Rangel Blasts Clinton: White Comments '[N]ot presidential talk'

No, he isn't changing his endorsement, but he is none too pleased with Clinton's talk about white voters. Good for him.

Story here:

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), among Hillary Clinton’s top African-American supporters, was none too pleased with Clinton’s comments this week to USA Today that she has broader appeal with white voters.

The statement was "the dumbest thing she could have said," Rangel told reporters before a Clinton fundraiser in a midtown hotel ballroom Saturday.

He called her statement "very poorly worded," but acknowledged there may be some truth to it.

"In any campaign, there are groups of people that you know that you have and groups of people that you don’t," he said. "And I don’t care what it is. White, black, Catholic, Protestant - pollsters and newspaper reporters, that’s all they know and so they keep asking the same question over and over. I mean, this happens in campaigns."

Still, Rangel said Clinton should leave it to others to make the case that she has more appeal to white voters.

"That is rough campaign talk. That is not presidential talk. You leave that stuff to the boys in the backroom," said Rangel, the dean of New York’s congressional delegation.

Clinton has been getting hammered on this from just about all sides, and is even floating some sort of nominal 'regret' about the issue. Too little too late Senator Clinton. You've been exposed.

Update: The updated USA Today headline:

From Jack and Jill. A great blog.

•  Tips

  Good for Charlie, even if he still isn't switching.

  by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:37:28 PM PDT

  •  He will though.

    Sooner or later.

    by Lepanto on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:44:58 PM PDT

    •  Could happen

      He encouraged Obama to run in the first place.

      by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:45:49 PM PDT

      •  I imagine he'd recind that encouragement,

        knowing what he knows now.  I doubt he thought Obama had a chance.  Probably though it would be "good practice" for 2016.

        by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:37:21 PM PDT

    •  Not so sure

      She'll be back in the senate and he will need her not to hate him in order to bring home the bacon.

      by Flyswatterbanjo on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:53:21 PM PDT

      •  They'll need each other.

        by lordcopper on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:12:38 PM PDT

        •  Rangell

          will come to the table for the Party!!!Most are tired , disappointed, ashamed, and embarrased with/of the clintons.

           This strategic manouvering  and race baiting has caused thousands to back away. Her surrogates imply she would take a VP slot are smoking something...She brings nothing to the table and appears ready to destroy him and the party!

          by docb on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:16:42 PM PDT

  •  Not good enough, Charlie

    She makes comments that go beyond everything you've stood for. Yet you continue to support her. Same goes for the Clinton supporters of the Congressional Black Caucus. I have lost all respect for you.

    by gladkov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:47:25 PM PDT

    •  Tubbs is the worst.

      Her Silence is deafening.  

      by Shhs on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:48:41 PM PDT

      •  Yes

        I hope her constituents are giving her hell. She is the worst by far.

        by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:50:19 PM PDT

      •  I saw her where she was defending Clinton

        for the remark (On one of the 24 hr. news channels).

        by ajleiker on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:53:08 PM PDT

      •  Sheila Jackson-Lee....

        Don't get between her and a camera!!!

        by serrano on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:56:45 PM PDT

      •  she wasn't silent

        she was on MSNBC running cover for Hillary saying she didn't really mean it...she mangled her words...

        funny, that I didn't hear that when they were discussing Barack's bitter comments...

        I have figured it all out...these folks know the gravy train is up if Clinton loses...every thing they did to get on the Clinton's good side is down the drain...they should have gone with there gut...but they took the easy road....and now they are bewildered...

        by justmy2 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:59:22 PM PDT

        •  there=their

          by justmy2 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 05:45:08 PM PDT

    •  Charlie? And...

      I have an easier time w/ Charlie not going further than the lilly fucking white end of the party not going anywhere at all on this.

      by jhpdb on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:14:13 PM PDT

  •  good for Charlie?

    he's merely playing to Hillary what Lieberman plays to McCain.  Not the "decider", but the "correcter."

    It ain't gonna work, Chuckie.  Your candidate is toast.  She's a crispy-critter.

    DONE, I tell you!

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:36:19 PM PDT

•  thanks for linking to this

  I'm sending it to a girlfriend of mine who is convinced that I'm exaggerating how outre the Clinton's have been with their demographic talk.

  by Freedoms Road on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:39:50 PM PDT

  •  I think people are finally starting to see

    What she is doing.

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:43:37 PM PDT

    •  Let's hope Bill is one of them

      Except that we already know he's in agreement on this strategy.  Whatever.  The grave their digging is their own.

      by Freedoms Road on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:52:06 PM PDT

•  Rangel should blast himself, he's...

  on the wrong side of history.

  by David Kroning on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:40:15 PM PDT

  •  Agreed. I'm totally disappointed in Rangel.

    Perhaps he's finally seeing the light...

    by langstonhughesfan on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:41:44 PM PDT

    •  Charlie was one of the people

      who encourage Obama to run, but he didn't think he would get far and certainly didn't think he would win.  I wonder if he regrets telling him to.

      Also, Alma, Charlie's wife supports Obama, so there's hope.  Charlie explains his support for Hillary in that they've know each other for years and have been friends for years. She is also the Senator of his state.  All things considered, it makes sense of his support for her.  

      I don't have a problem with the the African Americans that are supporting her because they've worked with her and known her for years.  I would expect that kind of loyalty.  Just as much as Obama would have people who have know him for years would want to stand by him and support him for a position as important as the POTUS.

      by jalenth on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:47:47 PM PDT

  •  He obviously is trying to keep in good stead

    With Obama with this comments, and his wife endorsing Obama.

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:43:04 PM PDT

    •  His wife is supporting Obama, at least

      financially.  She is not a Superdelegate.

      by ajleiker on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:51:50 PM PDT

    •  I read Rangel urged Obama to run for

      president. So, I bet he doesnt have any issues with Obama being the nominee.

      by jj32 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:08:58 PM PDT

  •  Eh, Rangel is a good guy. And as someone said,

    he's got to deal with Clinton no matter what as part of the New York delegation.

    Joining in the Dem civil war with her isn't good looking out for his constituents.

    by Zebras on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:44:08 PM PDT

    •  Sorry, Rangel knows this shit stinks...

      he lived through it.  And, I doubt he'll have to deal with Clinton for much longer in NY.  

      by David Kroning on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:46:20 PM PDT

    •  It is the 'white' end that needs to go nuclear

      Where are Dean Pelosi Kerry Gore?

      This war needs a quick finish

      by jhpdb on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:17:29 PM PDT

  •  He and the others (Kennedy, Nadler & Franks)

    support her because they want to run for her seat when she's in the White House.  Thank god she won't be in the WH.

    by victoria2dc on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:56:40 PM PDT

•  It would be nice

  if some superdelegates from New York switched over this, especially those from districts that went for Obama. Hillary Clinton has become a stain on the New York Democratic party.

  by beltane on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:42:37 PM PDT

•  Rangel should follow up by going to Clintons

  and telling them what God loves.  He's long been loyal to her, was, I believe the first to go recruit her when Moynihan announced retirement and claims to be the guy who got Bill's office in Harlem.  I hope he's talking to them about what to do next and when to do it.

  by St Louis Woman on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:43:06 PM PDT

•  Too bad Rangel's such a shill for Hillary

  So his words don't mean to much for me right now, at least when it comes to Hillary and the primary campaign.

  by davidkc on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:43:11 PM PDT

  •  I'll take what I can get from him

    But you're right.

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:44:54 PM PDT

  •  Well, I think that's why these comments are

    significant. Strong criticism from someone has been very supportive of her campaign.

    by jj32 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:07:55 PM PDT

•  Whoa, Rangel seems anxious

  for this to be over soon for him to say that before her fundraiser.  And that was the key - her fundraising works better while she's still a candidate rather than a former candidate.

  by Pithy Cherub on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:44:40 PM PDT

  •  Can't imagine why anyone would

    give her money right now.  Coming in at the end of a losing campaign is only for suckers or Republicans that want to see her soldier on.  

    by Marie on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:56:21 PM PDT

    •  Maybe it's that!

      Republoicans that want her to soldier on. I just hope it's not working moms giving her $20/wk from their paychecks.

      by elwior on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:22:13 PM PDT

  •  he was defending her.

    this wasn't a knock on her.  He was trying to soften the blow of her comment.  And yes, her comment was so boneheaded, that he had to "appear" to be scolding her.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:41:44 PM PDT

•  almost perfect

  he's going to take heat for saying "boys in the backroom" though

  by bhagamu on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:44:51 PM PDT

•  Leave it up to others to make the argument?

  Like Carole Simpson on Larry King?  Sorry, not impressed with this statement.  Hillary needs to try to convinced the SD how she appeals to any voters, including AA's she so clearly lost.

  by Into The Stars on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:45:01 PM PDT

  •  I saw it

    It was a disgusting display from her.

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:46:54 PM PDT

    •  A campaign that thrives on such ugly tactics

      is the exactly old school politics that Barack is trying to reform.

      Charlie needs to open his eyes.  He's on the wrong side of change.

      by crystal eyes on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:07:18 PM PDT

•  Hillary is called a racist

  for citing polling data?
  wow

  by katz5 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:49:23 PM PDT

  •  Rolls eyes n/t

    by Shhs on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:50:27 PM PDT

  •  Perhaps you should go call Rep. Rangel's office

    He's the one who called her out.

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:52:26 PM PDT

    •  for the way she said it

      or rather the way the media has portrayed it.
      But polling data confirms her statement.

      by katz5 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:25:40 PM PDT

      •  I'm sorry, but where th fuck

        do the polls use the words "hard-working white voters"

        You're a liar.

        by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:47:23 PM PDT

  •  Hillary is a racist for asking whites to vote

    along racial lines: actively calling on people to be racist. AND telling SDs and everyone else that Obama is not electable (i.e. a black man cannot be President.) She should have no future in the Democratic party.

    by Virginian in Spain on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:53:12 PM PDT

    •  citing polling data is not asking whites to vote

      along racial lines.
      btw - what do you call Oprah telling AAs to vote for the AA candidate?

      by katz5 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:26:49 PM PDT

      •  Are you serious? It is so obvious.

        How about the "hard working" part. Didn't you get that either?

        by Virginian in Spain on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:36:03 PM PDT

        •  katz5 has an intelligence

          deficit.

          by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:49:01 PM PDT

      •  you don't give up do you?

        Katz, please show where and when Oprah said this? You're pulling crap outta your azz now.

        Go away.

        by CocoaLove on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:54:22 PM PDT

  •  WE can at least agree that she's a liar right?

    by Shhs on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:54:57 PM PDT

  •  You a**! She was not just saying what she read,

    she was advocating that view and even added words for emphasis.  So now way did she just city polling data.  Further more, you have it wrong there too, she was taking information from an article, not just reading polling data, and then elaborating to emphasis "White Working Class."

    Try to be honest in your statements.

    by ajleiker on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:55:56 PM PDT

    •  i thnk she was using racism

      which is different from being a racist. I doubt HRC is going to implement Strom Thurmond polices, or believes in her heart that they are right. But in good machiavellian fashion she will use whatever it takes to get support, including white racism.

      by max stirner on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:04:59 PM PDT

      •  I suspect you're right.

        Orval Faubus, governor of Arkansas who refused to integrate Central High in Little Rock in the '50s, is said to have  said racist things to get elected. Maybe Hillary studied a little Arkansas history.

        I doubt she's a racist, but that in no way forgives her for playing to hatred, imho. Stirring up racist feelings is, in my mind, at least as bad as believing them.

        by cotterperson on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:11:43 PM PDT

      •  I'd rather deal with a professed racist

        than someone who uses one to further her career.  Wouldn't you?

        by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:50:13 PM PDT

      •  It's all the same IMHO n/t

        by oscarsmom on Sat May 10, 2008 at 05:09:05 PM PDT

  •  before you say this ...

    I think it's been demonstrated that Obama has gotten as much of the white vote as previous Dem candidates. I believe there have been diaries on that topic here.

    by billlaurelMD on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:01:17 PM PDT

  •  No Hillary's a racist for telling white people:

    "You're too dumb to vote for a black guy."

    by ObamaManiac2008 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:35:12 PM PDT

•  Thats nice

  But he was still at her rally today...

  how can these folks live with themselves...

  by justmy2 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:52:01 PM PDT

•  Excellent update

  That headline is insane!!

  by Freedoms Road on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:53:33 PM PDT

•  Hillary needs her "broad base"

  kicked again - probably in OR.

  by brainwave on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:54:10 PM PDT

•  Link to the AP article in question? n/t

  by ROh70 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:58:01 PM PDT

  •  You mean her original comments?

    That is in the link above the jump.

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:58:59 PM PDT

    •  No - the AP article that HRC referred to

      in her interview with USA Today.

      by ROh70 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:00:05 PM PDT

      •  I'll check to see

        The funny thing is that I think the data she was citing was dated and didn't reflect the actual results of NC/IN. I'll take a look.

        by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:06:44 PM PDT

        •  You're right

          I didn't see the AP article but read that it was published before NC and IN.

          by royce on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:09:19 PM PDT

•  Regrets....she's had a few...

  (From the NY Times article cited in your link.)

  The superdelegate movement toward Mr. Obama, of Illinois — giving him a net gain of six on Friday alone, with more expected —increased the pressure on Mrs. Clinton, of New York, to at least refrain from divisive remarks, particularly after her comments on Wednesday that lower-income white voters would not support Mr. Obama if he became the Democratic nominee. Aides now say she regrets the comments.

  Well, sure...  There's a tremendous backlash against your racist framing, so of course there are "regrets" NOW...

  It's what you do and say before it becomes politically inconvenient that really tests your character though, Hillary.

  by chumley on Sat May 10, 2008 at 01:58:24 PM PDT

  •  Funny how that works...

    ...isn't it?

    by turneresq on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:00:00 PM PDT

    •  She was sleep deprived n/t

      by Shhs on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:01:07 PM PDT

      •  She was speaking while dodging sniper fire. n/t

        by nobody at all on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:02:56 PM PDT

      •  Plus, according to Bill...

        ...she's too old to remember stuff past a certain time of night, since she's 60 years old.

        Unless it's at 3 AM... THEN she has a mind of steel!!

        by chumley on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:03:57 PM PDT

      •  No...

        She's presidency deprived.

        And that is the whole problem. We, the voters of the Democratic Party, are entirely to blame for denying her the Presidency that was hers by right.

        I mean, really... how can we look ourselves in the mirror after we have done this to her?

        --Shannon

        by Leftie Gunner on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:04:26 PM PDT

        •  How could you deny Hillary her destiny?

          You bastard!

          by Shhs on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:05:23 PM PDT

          •  I know, I know...

            Who am I to reject the Divine Right of Kings, or Queens?

            Oh, wait, that's right...I'm an American.

            The fundamental assumption of America is that nobody has a right to power. Nobody. Power is given by the People, to the government, and no power that We do not give can be wielded legally.

            It has become increasingly clear that Senator Clinton does not believe this. She's not alone in that, of course... most of our political class doesn't believe it either.

            I hope they learn it before we have to prove it to them.

            --Shannon

            by Leftie Gunner on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:16:52 PM PDT

  •  maybe she should have thought

    of that before she attacked Obama for his innocuous comments on guns and religion...

    by justmy2 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:05:14 PM PDT

    •  Yup.

      Karma, baby.

      by chumley on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:12:48 PM PDT

  •  Of course she regrets the comments now

    Because they backfired big time. The people she most needed to persuade, the superdelegates, are the ones most turned off by her comments, especially since she made them so publicly.  There's no way for and Dem superdelegates to justify what she said to their constituents.

    by davidkc on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:06:10 PM PDT

    •  Well said.

      by chumley on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:13:07 PM PDT

  •  she's a moral coward.......hate to say it.

    No, I don't.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:44:20 PM PDT

•  Message from an African African-American friend

  He still prefers HRC because he says he finds her tougher....and he sees Obama as weak.....He describes Obama as being like a spoiled kid who is soft...not a fighter. This from an African man living in America.

  I'm an Obama supporter and I'm not going to get into the hatin' on Hillary. Obama wouldn't either, would he?

  by LNK on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:02:48 PM PDT

  •  There have been many "fighters"

    in the world, good and bad.  Roosevelt, Stalin, Churchill, Hitler, JFK, and BUSH.  At some point, you've got to ask what they're fighting for, especially when they use racist memes to attempt to overturn votes.

    Plus anyway, Obama's fight is coming through loud and clear to me.  Just because he doesn't act desperate doesn't mean he's not fighting.  He fought hard to get into the race and stay in the race without stooping to the level of his opponent(s), and -- an important measure of someone's fighting ability -- he's winning.

    by IndieinVa on Sat May 10, 2008 at 04:49:41 PM PDT

•  Obama's speaking in Oregon right now.

  Look at all those white people. Lots and lots of white people...

  by Flyswatterbanjo on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:04:59 PM PDT

  •  yes, but if they were hard-working

    white people, they'd be pulling time-and-a-half on Saturday, NOT going to hear more speeches at more rallies!

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:46:11 PM PDT

•  Proves one BIG point about Hillary...

  ...she sure doesn't know how to make a graceful exit when she is losing.

  by alaprst on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:05:00 PM PDT

•  Rangel

  I remember him from the nixon impeachment hearings. Definitely a class act. Just picked the wrong candidate (as did Barney Frank and innumerable others, who deserve our respect)

  by max stirner on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:07:10 PM PDT

  •  How many,

    I wonder, picked her because they thought she was inevitable?

    by royce on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:11:13 PM PDT

  •  Reagan years, DrugWar nazi.

    by ben masel on Sat May 10, 2008 at 04:59:14 PM PDT

•  Obama winning with white superdelegates.....eom

  by lsd saint on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:12:58 PM PDT

•  Why are 'white' pols leaving this to the AA folk?

  'AA' columnists

  'AA' pols

  Noonan and Will (OMG!)

  Where are the white folk that marched with MLK?

  Where are the Latinos?

  Where is the outrage?

  I have an easier time w/ Charlie not going further than the lilly fucking white end of the party not going anywhere at all on this.

  by jhpdb on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:13:10 PM PDT

•  Thank God...

  Charlie Rangel is saying it like it is. If Hillary makes it into office, no doubt she'd bring back the draft... er, oh wait.

  by NoMoreNicksLeft on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:13:49 PM PDT

•  Great "Washington Week" analysis of campaign.

  How come Gwen Ifill manages to produce a great example of journalism every week with MSM regulars but all CNNABCFox produces is shrieking mad men?

  Dan Balz of the The Washington Post, Jeanne Cummings of POLITICO, Karen Tumulty of TIME Magazine and Michael Viqueira of NBC News.

  Fairly pure mainstream media group but a great thoughtful discussion and much of it counter MSM conventional wisdom. For example how the long primary has been good for Democrats creating massive new registrations, record turnouts and, for Obama, building organization in each state.

  Anyway...Clinton's "White voters, hard working voters" (not "black, lazy voters") came up and was described by Viqueira as "inartful" which was the same term applied to Obama's "bitter" comment.

  It is interesting that discussion of Obama's "inartful" comment was described by the MSM as a "firestorm" while Clinton's "inartful" and clearly racist remark was simply left at "inartful".

  It may be due to fact that the news analysis was mostly a post mortem on Clinton's campaign and focused on Obama's triumphant appearance in the House where Democrats and Republicans treated him like a rock star, jockeying for position so they would be in the picture with Obama.

  As Viqueira noted, many of the House Democrats trying to get next to Obama were first term Democrats running in tightly contested districts. Clearly the buzz is Obama at the top of the ticket can build a working Democratic majority.

  by Tuscany on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:24:19 PM PDT

  •  I went in to this campaign

    thinking that our country was more sexist than racist.

    I was wrong.

    I didn't account for the dogwhistle comments being thrown around by Bill and Hillary.

    That's right, two very powerful DEMOCRATS are making race-baiting comments AGAINST ANOTHER DEMOCRAT.

    That's bad enough, but Hillary's supporters don't seem to mind.

    by AlyoshaKaramazov on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:56:00 PM PDT

•  In politics

  a half step is still a step.  Just a kida sorta step. Rangel & Hillary reminds me of McCain & Hagee. Paraphrasing McCain; I do not agree with everything he says, but I am happy to have his endorsement & support.
  Paraphrasing Rangel; I do not agree with what she has said, but I am happy to continue to support her candidacy.

  by paul94611 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:31:55 PM PDT

•  Rangel statement

  not good enough. He doesn't not want Hillary to say it out aloud, but wants to leave it to be discussed in the back room. Same difference. Smear Obama in hiding so that the other Superdelegates won't vote for him.

  Very hypocritical. I don't care for him saying one thing in public, but something else in the back room.

  He and his wife are tag teaming. Wife for Obama, Rangel for Hillary. It would be easy for him to say, see, my wife supported Obama anyway.

  He was one of those I held in the highest esteem. Not anymore.

  Rangel tough talk is empty rhetoric.

  by africa on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:35:31 PM PDT

•  Charlie Rangel is a coward n/t

  by Deoliver47 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:49:54 PM PDT

•  nice fake outrage Charlie.

  Clintons have been harping this angle for months (HE CANT WIN BILL!) now Rangle is shocked, Shocked! by their "inartful campaign"

  by Kmodi on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:19:29 PM PDT

•  Thats Not Leadership Charlie You Know It.

  by DFutureIsNow on Sat May 10, 2008 at 04:55:10 PM PDT