Bill Clinton: Obama "Played The Race Card On Me"... Listen To Audio

Scroll down for Barack Obama's response to Bill Clinton's "race card" comments:

In a radio interview posted Monday, Bill Clinton claimed that Barack Obama's campaign has "played the race card on me." (Scroll down for audio). According to ABC News, Clinton was

"talking to station WHYY about the fallout over his comparison of Obama's South Carolina primary victory with the support of black Democrats to Jesse Jackson's primary wins. Those comments were portrayed by critics as an attempt to highlight Obama's race."

Clinton told the interviewer that "you have to really go some to play the race card on me." Clinton then lists the reasons why no one should portray him as a racist. He includes the fact that he has an "office in Harlem, and Harlem voted for Hillary, by the way." He goes on to say, "I have 1.4 Million people around the world, mostly people of color... on the world's least expensive AIDS drugs...."

At the very end of the interview, when Bill thinks he is no longer on the line, you can hear him saying, "I don't think I should take any shit from anybody on that, do you?"

Listen to the interview below:

Update: Obama was asked about Clinton's comments on WHYY today:

The Politico has the full exchange:

"Hold on a second, so former president Clinton dismissed my victory in South Carolina as being similar to Jesse Jackson and he's suggesting that somehow I had something to do with it? Ok, well then you better ask him about it," Obama said.

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He was asked if, as Clinton said, his campaign had a secret plan to use race.

"Was there something that we had a plan to get him to say that my campaign was like Jesse Jackson's? I don't know what he is referring to unfortunately," he said, laughing.

Update: Questioned about the comments later in the day, Bill Clinton denied making them, and castigated the media for making hay over the issue. "I'm not going to play your games," he said. Full transcript below.

NBC/NJ: "Sir, what did you mean yesterday when you said that the Obama campaign was playing the race card on you?"

CLINTON: "When did I say that, and to whom did I say that?"

NBC/NJ: "On WHYY radio yesterday"

CLINTON: "No, no, no. That's not what I said. You always follow me around and play these little games, and I'm not going to play your games today. This is a day about election day. Go back and see what the question was, and what my answer was. You have mischaracterized it to get another cheap story to divert the American people from the real urgent issues before us, and I choose not to play your game today. Have a nice day."

NBC/NJ: "Respectfully sir, though, you did say ..."

CLINTON: "Have a nice day." [continues shaking hands with supporters]. I said what I said, you can go and look at the interview. And if you'll be real honest, you'll also report what the question was and what the answer was."

NBC/NJ: "They asked you if you regretted your comparing Jesse Jackson to Barack Obama on the day after the South Carolina primary."

CLINTON: "And I pointed out that I did not do that, and that I complimented them both. And that Jesse Jackson took no offense. And I called him myself, I said, 'Did you find that offensive?' And he said no.

Comments

[YWCYWC]

Hillary and Bill are like the 2 bullies you remember from your school days. They tease and taunt and then when the teacher shows up they whine and point a finger at the least likely perpetrator.

Here is Hillary's idea of free speech and a clue as to what her idea of a White House press conference might look like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fr1dm2Qdls&NR=1

[butchie65]

YWCYWC That's exactly what they act like.

[splittingred]

Bill's just bitter about elitist voters involved in a vast right-wing "gate-gate" conspiracy.

[beachwood]

I think the Clinton's are entitled to the Presidency for life because they have been victimized by the entire world. After Hillary's two terms are finished, she should be given the option of presiding for another term because she's female. T

Then, after Hillary is done, Chelsea should be given the throne, er, I mean the Presidency because she's female and a Clinton as well. We all know that Chelsea had a rough upbringing and has been victimized and slandered by the entire world. And besides, it would be her turn wouldn't it? Being in the White House since she was a kid, she would be the most qualified person in the history of the world to ever run for President.

What do you think people? Yes she can!!

And if you think this is a bad idea, then you're obviously part of either the MSM, the vast right-wing conspiracy or sexist.

[filo]

I can see it now Chelsea running against Jenna Bush. C'mon lets keep these dynasties going,

[pithymaxim]

and the alleged illegitimate Clinton heirs?

[gotalife]

Um, where is the memo he is talking about?.

Post the memo.

[barackaide]

there ain't no memo, tough guy. just cause he says it don't mean its true. ESPECIALLY cause he says it.

[repent1]

Bill knows about the race card and has tried to divide the races since the election started. Look at what he said

"The reason (George H. W. Bush's tactic) works so well now is that you have all these economically insecure white people who are scared to death," Clinton was quoted saying by the Los Angeles Times in September 1991.

"You know, he [Bush] wants to divide us over race. I'm from the South. I understand this. This quota deal they're gonna pull in the next election is the same old scam they've been pulling on us for decade after decade after decade. When their economic policies fail, when the country's coming apart rather than coming together, what do they do? They find the most economically insecure white men and scare the living daylights out of them. They know if they can keep us looking at each other across a racial divide, if I can look at Bobby Rush and think, Bobby wants my job, my promotion, then neither of us can look at George Bush and say, 'What happened to everybody's job? What happened to everybody's income? What ... have ... you ... done ... to ... our ... country?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/13/bill-clinton-flashback-al_n_96433.html

[gotalife]

Clinton stays in PA and Obama moves on to Indiana.

Should be another great victory speech as Obama stays off message going negative proving his whole message is bs.

He can’t seal the deal proving he can go negative like Rove, outspend 5 to 1 and still lose.

Clinton is the best choice this cycle.

[SheTiffanyHussein]

OK so why did Bill lie? He said Obama played the race card on him and then said he did not say that. Dude lies entirely too much.

I see why he was indicted for perjury lost his law license. He can't stop lying.

Pathetic.

[filo]

He can't even keep his lies straight.

[KDH]

Bill did not lie. If you read the entire article you will see that he caught the NBC/NJ interviewer exaggerating and stretching the truth. Most Obama supporters are stuck in a rut of Clinton hatred because you can't tolerate the fact that your support is for a seriously flawed, rookie wanna be, who has you brain washed so much you can't see the forest from the trees. You eat up and believe everything negative reported by the MSM about the Clinton's, without researching both sides, and checking multiple MSM outlets for accuracy. For example, Bill was not indicted for perjury, as you have erroniously stated. Check it out. Hating the opposition with a blind vengeance, is not support for your candidate. It's zealous obsession.

[kevenseven]

He did not outspend her anything like 5 to 1.

You want to keep reminding us that Clinton has tapped all her supporters and there is no more money coming in while Obama continues to build enthusiasm and the mone pours in?

That's a good narrative. Not as good as inevitable, but you should run with it.

Defeat must really sting, eh?

[barackaide]

I know, hu? like she WOULDN'T have spent if she'd HAD any money to spend. she's just damned lucky she had that rusty old bill clinton machine to fire up still there from the good 'ol days.

[ByeObama]

BOTTOM LINE THE TWO BIGGEST CONCERNS OF AMERICA : WAR AND ECONOMICS.­... AND THE CLINTONS HOLD THE LONGEST PEACE KEEPING TIME OF ANY PRESIDENCY AND THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC GROWTH OF ANY PRESIDENCY >>THIS IS A NO BRAINER...­..... BILL IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS PREXISTING GOOD RELATIONS around the world with leaders that now hate America..W­E NEED BILL TO MEND FENCES>>CAN"T AFFORD MORE WARS!! DRAFT??? OBAMA HAS ONE BAD ASSOCIATION AFTER ANOTHER ..EVERYWEE­K HE GETS UNRAVELED TO SEE HIS TRUE COLORS??? See his 50 lies Political Forum.com ELections and Campaigns by Latisha..H­ILLARY knows the facts and solutions.­..and Obama speeches filled with negative criticize for Hillary and rhetoric..­!!!! NO OBAMA ! NO OBAMA ! THIS IS THE LAST THING THIS COUNTRY NEEDS HE IS A SCARY FELLOW!!!!!!!!!!!! HILLARY 2008!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!

[drzoon]

STOP STOP STOP.....

which one was the president? and which one is running for president now?

[SharonB]

Hmmm.... something is telling me that you are not really pro-Clinton at all...

Wonder what it could be...???

Maybe the fact that you are SCREAMING while defending her??????????????

[Luigi53102]

This one seems to be posted in several comments sections. Based on the impeccable grammar and stuck cap key, I would guess that John McCain has recruited a call center in India to fill up the blogosphere with this crap.

[whiteboyblues]

Have you taken your medication today?

[AjicNYC]

The Silence of the BLACK COMMUNITY in regards to Bill's Defense on this issue is frightening and SAD!!

The Silencing of the voices that dont follow Obama is real problem in this country!!!!

Werent we upset on how soft the press was on bush???? butnow that they are not reporting the facts on Obama we think its ok????

Alot of things are going wrong here!! This will hurt us in the end

[SheTiffanyHussein]

That's right we are silent. Apparently Jesse Jackson is still his friend and so is Tavis Smiley.

[ICUP]

Clarence Thomas and Condi Rice have been silent about Bush's anti-minority agenda. Does that mean the black community supports Bush as well?

[Nommo]

And what, exactly, is defensible here? You did not offer any defense, only some vague claim that the Black community is silent. Who listens, anyway, to the Black community?

[fayted]

the black community already gave there response, there backing OBAMA, and that thanks to bull clinton, oh youth voters, independant voters, sick and tired like myself of the bush "administration" voters, we to given our response, now if you want to be stuck in the pile of shit we are now you're most welcome, other wise, wiseup, get in the train thats going strait to the white house.

[ddlrid]

I'm black, so let me tell you how I feel about Bill's 'defense'.­..IT'S BULLS**T!! It's ignorant and insulting Bill-crap. And I'll tell you something else: I have friends who are also black, some of whom are supporters of Hillary, who also find Bill's comments throughout the campaign contemptible and dismissive of us. My Hillary-supporting friends tend to think that he may have early onset Alzeihmer's or something---I'm not so generous. I think that this good 'ole boy, who I twice supported, is starting to let his real self show. He needs to get lost.

So, my voice isn't silent. And if you are worried about why more of us are not as vocal in support of Bill's ignorant self, perhaps it's because what he is doing and saying is indefensible. At least he has YOU speaking up for him, so all is not lost for him.

[AnnieinOR]

feigning emotion? You don't care about anyone except Hill and she isn't going anywhere-

Go and watch Chuck Todd - or go to the MSNBC site and figure out how the hell she intends to pull this off, instead of wasting our time with your BS

As if you care one iota about black people you, 29 year old straddling the old and new woman for Hillary - you are by far, coming close to taking over AnninCA slot on HuffPo as being a BS artist just to promote your carpetbagger candidate that lies on cue.

[vincealy]

The guy that portrayed Clinton made more sense. How could I ever have been fooled by this serial pinnochio.

[apoyo]

And people want this man loose in the white house with nothing to do?

[jeffp26]

I certainly believe Bill Clinton. The whole family is known for telling the truth, or their version of it. While it sounds like Bill said "they played the race card," what he actually said was "They played their ace card."

SHAME ON BOTH OF THE CLINTONS, LYING LOWLIFE POLITICIANS

[S1m0n]

Did his face get red and was he wagging his finger at the time?

[DiogenesII]

The unrepetant finger is his "tell" Trying to draw on an inside straight id futile and "Jokers"
are no longer wild .

[BBackSoon]

Reminds you of the Bush head bob.

[iPolitics]

Bill was impeached and disbarred for lying under oath.

[pakean3]

What did he lie about? Having oral sex with a mistress? Bush lied about Iraq. Bush lied about WMD's and so did so many others in his cabinet. Why aren't these people being impeached??? This country owes Bill Clinton for what we allowed the Republicans to put him through.

[SheTiffanyHussein]

A ham sandwich.

[MPeter]

Bill is a fat, old racebaiter who, with his corrupt, slippery wife will do anything for power. Their campaign is belly-up, out of money and off message, promoting Repugs. Why would anyone still be writing checks to them? They have lost the campaign and their minds too. Send them back to Chappaqua. The party is over, it is time for us to begin mopping up and dealing with the old Rethug, MCcBush.

[GeoNorth]

Can anything be as absurd as Bill Clinton claiming to be blacker than Obama? Discussions about race are certainly going to come up in Obama's campaign because we made it that way over 300 years ago when we brought slaves into this country. Once the question was settled with the Civil War, we dragged it on for another 100 years through systematic racism.

Knock it off, Bill. The discussion was going just fine until you played the race card in SC.