Clyburn: Voters "Recoiled" From Use Of Race

Speaking after Sen. Barack Obama's victory in South Carolina, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., all but credited the wide-margin of victory to a backlash against the injection of race in the primary by Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Appearing on MSNBC, the third ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives said voters had "recoiled" to the proliferation of racial politics in the election.

"I'm not surprised at that at all," Clyburn said, when asked about Obama's big win. "Because I really believe that in the last 48 hours the voters recoiled. They decided to reject the racial animus they seemed to be developing and I'm so pleased."

Clyburn, who did not endorse a candidate, did not name names. But the implication was fairly obvious. Earlier in the week, Clyburn expressed a sense of disappointment with the Clinton campaign's tactics and urged Bill Clinton to "chill" with the race-based politicking. And in an interview with the Huffington Post, the congressman suggested that the former president's aggressive campaigning could be damaging his long-term reputation.

According to MSNBC exit polls from South Carolina, 74 percent of African-American voters and 68 percent of white voters say they believed that Clinton unfairly attacked Obama.

Later in his interview, Clyburn reverted back to his now-customary refereeing posture, complementing both candidates for being able to reach voters across the politics spectrum.

"I've checked on some of the white precincts and they are voting, in favorable numbers for Mr. Obama," he noted. "And I checked in rural precincts and I think Mrs. Clinton is doing a relatively well there... These people knew that the economy needed some kind of help. They knew that these candidates represent to them some kind of hope for the future. And they were voting their hope, their dreams, their aspirations, and they didn't care about all of the stuff that we were talking about for the last two or three days."

Comments

[ndolomar]

you know, as long as everyone -- trolls and real posters alike -- keeps talking about race, you guys, in fact, are the true reason it remains an issue and always is "injected" into the election. regardless whom you support, it'd be nice to read a post that only mentions the issues and rejects assigning blame to whom they think initiated all this "race" talk. if you ignore it, perhaps the MSM will, too...?

[nightslider]

The Mason Dixon line beckons Oblapie, and there you can try your racist pandering all you want; it won't fly, because your facing predominately white folks that know what racism means as you are to soon find, I wonder just how snide Clyburn will be with his corner of the mouth innuendo then?

The Only state that has large black base is gerogia and that might not even be enough to garner him any more meaningfull delegates

The Oblapie dirge shall commence on Fe 5th 2008,and continue thereafter.

[nightslider]

oblapie uses the race card and all the blackiesa fall down saying ,yassah yassah he sure enough did that mean ole white guy, Get real at this point I would tell clyburn to F/O and then pull my Agency from out of Harlem, and when it came to vote on black matters Id tell you have the wrong racaist, perhaps you should be talking oblapie and oprie.

[Optimist]

"According to MSNBC exit polls from South Carolina, 74 percent of African-American voters and 68 percent of white voters say they believed that Clinton unfairly attacked Obama."

As an "inexperienced" congressman who became one of the greatest U.S. presidents said:

"You can't fool all of the people all of the time."

- Abraham Lincoln

[nellie]

It seems clear to me that black voters did in South Carolina what women voters did in New Hampshire. They said loud and clear, "knock it off."

[HollyBrinee]

If South Carolina voters were really 'recoiled' from race baiting, then Hillary would have won in a landslide. Looks like the race baiting in South Carolina worked smoothly as planned by the Obama team. It must be fun for the Republicans to watch the Democratic party cannibalize itself with the politically correct monster it created. As a Democrat, I'm disgusted.

[apresdeluge]

It is obvious that Clyburn is part of the problem and not part of the solution. He took Bill and Hillary's words and implied that they were being "racist". Obama's campaign (through Jess Jackson, Jr.) and the MSM plus various right wing pundits ran with this theme. Just like in the book 1984, this theme becomes truth; not because it is true but because the media said it was true. Very disturbing.

[Ginzaman]

Impeach Bush and Cheney:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I7nz5rcBmI

[mikey683]

I'm sorry but what is all this crap about the Clinton's speaking in "code". With that moronic logic any one can be saying anything you want them to say. I haven't heard the Clinton's say anything remotely racist. Anyone who critisizes Obama is immediately branded a racist. How can we have a dialoge in this atmosphere.

[EagleBenny]

This wouldn't have anything to do with Clinton's "lashing out" at reporters would it? If you ask me, that was his biggest mistake. Insulting the Fourth Estate translates into big trouble nowadays.

[ljsfolly]

Very interesting photo for this post. It shows Clyburn and Obama looking one direction while Hillary is showing vague slight smile looking the other way. Does this mean the two thoughtful looking men looking while she is gazing into whatever say something? I think it does. This isn't a black nor white race but one for an American, a United States of American President. I vote and look at the hope of a new future and way to it. We cannot go back to the 90's after the 9/11 attack or the war which bush made based on lies. We need to open the doors of the white house not hide more secrets behind them as with clinton will happen. She has hidden her papers in bills library where they can remain secret. Obama has done much while a state senator and many of the "present" votes which Hillary likes to smear were based on arragenments within the senate there. Not one of the votes he has made has gone toward what vote she made to give bush everything he has wanted. She failed to read the intel before the Iraq war vote and voted for bush's war. Nothing will balance that sheet for me. He has my vote.

[Miket53]

Clyburn is right. Too much talk of race in the Dem circles whether it be just a discussion of which race is voting each candidate or the discussion of negative race impact. As a country we have to stop the categorization of our people which will stop the constant "this race against another race" conce[t. It perpetuates the problem. Obama is a good candidate and Hillary is not based on policies put forth. It will be interesting to watch Bill's response to such a decisive win.
Mike
http://mtaricani.blogspot.com/

[GhostOfSchlesinger]

Do any of us want to live in the divided nation many of our commentators continue to describe?

Is their description a realistic one or a means to some other end?

What sort of America would we live in if we had a choice? And, given the fact that we DO have a choice, what sort of America will we choose?

What if MILLIONS of us rose up and said "We see a different America than the one you're reporting on. We see Americans that work hard, love their families, have hopes and dreams, suffer bravely even when confronted by tragedy, and NOW stand together as one nation, one people, undivided and indivisibl­e."

Well, guess what? We've already done it because you're doing it right now.

[chrismathewsgreatestfan]

I'm starting to see why the Repubs hate the Clintons so much.

[BARBLS]

Clyburn's statement is ludicrous. When 80% of the black vote goes to a black candidate, and he does not win the majority of white voters how does he come to the conclusion that the voters rejected the race card. The MSM did their job well. Hopefully, the rest of the country are wiser going forward to the remaining primaries. election. Obama has become so divisive. He panders to the Republicans and plays the victim. The media in turn protects him as if he were a child, and attach anyone who criticizes Obama. Hillary has been attacked from day one by the MSM, as well as all the Democratic and Republican candidates. Even the moderators in one debate tried their best to bring her down. She has withstood the abuse, and is stronger for it. The MSM can try to smear the Clintons all they want, but I think the majority of Americans are smarter than to buy into the distortion of facts, and biased rantings. We saw what they did to Gore in 2000, and Kerry in 2004. Enough is enough. We do not need oratory. We need a President who has experience and can bring competency back. The MSM shaped our last two elections exposing that Bush was likable, the man of change, and would bring a new type of compassionate conservatism to government. They called Gore arrogant, boring , and a liar. Sound familiar. The New York Times endorsement of HRC spelled out why we need to elect Hillary. It is an important time in our history. Obama has nothing to back up his words, but he does have the monolithic MSM trying to crown Obama the winner. The MSM never speak of the issues or the candidates policies, just characterizations. I am fed up with them. I will never vote for Obama because he has fueled and perpetuated this unhealthy division among Democrats and the races.