Bill Clinton made a racist statement about Obama to Ted Kennedy

[BluegrassDem]

According to a new book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann.

"The day after Iowa, he phoned Kennedy and pressed for an endorsement, making the case for his wife. But Bill then went on, belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee."

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/09/bill-clinton-to-teddy-kennedy-in-new-campaign-book-obama-should/?icid=main|htmlws-bv-w|dl2|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2010%2F01%2F09%2Fbill-clinton-to-teddy-kennedy-in-new-campaign-book-obama-should%2F

[Dinger]

1. Unrec

halperin makes me ill.

[Jamastiene]

16. Yup

"During the election, Halperin made 113 references to Rush Limbaugh, 77 to Sean Hannity, 56 to Matt Drudge and 34 to Bill O'Reilly on his blog, whereas Arianna Huffington, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow got 23, 14 and 9 citations respectively.<18>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Halperin#2008_elections

[bluestateguy]

2. Well yeah

He was a state senator "a few years ago", and he was the president, so that is plausible.

[dkf]

3. Am I imagining that is a little sexist too?

[BluegrassDem]

4. This is the same book that quoted Harry Reid's out of touch comments

and Reid has apologized. So I wouldn't be so quick to discount what is said in this book.

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. I would take that as a comment on his age and experience, not his

race - which does not make it much less demeaning.

In that light, Kennedy's reply would be "You're one to talk, youngster".

And Byrd chimes in "You kids cut that out! Do you want me to pull over?"

[DrToast]

6. Agree...I don't see it as racist

[BluegrassDem]

10. Bill Clinton wouldn't have said such a thing about a white man

PERIOD. Of course, it's about race. If you don't see it, you're in serious denial.

[grasswire]

11. Bill Clinton wouldn't say such a thing about a BLACK man.

It's just not in him. Get serious.

The book is written by propagandists and troublemakers.

[onehandle]

14. Really? Do you think a white aide has never brought him coffee?

You are reading what you want to read into this second hand rumor.

[CakeGrrl]

7. Whether it was racist or classist,

The man is Clinton's peer, as we all know now. As with Harry Reid, President Obama won't be sidetracked by this distraction if the media tries to make anything of it, and if true, only reflects badly on Clinton. There are pitfalls to not keeping your anger in check.

[Clovis Sangrail]

8. non-story /nt

[Number23]

9. I'll wait for Clinton's response before taking sides. But right now, his comment looks and smells

like some bullshit.

[onehandle]

12. IF this actually happened, it was about experience/politics rather than race.

Bill Clinton is not a racist. Far from it.

If it even happened.

[FrenchieCat]

13. This is about dividing us some more......

they are trying everything....

this is more of the same.

Those who fall for all of the tricks being thrown out there
are naive. The media and anyone in it is not your friend...
Never were, and never will be.

[Jamastiene]

19. Consider the source

"During the election, Halperin made 113 references to Rush Limbaugh, 77 to Sean Hannity, 56 to Matt Drudge and 34 to Bill O'Reilly on his blog, whereas Arianna Huffington, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow got 23, 14 and 9 citations respectively.<18>

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe reportedly would "repeat mantralike" that "If Politico and Halperin say we’re winning, we’re losing." <19>"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Halperin#2008_elections

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Halperin

Halperin has an agenda and it is not a liberal one.

[shopgreen]

15. And you are spreading vile crap.

[Jim Sagle]

17. Mark "Piece of Shit" Halperin? Uhh....no. This doesn't pass the RNC crock test.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

18. It's questionable but there is so much to be done Pres. Obama is best brushing it off and file under

history. There is so much malarkey out there all the same only believe it when a person hear it or see it.

[EFerrari]

20. There is no reason to dredge this up now if it happened or not.

[emilyg]

21. unrec.

[Azathoth]

22. As I recall, this conversation was reported back during the campaign

I remember someone reporting that an obnoxious call from Bill Clinton pushing Ted for an endorsement had pissed off Ted and prompted him to throw his weight behind Obama.

[Beacool]

23. None of us were there and Halperin admitted that he "paraphrased" Bill's words.

One comment from Dick Morris comes to mind. The guy is a creep and despises both Clintons, but I remember him saying during the primaries that Bill Clinton was the least racist candidate that he had ever work for, he didn't even see race. He had grown up poor and the black folks around him were in the same boat. His grandparents had a general store and they didn't discriminate against AAs (a rarity at the time in the deep South). He grew up being comfortable around black people and still has black friends from that era.

I don't know what was said between Teddy and Bill, but it was clear to us in the Hillary campaign that Teddy was using Bill as an excuse to endorse Obama. He had already decided that he was to be the successor of his brother Jack.

Ahhhhh political friendships, they are not worth spit. They will all stab you in the back if it suits their purpose.

At this point, I'm disgusted with most politicians. Members of both parties would sell their soul to stay in power.

x(

[WI_DEM]

24. I'm not a cheerleader for Bill Clinton, but I don't believe he said such a thing--especially to EMK

[Nyquil Man]

25. I'm with you on this one.

I can't imagine, even with all the bitterness between the Clinton and Obama camps during the primaries, that a savvy politician like Bill would be stupid enough to say something like that to someone like Ted Kennedy.