Clinton and Obama Fight Over MLK Statement
Hillary Clinton caught heat from Barak Obama when she was quoted as saying that Martin Luther Kings’ dream of racial equality was realized only when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If that wasn’t enough to enrage the black candidate, Obama’s, ire, Bill Clinton said Illinois Sen. Obama was telling a “fairy tale” about his opposition to the Iraq war. Black leaders have criticized their comments, and Obama said Sunday her comment about King was “ill-advised.”
“I think it offended some folks who felt that somehow diminished King’s role in bringing about the Civil Rights Act,” he told reporters on a conference call. “She is free to explain that, but the notion that somehow this is our doing is ludicrous.”
I was wonder when the race card would be played.
Clinton said she hoped the campaign would not be about race, but then things became even more heated when a prominent black Clinton supporter, Black Entertainment Television founder Bob Johnson, criticized Obama and referred to his acknowledged teenage drug use while introducing Clinton at her next event.
“To me, as an African-American, I am frankly insulted the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues — when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood; I won’t say what he was doing, but he said it in his book — when they have been involved,” Johnson said.
Obama wrote about his youthful drug use — marijuana, alcohol and sometimes cocaine — in his memoir, “Dreams from My Father.” Obama’s wife rose to his defense over Bill Clinton’s “fairy tale” comment. Michelle Obama said blacks might be skeptical that white America will elect her husband, but advised them to look to his win in Iowa.
“Ain’t no black people in Iowa,” she said during a speech at the Trumpet Awards, an event celebrating black achievement. “Something big, something new is happening. Let’s build the future we all know is possible. Let’s show our kids that America is ready for Barack Obama right now.”
John Edwards, a third candidate in the Democratic primary, chimed in with his opinion about the whole thing with this statement. “I must say I was troubled recently to see a suggestion that real change came not through the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King but through a Washington politician. I fundamentally disagree with that.”
Here we go ’round the mulberry bush, or is it going to be more like Little Black Sambo?
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment