Obama Ferraro Race Flap Roils Race

"Geraldine Ferraro has stepped down from her role as a member of Hillary Clinton's finance committee," CNN reports.

Ferraro said thousands of people are part of the finance committee, saying it is not a staff position, but a voluntary one for those who raise money for the campaign. She also said she has raised $125,000 for Senator Clinton.

When asked if she had any regrets about what she said, Ferraro replied, "absolutely not."

"I am who I am and I will continue to speak up," she said. She added that she thought it was a shame that the Obama campaign was trying to block her First Amendment rights, and that she felt that was no way to conduct a campaign....

Ferraro said David Axelrod, Obama's campaign manager and an acquaintance, should have called her to ask her the intention of her remarks, which she says the Obama campaign used to hurt Clinton.

When asked how she felt about Hillary Clinton distancing herself from her remarks, Ferraro replied, "I am perfectly fine," and that there were no hard feelings. She said she understands what Clinton is going through, and understands that being part of a presidential campaign is "very hard."

Ferraro's Letter To Clinton: The full text:

Dear Hillary -

I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign.

The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you.

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I won't let that happen.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to make this a better world for my children and grandchildren.

You have my deep admiration and respect.

Gerry

Ferraro Still Unapologetic: The New York Times notes:

Geraldine A. Ferraro resigned Wednesday from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign finance committee but remained unapologetic for citing Senator Barack Obama's race as the decisive factor in his success.

"I feel terrible for the fact that Hillary is stuck in this thing," Ms. Ferraro said in an interview Wednesday night. "Why put her in that position?"

Ms. Ferraro said that she was not asked by anyone in the Clinton campaign to leave the committee but that she did it on her own, sending an e-mail message to the senator's campaign Wednesday afternoon, as the political dust-up over remarks she made last week went into its second day.

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Former Vice Presidential candidate and Hillary supporter Geraldine Ferraro has sparked a fury on the campaign trail after commenting that Barack Obama was "lucky" to be black:

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. 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."

The Obama camp has responded strongly to the remark, seeking to contrast the response of Sen. Clinton to that of Obama in handling controversial comments by supporters.

Campaign manager David Axelrod has repeatedly called for Ferraro to be removed from her position with the Clinton campaign:

"The bottom line is this, when you wink and nod at offensive statements, you're really sending a signal to your supporters that anything goes," Axelrod said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

"There's no other way to send a serious signal that you want to police the tone of this campaign," he added. "And if you don't do those things then you are simply adding to the growing compendium of evidence that you really are encouraging that."

Axelrod said Clinton has encountered problems because people view her as a "divisive and polarizing force."

"The best way to address those concerns is to not allow divisiveness and negativity to flourish among your supporters," he said. "And this is an opportunity for her to address that."

Barack Obama has called the comments "patently absurd," saying also:

"I don't think Geraldine Ferraro's comments have any place in our politics or in the Democratic Party. They are divisive. I think anybody who understands the history of this country knows they are patently absurd," he told the Allentown Morning Call. "And I would expect that the same way those comments don't have a place in my campaign they shouldn't have a place in Senator Clinton's either."

The Clinton camp initially responded with the terse statement "We disagree with her," but has since offered a response from the candidate herself:

Clinton said, "I do not agree with that," and later added, "It's regrettable that any of our supporters _ on both sides, because we both have this experience _ say things that kind of veer off into the personal."

Ferraro appeared on Fox News to defend her comments, warning Obama not to "antagonize" Democratic supporters like her:

UPDATE: Ferraro, in a follow-up interview with the Daily Breeze, claimed she is being attacked because she is white:

"Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let's address reality and the problems we're facing in this world, you're accused of being racist, so you have to shut up," Ferraro said. "Racism works in two different directions. I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?"

The Clinton camp has responded to these comments:

Ms. Ferraro is speaking for herself. We have made clear that we reject her remarks.

UPDATE: The Clinton camp has released a memo insinuating that Barack Obama is playing the race card by focusing on Ferraro's comments. Here is the full text of the memo:

In January, NBC's Tim Russert confronted Senator Barack Obama with a four page memo from his campaign characterizing statements they claimed the Clinton Campaign had made about race. Asked in hindsight whether he regretted pushing this story, Senator Obama said:

Well, not only in hindsight, but going forward. I think that, as Hillary said, our supporters, our staff, get overzealous. They start saying things that I would not say. And it is my responsibility to make sure that we're setting a clear tone in our campaign, and I take that responsibility very seriously, which is why I spoke yesterday and sent a message in case people were not clear that what we want to do is make sure that we focus on the issues."

We agreed then. We agree today. Supporters from both campaigns will get overzealous. Senator Clinton today reiterated that when asked about Geraldine Ferraro's recent comments:

"I do not agree with that and you know it's regrettable that any of our supporters on both sides say things that veer off into the personal. We ought to keep this focused on the issues. That's what this campaign should be about."

Senator Obama's campaign staff seems to have forgotten his pledge. We have not. And, we reject these false, personal and politically calculated attacks on the eve of a primary. This campaign should be about the leadership we need for a better future and these attacks serve only to divide the Democratic Party and the American people.

UPDATE: The Ferraro story has continued on the morning news shows. Ferraro has said she is "absolutely not" sorry for her comments:

"I am sorry that people think this was a racist comment," Ferraro said in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America."

She continued:

"David Axelrod, his campaign manager, has chose to spin this as a racist comment because everytime anybody makes a comment about race who is white _ he did it with Bill Clinton, he was successful; he did it with (Pennsylvania governor and Clinton supporter) Ed Rendell, he was less successful; and he is certainly not going to be successful with me," Ferraro told CBS' "The Early Show." "He should have called me up ... He knows I'm not racist."

Obama referred to Ferraro's comments as "slice and dice politics" on the Today Show:

"Part of what I think Geraldine Ferraro is doing, and I respect the fact that she was a trailblazer, is to participate in the kind of slice and dice politics that's about race and about gender and about this and that, and that's what Americans are tired of because they recognize that when we divide ourselves in that way we can't solve problems," Obama said on NBC's "Today" show.

Comments

[MRb1000]

ONE WORD OBAMA OFFERS!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!! WE AS AMERICANS ALWAYS HOPED, WILL NOT AND CANNOT STOP HOPING FOR A WONDERFUL WORLD!!!!!!!!! OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ASK THE MAN ON THE BATTLE FEILD. THE ONLY THING HE HAS IS HOPE.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU AMERICA!!!­!!!!!!!!!!

[KQuark]

Please any Hillaryite give me one reason that Obama's race helped him win 14 states that were predominantly white?

Hillary has only won 14 states total. Face it Obama put together an excellent campaign team, had a superior campaign strategy, has a great message that inspires people and is a gifted campaigner. On the other hand Hillary put together a campaign team that is still stabbing each other in the back, ran a terriblly nearsighted campaign. had a new slogan every weak and most importantly has a candidate that fails to connect with the voters. Hillary had all the advantages going into election and it was a combination of her blowing it and Obama running a great campaign. Obama had to come from behind in almost every poll. The fact is that Obama earned every vote cast for him. To say he got where he is today because of his race is pure delusion.

[Silpat]

Undoubtedly, Hillary lost the black vote in SC, specifically after Bill Clinton made reference to Jesse Jackson. But even so, she only lost their votes temporarily because had she captured the nomination fair and square, blacks would have rallied around her in the General election. At this point, and if by some miracle she becomes the nominee, blacks would vote for SpongeBob over her.

[Beowoof]

It's too bad this campaign has turned Hillary into a monster. Many people who know her very well like her a lot. When she started to lose, her team realized that since she was already a household name, the only comeback was to devour her opponent. She's still trying to swallow him but he doesn't go down that easy.

[blackrome]

Is it only a matter of time before Hillary loses it and destroys her career.

She really believes it's her turn.

She is a Republican after all.

[Silpat]

Well, thank God this woman didn't become Vice-President because if she, of all people, is too dumb to know how to make a simple yet congenial statement about a historical Presidential campaign then surely she was too dumb to have served as VIce-President.

How hard would it have been for Ferraro to say, I admire both Sen. Clinton and Obama and I am proud of the historical strides that the Democratic Party and the Nation have made since my own historical run decades ago? Enough already about this bitter, racist, old woman -- she is just as irrelevant now as she was in the 80's.

[Rumplestiltskin]

is this all a hoot or what? The left is so caught up in identity politics they eat their own. As a libertarian I propose a pox on all big government, government intrusive, income stealing, politicicians, regardless of their sex, color, or party affiliation. A vote for Hillary, Obama, or McCain is a vote for more 1984 big government. If you think Bush is spying now, you aren't aware of what has been going on in the past. The IRS routinely spies more on citizens than anything Georgie has done recently.

[Rocky4356]

Let McCain pick Powell for his Vp and watch blacks go back to the party of Lincoln. I really doubt if the clintons know they are about to live in infamy as the couple the destroyed the dem party for a generation. Geraldine could always point to the statue of Barck she has on the front holding a lamp as her credentials of being a liberal.

[nohobear]

There's little I can add to what has already been said on this thread. Both Geraldine and Billary are despicable for injecting race into the campaign. Curiously, where my anger should be focused on the Republicans and McCain, for what they have done to our beloved country, it has been redirected to the wicked witch of the east.

Stepping back from my strong feelings of anger and revulsion, it is a brilliant chess game being played by the Clintons. By any measure, delegate count, polls, actual wins, any other democratic politician would have graciously conceded by now. Not Hillary. Why hasn't Hill? It occurs to me that her goal (being president at all costs) hasn't changed, only the timetable. For her, it started out, but is no longer about this election, but 2012.

She must know that after this campaign, she has lost the vote of a large number of democrats, who will not vote for her as the lesser of two evils. She can also pretty much kiss the youth vote, progressives, and African American vote goodbye. Add to that the huge turnout of Republicans who will be energized to defeat her. She can not win in a general election against McCain. We can all guess what a clusterfuck of disasters a McCain presidency will precipitate. Presto, Hillary re-emerges in 2012 as saviour (assuming at that point there is a country left to save), ready to lead the country out of the wreckage left behind by the Bush and McCain presidencies.

How else to explain this scorched earth policy (other than she's insane). She knows she can't win now in 2008. The tradeoff is to prevent another democrat from winning and throwing the election to the Republicans, in the hope that American's short term memory will put the sleaze campaign of 2008 out of mind and memory, and embrace her as the leader to turn the nation around. It's brilliant. In her mind, she still gets the presidency. The only tradeoff is that she has to wait 4 more years.

Then again, she could just be insane for power at any cost to the democratic party and to the country. Either way, she is truly frightening. One might almost say- a monster.

[ScandalousCandice]

Olbermanns comments about Geraldine Ferraro= OWNED!!!

[time2impeach]

BTW -- Let's clear something up on the "Ad Hominem" attack BS.

An Ad hominem, as most of you know, is "against the man." It is a term that defines a logical fallicy wherein the argument attacks the person rather than the premise.

Ms. Powers used an appropriate description for HRC -- Monster. Ms. Powers was describing HRC's conduct in Texas and Ohio, which was monsterous, meaning that her conduct was deviant, destructive and self-serving. In this case, it is not "Ad Hominem," it is descriptively accurate.

Please, stop trying to compare Power's correct analysis of Clinton's conduct (monsterous) to Ferraro's incorrect analysis of Obama's appeal (blackness­.)

Obama is in the lead because he offfers hope, insipration and a real change from the last twenty years, not becuase he is black.

Ferraro offered the true Ad Hominem, and a racist one to boot, that Obama's message is invalid not because of what he offers, but because of what he is.

[anons]

Great point!

Honestly though, I'm a black male and I do believe there is truth to what Ferrarro says. The problem with her statement, and part of the reason i do support Obama, is THOUGHTFULNESS.

One thing i see in Obama and his aides is an intellectual drive that is so sorely needed in American politics. The ability to not only recognize but articulate the complexity of situations, and demand that the American people do the same. Hillary and her surrogates on the other hand have chosen to appeal to the basest, least reflective instincts of the American people. Ferrarro statements were reflective of that tone.

[PlantGod72]

EXCELLENT response! Thanks for that thoughtful, intelligent analysis of this mess and its continuing ripples. I only wish the news media were as clear and honest in describing the truth in all this.

[cindyw]

I'm an Obama supporter, and I wish for the sake of the party that Clinton would concede and let him focus on McCain, but I might take issue with your statement that calling Senator Clinton a monster is not an ad hominem attack. To say that her conduct is monstrous certainly sounds like an attack on her person. It may be accurate, but how is it not personal? Ferraro's remarks about Obama are more of an attack on the judgment of those of us who support him than a personal attack on him.

[Dendy]

he offers nothing of the sort.

[mcfried]

How much research have you done ? At least make an thoughtful argument.

[Shake-A-Spear]

Was her conduct "monsterous" or "monstrous" or "monster-ish"? And what does any one of them really mean as applied to Hillary's behavior?

[Revrob56]

SUPER DELEGATES!!! VOTE OBAMA AND END IT NOW!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!

[GnitenGoodLk]

Maybe it's a good thing she stepped down from the finance committee.­..it appears some "financing irregularities" are starting to pop up with some individual donors.

http://bluejersey.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=9813449AE0DED021B8BD56515A85568C?diaryId=7104

Has the Kathy Callahan story been picked up by MSM yet?

[elkabong]

The powers that be (powers that be robin' us blind, more like it), Gerry being one of 'em, are thrilled to have everyone all stirred up over race and gender.

Know why? So no one will talk about class.

Shiny objects; shiny, shiny objects.

[time2impeach]

I voted for HRC twice in her bids for Senator from New York. I voted for Obama in the NY Primary, but felt that if HRC won the nomination, I would support her.

After her duplicitous attacks regarding NAFTA in Ohio, the 3 AM call ad in Texas, and this week's performance pertaining to Ms. Ferraro, I have concluded that I will never vote for HRC. If she secures the nomination, it will only be through manipulation of the Super-Delegates, and will subvert the will of the voters and their pledged-delegates.

Her current conduct is fracturing the Democratic party, and her apparent determination to secure the nomination by whatever means necessary will only succeed in driving the Democratic party assunder beyond that which it was the late 60's and early 70's. I know for a fact she will drive me out of it.

I can only hope that if HRC secures the Democratic nomination, the Hon. Michael Bloomberg will step up and offer an acceptable alternative.