Clinton apologizes to black voters (AP)

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

This appears not to have made it across the demilitarized zone from LBN to GD-P, or maybe I'm just blind...

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton did something Wednesday night that she almost never does. She apologized. And once she started, she didn't seem able to stop.


The New York senator, who is in a tight race with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, struck several sorry notes at an evening forum sponsored by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a group of more than 200 black community newspapers across the country.

Her biggest apology came in response to a question about comments by her husband, Bill Clinton, after the South Carolina primary, which Obama won handily. Bill Clinton said Jesse Jackson also won South Carolina when he ran for president in 1984 and 1988, a comment many viewed as belittling Obama's success.

"I want to put that in context. You know I am sorry if anyone was offended. It was certainly not meant in any way to be offensive," Hillary Clinton said. "We can be proud of both Jesse Jackson and Senator Obama."

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080313/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_s_apologies

Edit: Cruft abatement.

[XemaSab]

1. I'm sorry if you were offended?

Heckuva job there. x(

[Window]

5. She apologized for SC at Tavis Smiley's event a couple of weeks ago, too.

[Breeze54]

6. "I certainly do repudiate it and I regret deeply that it was said." - HRC

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080313/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_s_apologies

snip-->

"Anyone who has followed my husband's public life or my public life know very well where we have stood and what we have stood for and who we have stood with," she said, acknowledging that whoever wins the nomination will have to heal the wounds of a bruising, historic contest.

"Once one of us has the nomination there will be a great effort to unify the Democratic party and we will do so, because, remember I have a lot of supporters who have voted for me in very large numbers and I would expect them to support Senator Obama if he were the nominee," she said.

Of Ferraro's comment, Hillary Clinton told her audience: "I certainly do repudiate it and I regret deeply that it was said. Obviously she doesn't speak for the campaign, she doesn't speak for any of my positions, and she has resigned from being a member of my very large finance committee."

As first lady and senator, Clinton rarely cedes an inch to her critics. On the issue of her vote to authorize the Iraq war, for instance, she steadfastly has refused to apologize, coming close by saying she regrets it, despite calls from many anti-war voters in the party to make a more explicit mea culpa.

Her third conciliatory statement of the evening was more in keeping with that fighting stance.

Asked about the government's efforts in the Gulf States after Hurricane Katrina, Hillary Clinton turned an apology into a criticism of President Bush, who happened to be speaking at a Republican event in another room at the same hotel.

"I've said it publicly, and I say it privately: I apologize, and I am embarrassed that our government so mistreated our fellow citizens ... It was a national disgrace," she said.

She apologized. What do you really want? A pint of blood?

[sueragingroz]

8. they want Obama to win. by any means necessary...

[Breeze54]

13. He was already ahead and they knew that. The infighting here

on DU has to stop before there is no party left.

It's my opinion that everyone should just accept the apology and move on.

Better days are ahead and we have many other races to worry about, like all of Congress.

[earthlover]

25. An apology is a step in the right direction. Too bad it took so long in coming.

I suspect that the apology was late because she began to see the damage Ferrarro was doing to her. But an apology is better than nothing. Her campaign was hardly apologizing earlier, nor were they backing away from what Ferrarro said.

So we will see if Hillary's apology was sincere. The way she can show that is to stop her campaign from making any future race baiting comments. The proof is in her campaign's actions.

[democrattotheend]

46. Good for her

That's the strong statement I was hoping she would make about Ferraro. I wish she had done it immediately, but I'm glad she repudiated it strongly and I'm ready to move on.

[Changenow]

41. It's all she can do

She doesn't want to offend the supporters she earned with the act.

[cali]

2. A classic case of too little too late

they went there in myriad ways for an extended period of time. And she didn't put anything into context. In fact, she tries to link Obama with Jackson again. Typically disingenuous from the woman who wants it every which way.

[Dammit Ann]

3. still offended.

thank you, but sorry.

[Breeze54]

7. Ferraro's the one that opened her big mouth

HRC didn't say the words. Ferraro did.

HRC apologized. Accept it and move on.

[Dammit Ann]

9. o.k.

thank you. i feel much better now.

[Breeze54]

14. What do you want?

Do you want her to come over to your house and hug you and stroke your hair?

Obama's already winning so why not let it go? His win will make you feel better, right?

Staying angry won't help you feel better. Winning will, with the party intact.

[rodeodance]

28. Samantha Powers opened her big mouth. BO apologized. End of story--for both

of these instances--

[yardwork]

42. Not only that, Obama has not yet apologized for the Donnie McClurkin comments.

As I said in my duplicate thread, no candidate can control everything their supporters say. Hillary has apologized for Ferraro's remarks and let her go from the campaign. That's good.

[JTFrog]

There was much more she discussed than just Ferraro. Being able to just "accept

it" is pretty telling.

[Breeze54]

15. Pretty telling?

Don't try to analyze people. You aren't good at it, apparently.

Staying angry about something someone else said and DIDN'T apologize

for is not going to help you or Obama's campaign. His winning will!

It's time to move on, imho. There is McLame to deal with and all the

re-elections in the House. Obama will need all the Dems votes in Nov.

[JTFrog]

16. Moving on is one thing. Accepting it is quite another. n/t

[Breeze54]

18. I understand but we have to move on...

We have to unite and win the White House and we have to take control of Congress
and gain a majority in the Senate if we are really going to have change! We can't
get there with everyone fighting and being angry. That's what I'm talking about.

[JTFrog]

20. Maybe this will help you understand even better. I wish everyone would read his post.

I think telling people to just accept it and move on is a big part of the problem. It should never be accepted.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5051321

[Breeze54]

22. I'm saying move on and lets beat McLame.

I am not defending Ferraro.

[JTFrog]

24. This is about so much more than Ferraro. And you know that.

We will not beat McCain by acting like Republicans.

I'm all for moving on. As long as we leave Hillary and her racist surrogates behind.

[MadAndy]

26. Feminists have got to love the way Mrs Clinton threw Ferraro under the bus. If

Ferraro werent speaking for the campaign Mrs C would have shut her up DAYS ago. Instead she was all over TV last night justifying her comments. Mrs C's comment that Ferraro was just part of a "very large" finance committee is just icing on the cake, basically calling her a nobody.
Ferraro adds her name to the list of people who have thrown their hard earned reputaions trying to defend the Clintons, only to be cast aside like dirt.

[lisa58]

30. That was an excellent post...

...thanks for the link.

[NDambi]

33. Amen. Amen. I live with this shit every day...just yesterday I had an incident..fucking pisses me

OFF!!!

[JTFrog]

4. Saying they were misunderstood is apologizing? How heartfelt.

"I want to put that in context. You know I am sorry if anyone was offended. It was certainly not meant in any way to be offensive," Hillary Clinton said.

"Once one of us has the nomination there will be a great effort to unify the Democratic party and we will do so, because, remember I have a lot of supporters who have voted for me in very large numbers and I would expect them to support Senator Obama if he were the nominee," she said.

What about in the meantime Hill?

Why is always too little too late from this woman?

Call me overly skeptical, but she got what she wanted out of this.

[Skidmore]

10. It is a nonapology. Too little, too late and

she'd be too late in answering that phone too. It is her style.

[JTFrog]

12. She sure was able to give a heartfelt apology on behalf of our government tho.

:eyes:

[rodeodance]

27. and you will continue to divid the party when you are divisive -as your posts on this thread have

been.

She apologized--as did Samatha Powers did.--move on and get the chip off your shoulder

[JTFrog]

36. Racism is now just a "chip on your shoulder"? The defense is getting beyond absurd.

And she did not apologize. She said that if anyone was offended it was because they misunderstand. How heartfelt is that?

[rodeodance]

38. you just have proven my point--You want this crap to continue. I do not.

[nebula]

11. When is Shrillary going to apologize

to the millions of American workers she has screwed over?

[indio55555]

37. I'm Indian and I don't......

Nice racist picture you got there.

[nebula]

44. Thanks!

[bowens43]

17. Too little , too late. nt

[rodeodance]

32. Powers opened her big mouth as did Ferreo-both campaigns want

to move on. Its fans like you that continue to flame the issues.

BO wants the Powers issue behind him and Clinton wants the Ferrrero issue behind her.

I say listen to our leaders --both of them

[npincus]

19. what took so long? Are black voters useful to her now?

[EFerrari]

21. Bill Clinton's approval among Democrats has gone down to 42%

per a poll Joe had on his show this morning.

Eta: It is a WSJ poll.

[cali]

23. Wow. I wish someone would post that in a stand alone thread

I've suspected that he's damaged his standing, but that's really eye opening.

[lisa58]

31. I believe that...

...I used to love to hear him speak - now I mute the tv if I see him coming.

[NDambi]

34. They are trying to tie his decline amongst Democrats to black voters too..saw this morning..I know

plenty of white people that are dissatisfied with Bill...too

[EFerrari]

43. I must have been half asleep because I missed that part of it.

:)

[cooolandrew]

29. I accept her apology it was gracious but did she bring her tax returns nah, oh well.

[rodeodance]

39. april 15 is the date. have patience. peace

[Jersey Devil]

35. Geraldine who?

"she (Ferraro) has resigned from being a member of my very large finance committee."

ROFL, gee, Hillary probably didn't even realize that Crazy Geraldine was on her finance committee. :sarcasm:

[yardwork]

40. Oops. I just posted a dupe. Sorry!

[high density]

45. Oops I just took a dump and smeared it in your face?

Sorry if anyone was offended.

[book_worm]

47. She's suddenly discovered that she's toast in the GE if she's the nominee and can't generate

excitement among African-American voters.