of the world.
I don't understand how newscasters can sit there and report on some of the statements being made about which state is more importantant than the other. It is a stab in the chest to every voter who stood out in the cold to vote in large numbers during this election season. It will be the last time that happens if the actual number of people who voted is ignored and manipulated to give the nomination to one who did not get the most votes. I cannot under stand why the Democratic party would allow that to happen. It is an insult to the American people and the Democratic party would have to change it's name since it certainly wouldn't be considered "democratic"!
Hilary and Ferraro planned this out so it would appear Obama was attacking a woman so Hilary could get more woman votes. Smart but creepy.
On your panel last night, Lorenzo Morris, himself an African-American, claimed that Obama's success was not due to race. Then, on every question regarding Obama's success, Morris referred to the high number of black people in a state as to why he won, or would win.
I applaud Ferraro for having the nerve to state the obvious. If Obama were a white man weaving his dreamy platitudes, no self-respecting black person would vote for him.
We need true discussion that comes out of the facts of this electtion. If we continue to short cut the debate by injecting "racism" related conflicts, shows that we are people trying only to conviniently avoid facts, for whatever purpose. That makes this country backwards. We should not respond to "crying wolf" tactics.