Ferraro Walks Back Obama 'No Vote' Comment, But Hits 'Sexist' Jay-Z Reference (VIDEO)

This morning, Clinton backer Geraldine Ferraro appeared on NBC's Today, where she elaborated at length about the sexism in the race. Mainly citing the way her fellow Democratic candidates ganged up on Hillary Clinton at the famed "pile on" debate in Philadelphia, she was pressed by host Meredith Vieira to account for her statement that she would not vote for Barack Obama. Ferraro didn't hew to any commitment to not vote for the Illinois Senator: "That is not what I said...I'm taking my cue from Michelle Obama, who in February this year when she was asked whether or not she would support Hillary if she was the candidate and not her husband, she paused for a minute and said i would have to think about that."

Asked to cite specific examples of Obama's sexism, Ferraro mentioned the Senator's "Annie Oakley" remark, and then seemed to confuse Obama's use of a gesture referencing hip-hop star Jay-Z's song "Dirt Off Your Shoulder." But in that song, Jay espouses a certain level of gender equity, specifically noting that "Ladies is pimps, too, go and brush your shoulders off." Had Obama cited "99 Problems," of course, he would have opened himself up to criticism from Ferraro, though, in Jay's defense, "99 Problems" specifically references a time back in '94 when his trunk was raw, and in the rearview was constantly the mother----ing law.

[WATCH.]

VIEIRA: Well, you've accused Obama of being "terribly sexist." You say you may not vote for him if he is the nominee. What specifically has he done?

FERRARO: I will tell you several things, but that is not what I said. What I said is what was quoted in the dail news today, which was - I'm taking my cue from Michelle Obama, who in February this year when she was asked whether or not she would support Hillary if she was the candidate and not her husband, Michelle paused for a minute and said I would have to think about that. Now, to be quite frank, Meredith, if I've gone through a series of months watching this, and if I chose Hillary as my candidate in June of last year, July against other people that I thought were equally as competent, mainly Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson and John Edwards, if I chose her because she could run the country in any way the same as they could and then, gee, isn't that terrific that she's a woman, too, and she'll make a difference for women and children in this country, that's not a sexist way of approaching this campaign. How could I, after watching what was done all this time, as soon as he becomes the nominee, oh, yeah, I'm with him. I have complained about how this campaign was run and I don't want to see another woman get attacked the same way when she decides to do it as well.

...Let me just give you specifics. Women are looking at how this has gone on. He just -- after one of the -- she mentioned after Philadelphia -- before Philadelphia, she had gone out and learned to shoot a gun. He ridiculed her, who does she think -- like stand-up comedian, walking up and down with the mike - who does she think she is, Annie Oakley? And when something else was said about the campaign, this thing, flicking it off, diminishing her. Sorry. That's not done. Women don't like that.

Comments

[CTariannaFan]

Just wondering why the "One State Wonder" is giving anyone advice on who is most capable of winning the election. How many electoral votes did you and Walt get back in 1984, Gerry? 13?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election%2C_1984

Wow. Losers sure do stick together.

[CTariannaFan]

So long, Geraldine. Take Lieberman, Lanny Davis, Terry McAuliffe and the rest of your GOP-easing buddies with you when you go. Thanks!

[SEQUOIABISON]

Thank goodness they lost, can you imagine Ferraro as ambassador to Kenya under a Hillary administration?

[filo]

This isn't about Obama,sexism, Jay Z, Michelle, Hillary or Annie Oakley.


It's about one thing-Geraldine Ferraro.

She hasn't been heard from in years and after the election she will go back to being obscure.

[tsipos]

It's really sad. She's starting to appear to be the crazy old aunt in the same way that John McCain sometimes appears like the crazy old uncle. She needs to go away. She'd be doing Hillary and the rest of the country a favor.

[POETWAR11]

AS A RACIALLY MIXED BLACK MAN WHO FOUGHT FOR WOMENS' STUDIES DEPARTMENT ON MY UNIVERSITY CAMPUS THIRY YEARS AGO, I AM DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE ACTIONS AND WORDS OF CLINTON AND FERRARO. THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER EITHER WOMAN IS RACIST. THE ISSUE IS ABOUT RACIALISM. FERRAROS' STATEMENTS IN MARCH WERE DESIGNED TO SEND A SPECIFIC MESSAGE...OBAMA IS THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CANDIDATE, KNOWING THAT PORTRAYING HIM IN THAT MANNER WOULD TOUCH A NERVE.....IT DID. HER COMMENTS RECENTLY ABOUT OBAMA BEING SEXIST ARE BEYOND THE LUDICROUS TO THE SUBLIME. HER STUMBLING BUMBLING RANTS ARE AN EMBARRASMENT FOR THE WOMAN WHO ACTUALLY OPENED THE DOOR FOR HILLARY. HILLARY, MY INITIAL CHOICE FOR THE NOMINATION APPEARS TO HAVE QUITE LITERALLY LOST IT...HER CURRENT ARGUMENT APPEARS TO SAY "NOMINATE ME I CAN DELIVER THE WHITE RACIST VOTE" HER REFUSAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER MISTAKE ON THE WAR, ON DESIGNATING QUDS FORCES AS TERRORISTS, ON THE BANKRUPTCY BILLS PAINTS HER AS BUSHLIKE IN HER REFUSAL TO ADMIT SHE COULD BE WRONG.....HER CONTINUING ARROGANCE IS VERY BUSHLIKE....THE INEVITABLE CANDIDATE COMMENT.....HER COMMENTS AND FERRAROS' WILL CERTAINLY BE USED BY THE REPUBLICANS IN THE GENERAL ELECTION....AND IT MAY SERVE TO DEFEAT AN OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL RUN......HERE IS THE RUB....THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL BE ABLE TO APPOINT AT LEAST 2 SUPREMES....IF ITS MCCAIN THE TIDE WOULD OVERTURN ROE V WADE....MEANING THAT 2 FEMINIST(CLINTON AND FERRARO) WILL HAVE SET BACK WOMENS' RIGHTS 50 YEARS OR MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jdrama]

That's fantastic. Turn the capslock off and maybe next time I'll actually read all of that.

[leftintheoven]

Give em' hell, Gerry. It's called testicular ignorance.

[Bedingo]

Geraldine Ferraro is beginning to resemble Barbara Walters. Both have passed their prime in thinking or looks, but are trying to hang on by being outrageous and revolting. Too bad that old age has not brought wisdom and contentment to either of them.

[OtayPanky]

Those Hillary supporters - Geraldine Ferraro and all the others - who help McCain either passively by not voting for Obama, or actively by voting for McCain - have a right to do whatever they want - even if their reasons are petty and venal (as Ferraro's surely are).

If this lack of support (even in the face of Hillary's request that they affirm the party's choice) costs Obama the election, these COATHANGER DEMOCRATS can buy all the coathangers they want for themselves, their wives, their girlfriends, and their daughters, after McCain's Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade.

[eastutican]

This year there are at least two types of Democrat defectors: Coathanger Democrats and Wallace Democrats. The former are nominally feminist but do the Ferraro Whine. The latter are just plain racist bigots and jingoists, a la the 2000 VP nominee, Joe Lieberman who appears in public now as McCain's attendant.

You wanna speak up for Ferraro ?? Riddle me how she is a feminist when she questions why she was the VP nominee in 1984.

You wanna say you are going to vote for McCain unless Hillary is the Dems nominee ? Riddle me how you vote for an anti-abortion, pro-war homophobe.

Obama has run a brilliant and civilized campaign. He is a phenom, pure and simple. I havent seen someone like him in Dem politics since 1968 before RFK was martyred. To all those who are just fine with their gal throwing the kitchen sink and playing the race card during the entire campaign, I have one word: goodbye.

[jackathol]

The term coathanger democrats is a tad crass but it is unfortunately very accurate. Geraldine &Co. need to get a grip on the reality of our times.

[auntiecairo]

I really wish someone would ask Ferraro to cite what significant contributions she has made to help women in the last 20 years? Being a candidate was noteworthy but what did it change? Or for that matter legislation directly helping women that Clinton has pushed through? (Besides child healthcare which got through much in part because of Ted Kennedy) - Clinton has done good work but haven't seen her being an outspoken feminist the last 7 years in the Senate - instead she's attended conservative prayer breakfasts, voted for the war and tried to appear mainstream probably in anticipation for her campaign. Which is fair - but makes it appear the Clinton campaign is using sexism as a political ploy rather than truly addressing it - otherwise why doesn't she make a speech about it like Obama did about race? Does anyone believe Ferraro knows anything about hip hop? Obviously she's being used to go on the attack since she's no longer associated with the campaign. In the process she's giving progressive woman's politics a bad name by appearing bitter and out of touch (and also racist). She thinks comments on Hillary's appearance are sexist - yet continues to talk about how good looking Obama is - Hillary would be well served to shut up the big mounths in he campaign and speak for herself. .

[Denni]

It's NO accident that she's out there again. She and Clinton are both screaming foul, SEXISM, because Clinton LOST fair and square. Ferraro's additional edge is to draw the racial distinctions and bait the public with it to rally Clinton's 'base'. Lovely. The Superdelegates had better develop backbones, or they'll be losing the party, soon, and the only loyal base they have.

[PoliticalEnnui]

The other night I watched "Jeopardy" with my wife. The contestants were two women and a man. The women were sharp and intelligent. The man was not particularly so. At one point my wife crowed, "The humiliation of this guy, losing to two women!" I turned to her and stated that this is Jeopardy; all the contestants are very intelligent. Why should it be a particularly humiliating experience to lose to a woman if your are a man? She clinged to her view that a guy must be humiliated if he is beaten by a woman.
You see, women *need* inequality; it makes the victories sweeter and the losses easy to dismiss. Victory is not an opportunity for magnanimity, rather a chance to taunt and gloat, "You got beat by a girl!" And defeat: it's because this sexist, patriarchal society is skewed against women! Far be it from any dedicated feminist to acknowledge that the race was close, but it's over and the only thing achieved by keeping the echo-chamber going is the poisoning of the well. At least when McCain gets elected, Nader will no longer be seen as the bane of the Democratic Party.

[fourex]

I don't read or listen to Geraldine Ferraro, dreadful bore. Just curious, did Geraldine comment on the McCain 'cun.. ' and 'bitc..' and 'Janet Reno...' comments. If not, she's pandering to Fox, or 'prostitut...' herself.

[ProfessorDuh]

Who has ever given a rat's ass about the repellent, corrupt harpy Geraldine Ferraro?

[MPeter]

Ferraro has been exposed for the hypocrite she is. She bitter, old and irrelevant to the political process. She is doing a lot of damage to the feminist movement and the Democratic Party. Obama has succeeded in pushing her and her ilk back and right now, nobody cares a rat's ass what she says or does. She is disgracing herself on the national stage.

[jupitor]

Mrs. Ferraro, I'm sure Mr. obama was real excited to be compared to his win in S. Carolina as winning because of the Black Vote like Jessie Jackson won his black vote states! I'm real sure he enjoyed it when Hillary said " She has experience, Mccain has experience, and all Obama got is a speech he made". This was a hard fought race! Remards of Black/Afri­can/Americ­an and racial remarks, as her campagne also helped Mccain and the Republicans, with one put down after another against Obama. So Any return mark he made was seen as being sexist. Yet they got away with going after him, as they themself said "With the Kitchen Sink". Geraldine Ferraro got caught in crap of her own makeing and now want to yell sexist!

[Myshkin57]

The Democratic party should have given her the Jay-Z brush off years ago.

[obamanation31]

Ms. Ferraro,
As a woman, I am deeply dissapointed in you. Why are you so angry? It's not about you. It's about our country.

[farseer]

There has been far more sexism on the Hillary side, in terms of the many voters who sided with Hillary just because she was a woman -- disregarding all of her serious faults as a candidate and as a person, her lies, etc.

And don't reply that 90% of the African-Americans sided with Obama and that that is racist. That argument doesn't hold, because A-A's have voted an average of 86.5% for the Democratic candidate for president for DECADES, in election after election, even though that candidate was white. They've just added 3.5% more for Obama.That is not racism.

--white male, age 55