Edwards: Clinton didn't choose words well on race

[Hope And Change]

Edwards: Clinton didn't choose words well on race


Posted on Sun, May. 11, 2008 02:02 PM

The Associated Press

Former Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said Sunday that Hillary Rodham Clinton probably didn't choose her words carefully when she suggested Barack Obama was losing the white vote.

Edwards also hedged on whether he might still endorse one of his former rivals, but said he thinks Obama will be the nominee. He cautioned that in Clinton's continued push for the nomination, she "has to be really careful" not to damage the Democratic Party's prospects in November.

"I know how hard it is to get up and go out there every day, speak to the media, speak to crowds, when people are urging you to get out of the race. I mean, it's a very hard place to be in. But she's shown a lot of strength about that," said Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who dropped out of the race in January.

"But I think the one thing that she has to be careful about ... going forward, is that, if she makes the case for herself, which she's completely entitled to do, she has to be really careful that she's not damaging our prospects, the Democratic Party, and our cause, for the fall," he said in a taped interview broadcast on CBS' "Face the Nation."

more...

http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/615187.html

[BlooInBloo]

1. And it wasn't an accident.

[Medusa]

2. Hillary Clinton is one of the most calculating women who ever drew breath

she knew EXACTLY what she was saying. And she keeps repeating it. So do her surrogates. Edwards is obviously being generous here because he's trying to score his own little side deal. There is no mistake that she said what she meant and meant what she said or she'd end all discussions of "white, hard-working BS" immediately by both herself and her band of toadies.

[Catherina]

4. She's a trained, skillful lawyer and an expert at parsing

I agree with you that she knew exactly what she was saying. Bill Clinton too.

[roseBudd]

9. "he's not muslim, as far as I know" right

Can you imagine if Obama, said, "she's not a lesbian, as far as I know"

If you haven't seen the Hillary lesbian tabloid covers you haven't been to the grocery store

[rock]

11. And can you imagine if Obama had said

"she's not a lesbian."

[Cha]

30. Obama got scolded all over the place for

saying "she likeable enough". I'm thinking he was determined not to come anywhere close to that again.

It doesn't matter..people can read between the lines. We all know what hilary's done and how much more she's capable of.

[Evergreen Emerald]

12. Right wing talking point: "most calculating women who ever drew breath"

Created to scare the misogynists in America when they re-defined her and then attacked her for their re-definition.

Made up out of whole cloth...and you, based on absolutely know evidence (how would you know how "calculating" she is?) you continue to repeat that right-wing talking point as if fact. And then attack her for it.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

14. ok - she's the most calculating "politician" running as the women presidential candidate

Hillary is first to point out how historic it would be to have the
first woman president elected.

[Evergreen Emerald]

28. she was the first person to point that out? Really? When, how?

I know I thought it. I did not realize she was the FIRST PERSON TO POINT THAT OUT. How horrific of her.

[TheWraith]

37. All it takes to know she's calculating is eyes and ears.

How else do you explain the parsing of her support for the war, saying it was a bad idea to go to war but refusing to acknowledge the vote was a mistake? That's hardly the only case: her opposition to banning the use of cluster bombs in civilian areas, her opposition to a ban on landmines, her yes-no-maybe position on torture, her jumping on Kerry for his joke in 2006 the same way the Republicans deliberately misread it... If it gets her one millimeter closer to the supposed political middle, she'll jump on it.

Oh, wait, I'm sorry. You didn't actually want to acknowledge facts, you just wanted to brand any non-supporters as sexists. My mistake.

[Evergreen Emerald]

39. Your version of "facts" of course is twisted, distorted, and very very

biased. But, don't let a good sexist hate-fest get in the way of facts. You have chosen to hate her and to believe the right-wing talking points re-defining and re-characterizing her.

There were many many democrats who supported IWR--Edwards was never called "calculating" Kerry was never called calculating.

She admitted IWR vote was a mistake and that is not enough for you. "Parse?" You ignore every thing Obama has ever said, or you would call him calculating too.

Opposition to baning cluster bombs: well, I know that she has worked her whole life for children, so when you characterize her a someone who likes clusterbombs, I need to know more about that vote. And, I trust her judgement.

Torture: yes / no / maybe? YOu are now making crap up. She has been firmly against torture constantly.

And, your condesnding smart ass attitude...shove it.

[lumpy]

31. Sexist

x

[Catherina]

3. John Edwards retaining grace and dignity even if his non endorsement

maddens me. :thumbsup:

[Yael]

5. She knows exactly what she is doing

She has been at this for too long not to.

Senator Edwards just blew the dog whistle. Hopefully, her surrogates hear it.

[lumpy]

34. Of course she knows what she is doing. I'm hoping Obama

knows what he is doing. Sincerely.

[rock]

6. It didn't matter what words she chose

the subject matter is not allowed.

[Evergreen Emerald]

13. subject matter: demographics is suddenly not allowed?

Why? Obama has been talking about it for awhile now. Remember the "bitter" comment? That was all about demographics.

[roseBudd]

23. Well you see in 1964 when Johnson signed the Civil Rights act & the Dixiecrats left

for the GOP. Since that time catering and capitulating to whites who for whatever reason are manipulated by racially divisive campaign rhetoric has not been a democratic party strategy. I believe it would be a mistake to start now in this post Macaca time. Especially since those would be the whites that vote for the GOP. Has been for many election cycles.

Long story short, if you are a racist white you don't belong in our party. And since younger voters are less racist, that is a good long term vision for the party.

[Liberal Veteran]

24. Yeah. I remember Clintonistas raking Obama over the coals for the "bitter" thing.

So what comes around, goes around.

[rock]

25. I meant it is forbidden for the white candidate to talk about it

"She's playing the race card", is the inevitable reply.

[anonymous171]

7. He probably didn't appreciate Clinton characterizing of southern whites

I spoken to a lot people from the South. They say that they have been fighting those kinds of stereotypes for years.

[Cha]

33. I know...Not only is she dissing Blacks

but she's dissing Southern Whites. hilary can't win for race baiting. Not your last century Jesse Helms races, hilary. Wake The Fuck UP.

[davidinalameda]

8. he's only speaking up now?

too little too late

[saltpoint]

10. Love the way The Carolinian phrases things.

I hope there are folks in the Clinton camp with ears to hear.

[Ichingcarpenter]

17. I do too

I think he was too kind. Lawyers are wordsmiths as are Obama, Clinton and Edwards.

Words are their craft.

[saltpoint]

22. Yes. Agree. Hi there and happy Sunday afternoon.

[Raine1967]

15. The meme that she has every right

to run seems to be a reaction, (from MANY, MANY people)IMO, that people have tried every which way but loose to get her to please suspend the campaign.... It is getting very bizzare at this point.

People are talking and people are hearing, but the Clinton campaign is not listening.

HAving a right to run is one thing, but damaging the party's ability to win in the GE is another. I think Hillary Clinton and her campaign are actually showing themselves to be very selfish at this point.

Flame me as you will... but this is how I feel. If you know a republican who you can talk to about something like this, ask them how they see it from the outside looking in. You might see what I am saying.

MY father is a straight republican voter... always will be. HE WAS going to vote for John Edwards --- voting a (d) for the forst time in his life.

But now, he went back to his camp, and he is just watching the lunacy of it all. Sad.

She doesn't have EVERY right to do whateer she wants idf she is a member of a party.

She COULD have done whatever she wanted to if she were an independent.

[eridani]

38. I wouldn't care one way or another how long she ran--

--if only she would quit using the goddam REPUKE FRAMING!!!

[4themind]

16. Just to honest if seems like he was a lot tougher on hillary

when he was in the race vs. when he came out of it, but maybe he's trying to transition into a more neurtal role to help broker a peace at the end, although for reason I doubt hillary will be as warm to that.

[Clear Blue Sky]

18. I don't think anything she says is an accident.

[DogPoundPup]

19. President Clinton as well has been fanning the flames of division with his words

[bowens43]

20. she chose them well. she said exactly what she intended to say.

she knew exactly who she was speaking to.

[Warren Stupidity]

21. Massively generous of Mr. Edwards

And a clear warning shot that she needs to wise up.

[saltpoint]

26. Agree on both counts.

:thumbsup: :hi:

[nomorewhopper]

27. hillary's words about whites will wound obama deeply and help mccain

when you tell the white vote that barack obama is NOT your guy, where else will they go? only two people in the race, and one of them is a republican

[Cha]

35. You give hilary too much credit..she's

rendered herself invalid. hilary's words hurt hilary..who cares what she says anymore?

[Cha]

29. That's one way to put it..

Edwards: "Clinton didn't choose words well on race"

John's a diplomat as well as Obama and that's good. The only one who doesn't give a shit is hilary.



Rec'd~

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

32. She knew what she was saying. It was no more a "mistake" than her vote for the war.

[Hope And Change]

36. Kick!