Clinton: Obama Not Winning Over "Hard-Working Americans, White Americans"

USA Today notices that Sen. Hillary Clinton has begun referring explicitly to her appeal among white voters while on the campaign trail:

Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed Wednesday to continue her quest for the Democratic nomination, arguing she would be the stronger nominee because she appeals to a wider coalition of voters -- including whites who have not supported Barack Obama in recent contests.

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

This is the second time since Tuesday's primaries that the Clinton campaign has referred to the racial dimension of the voting electorate. Ben Smith reports from yesterday's conference call on the state of the race:

And Garin brags, specifically and explicitly, about her strength with the white vote, comparing North Carolina's white voters in North Carolina to those in Virginia. (The conversations have always been about these voters, but they're usually referred to as "blue collar" or by some less specifically racial euphemism.)

"We lost the white electorate in Virginia, started even in North Carolina among the white electorate just two weeks ago, and ended [with] a very significant win of 24 points among those voters," he said, acknowledging that among black voters, Clinton "did not do as well as we would want or need."

Comments

[Obamapalooza]

The 94 % white state of Minnesota went to Obama with ease.
We are some hard working white M'er F'ers up here and are Hillary Clinton makes me sick.

[RFBorjal]

84% white state of Indiana went to Obama 49.6% against Hillary's 50.4%, a difference of a mere 0.8%. If we discount Operation Chaos' effect, Obama would have won Indiana. And surely, Indianans are as hard-working as they come. I wonder where Hillary got her silly idea.

[CharlottesvilleVA]

Well, it's about time Hillary said something she actually believes. She and Bill were more than happy to work with and praise Black America until they found somebody they'd rather be aligned with, and the Clintons are PISSED! It's like they're saying "After all we've done for you..." All that's left is for Carville to call Black America the new Judas.

She's the next Lieberman. She needs to be brought down immediately once Obama has the nomination. No VP slot, no prime convention speaking slot, no Senate leader post. ANything else, and the party rewards her for her unconscionable behavior.

[ApolloniaCreed]

Hard working white Americans should be offended, that she think so little of them, that they would fall for such an insidious tactic. And every non-white American should be offended that she implied they are not hard working Americans. Should be a lose-lose situation for her... We'll see how the press frames it. Not that it will make a difference­... her approach is translucent to any thinking person.

[Hopeforward]

I AM offended because I am one of those hard working Americans.

[CocteausTwin]

I am white (not that it matter one iota) but I am offended. I am currently not hard working because I have worked much for the Fortune 100 and I cannot find someone worthy for whom to work.

[PFHarlock]

Some good news for this morning - It was just reported on local news in Portland, Or. that Congressman Peter DeFazio (a super delegate, of course) will endorse presumptive nominee Barack Obama today.

[SaddieMcCall]

This video taken at a recent Hillary fundraiser illustrates her compassion for people who have a different opinion than she has. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9xMfBFZgdI

[CocteausTwin]

Yeah way for her to stand up and address/defend an issue.

[newshawk14]

I'd like to reiterate a suggestion I made on another thread, until Huff Post comes up with an effective system to weed out trolls, I understand Daily Kos has done this, I think the best strategy is to utterly
ignore them. If I may use the Hindu phrase, simply regard them as "wind through a monkeys backside".
If everyone ignores them, I think they will find the territory hostile and go somewhere else to sow
dissent and discord. I actually find these trolls to be rather sad creatures, who are so desperate
for attention, that they even crave negative reaction. Give the idea some thought.

[CocteausTwin]

Pardon the repost...

I am soon to be minority, I am white. Not that I care about race or gender, it was how I was raised in North Carolina. This statement of hers made me hit the roof. I used not to understand how people held such disdain for her during her husband's administration. I didn't care one way or the other. Then she moved to NY to become a Senator. Then everything became much clearer.

I knew in 2003 she would attempt the run for POTUS in 2008. I could not figure out why the Dem party would choose someone so polarizing for any hope of a win this year. But at the beginning of the race I thought we, the Dems, could not lose and about any of the Dem candidates would make a fine POTUS. Obama was my choice, but I thought Hillary would be OK if my candidate did not win.

Then when she claimed she had 35 years experience, I had a mission. Obama was our only hope to move forward. To regain some actual values for the country. If their are Dems that still believe that what she has done this entire campaign has been fine, you do not represent what I believe it means to be a Democrat. If hers are the Democratic party's new ideals, I do not want to a member any longer. But I believe more that if hers are your ideals -- please leave our party.

[CocteausTwin]

New Yorkers please help Hillary's exit from Our Party. She is not even from your state!

[hhkeller]

Listen to yourself.. Your sounding like an idiot.

[CocteausTwin]

Do you mind pointing out how I sound like an idiot? Is the answer not on your talking points list? Come on Helen you can answer my inquiry. I will gladly defend what I have said.

[CocteausTwin]

I didn't think you would defend yourself Ms. Helen Keller

[vsign]

Hillary has had to fight for every vote she has gotten and she can win the General because of her broad base of support.

Obama has only had to play the race card and fool the pacifists that he can make us liked in the world again. Won't happen but he organized the churches ahead of time. They voted for a messiah. Then he organized the young and fooled them into thinking he would do things differently than "Washington" and it was all right to hate the Clintons and older people. How foolish for anyone to buy into that tactic but the young are the young. Then he scammed the caucuses in the red states. Once he got the win in Iowa, he was able to fool black people into thinking he was a winner by getting white people to vote for him.

Obama is a poker player. He has nothing to bring to the table except inexperience and a poker face.

I consider Obama dangerous because of his inexperience and the means he has used to take over the Democratic Party. Playing the race card is dangerous and Obama did it from the very beginning. As black liberation theology preaches - utilize the guilt of white people for their own destruction. Wake up white people!

[ApolloniaCreed]

Wake up "white people"...­. lol. You can't be serious. This is satire, no?

[benwha]

For the record I am a mid thirties so no longer "young" and white from a "hard working" low to middle class family and I voted for Obama.

So according to vsign, Barack's coaliation is:

1. Stupid kids - a vast majority of the ones I know can explain the difference between the Shia and Sunni. I wonder if HRC's supporters can?

2. African Americans

3. Benwha - the only non young white guy who fell for Barack's magicianship I guess :)

[Thereandback]

Hillary is not going to get the nomination and her continued use of racism and smear tactics to damage the Democratic candidate Obama is dangerous to one of the hallmark issues of feminism -- the right to choose. All her supporters who want to continue to bash Obama to damage him in the general election and want to refuse to vote for Obama against McCain should take a look at the Supreme Court and the age of certain of its members. Roe v Wade will almost certainly be overturned with the appointments McCain will make to the Supreme Court.

So I guess the question is: is having this particular female candidate fight tooth and nail through to the convention worth sending thousands of women back to back-alley abortions to you?

[CocteausTwin]

Racist republican you are. Thats is all you get.

[aby1963]

I'm a french and very interested in this campaign. I liked Hillary before but Not any longer. Can't tell you how appalled I am to see that a democrat could use such an argument to win the nomination. Shameful..­. That's not the America we admire from abroad;

[halyscomet]

Well said, friend, well said...

[CocteausTwin]

Thanks for caring Aby - it means very much!

[becky]

You have been sucked into the spin my friend. Sorry to see you are so misinformed.

[Veman]

In how many of the states Obama has won, thus far, do AAs represent a numerical majority of the electorate - exactly? Moreover, what percentage of newly registered democrats has Clinton carried? Finally, I would rather lose the general with a principled candidate and let McCain try to clean up his buddy's messes with more failed policies than to see the likes of the Clitnon's in power - yet again.

[halyscomet]

Fortunately, the choices are between Obama and McCain. Clinton DOES need to discontinue her race-bating and support Obama.

Who here DOESN'T believe that were the current circumstances were reversed, Obama would have IMMEDIATELY been forced out of the race last week?

[halyscomet]

The following is the email I sent to the Morning Joe show this morning:

Mika/Tiki/David,

As an Objective Observer and Ordinary Voter, but one who has followed the Democratic Primary Race extremely closely, I can tell you with a certainty that the effect Hillary Clinton is having on the Democratic Party at THIS point is decidedly dispositive. My circle of friends is as diverse as can be found: Black, White, Hispanic, virtually even by gender, crosses economic lines, and our thoughts are unified: Hillary Clinton HAS used the Nuclear Option as evidenced by her statements to USAToday yesterday. We were appalled at the statement as well as the lack of concern the Clintons have with regard to the damage is being done to Senator Obama. Her Motives ARE transparent!

The Super Delegates had better accelerate their actions if they have any hope of defeating John McCain and avoiding what many believe be another Bush term.

Halyscomet of Texas

[becky]

And this is the email I sent to Morning Joe this morning:

Hi Mika and David,
Well, I get the threat. If Hillary supporters don't support Barack Obama in November you will see to it that she is ruined. That threat might work if you hadn't spent the entire campaign trying to ruin her anyway. I get it now. If Barack Obama loses in November, most of the pundits are going to blame Hillary no matter what. I can't wait to see how you blame Hillary for Barack losing the senior vote after saying that John McCain is losing his bearings. What a sad day in America when people like you have so much influence over our elections.

[Rose52]

Becky,
I believe you're seeing things backwards. If Hillary is perceived as behaving badly in this campaign it's because of the things she has said. Nobody has spent this entire campaign trying to ruin HRC. If she's ruined, it's her own doing.

Interesting also that you sent an e-mail today when Joe (I love Hillary) wasn't there.

If you care about the issues, you might educate yourself a bit about Obama. There's more at stake here than your hurt feelings. You need to get over it. It's not like she was your best friend and this shouldn't be so personal to you.
Obama 08

[Genisa]

On Morning Joe, Mike Barnacle is saying that Hillary must have been tired and that she really didn't mean to say "white americans".

Are you serious! I listened to her. She was very careful in the the words she used, uming and ahhing, "working", let me be clear "hard working americans, white americans.­"

The Clintons are not new to this, they know exactly what they are doing.
I think it is safe to say at this point, that although appalled, we should not be surprised by Hillary.

This is really a gut check for America. Can enough of us, as a country, as Americans, put our racial, cultural, gender etc. differences aside and do what's in the best interest of America. The choice couldn't be more clear.

[jeter2]

Clinton is winning the larger % of Whites.

Obama is winning the larger % of Blacks.

These are facts.

But when uttered aloud are politically inncorrect I guess. Or racist or whatever..­.

You Dems crack me up ;-)

[PFHarlock]

What a simple world you seem to live in. Reality isn't so simple, though. It requires more effort, but I'll stay with reality.

[jeter2]

I gave you facts. Facts that are a reality. Too simple? How? What effort would you suggest?

Spin? Lies? Denial?

Can you deny the facts? Or does it make you cringe if someone speaks them aloud? If so, why?

I think you're the one that lives in a simple world & needs a reality check.

[vsign]

Obama and his supporters want censorship. White people will not even be able to refer to themselves as white I guess. It stirs up the blacks too much for whites to refer to their own existence.

[ApolloniaCreed]

My first inclination is not to feed the troll... but... in any case, I ssure you African Americans aren't the only ones offended by her tactics. She can say what she likes, she has that right as an American, but she must also pe prepared for the fallout.

[benwha]

Am I allowed to be white and offended by those comments? I hope so because I am.

[becky]

Yeah, I agree vsign & jeter2, Heaven forbid we call ourselves white and offend black America. I don't know about you, but I support Hillary Clinton because she is the strongest, smartest candidate. Not because she is white. Hillary was quoting an AP report. It is the press that is trying to turn this into a racial election. Of course, with the black community expressing outrage every time the word black or white is uttered, they are making the media's attempt to racially divide this country quite successful.

[ankjack]

Hard-working Americans . . . white . . . Americans

“There seems to be a pattern emerging here,” the New York Senator said

Yes; a pattern is definitely emerging.

I left my bed in the middle of the night because these words by Senator Clinton and her surrogates have sickened me to the point where I find it impossible to sleep. In her desperation to somehow wrest the Democratic Presidential nomination from Senator Obama, Clinton has chosen the lowest road possible, not only overtly peddling bigotry, but insulting the intelligence and decency of the very “hard –working, white Americans she hopes are small-minded enough to fall for such drivel.

That Mrs. Clinton could conceive of such a plan for becoming this nation’s leader – a nation that has struggled for most of the last century to ensure the equal rights of our citizens – evidences not only bigotry, but another flaw that exempts her from consideration: Senator Clinton cannot lead. I say this because, when called on to lead, she would be expected to show strength. And she hasn’t the strength to lift us as a nation – by rhetoric or by example.