Obama dismisses racial comments as "absurd" (Extra)

Washington - Race and gender are never far from the surface of the historic scramble for the Democratic US presidential nomination, and never more so than on Tuesday, when a chief fund raiser for Hillary Clinton said her rival had an advantage because he was black. Barack Obama, 46, dismissed the comments as 'patently absurd' and 'divisive,' according to an interview he gave to the Allentown, Pennsylvania, daily newspaper, The Morning Call. The incendiary remarks came from Geraldine Ferraro, the 1984 Democratic vice presidential candidate and a chief fundraiser and advisor to Senator Clinton, 60. Ferraro told the Daily Breeze newspaper of Torrance, California, that 'if Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position' of leading in the tight race. 'And if he was a woman of any colour, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.' Obama's campaign has demanded that Clinton sever ties with Ferraro, who is a major muscle in the Democratic Party. Clinton said she did not 'agree' with Ferraro's comments in a statement on her official campaign website. 'It's regrettable that any of our supporters on both sides say things that veer off into the personal,' Clinton said. 'We ought to keep this focused on the issues.' Obama told the Morning Call that Ferraro's comments had no 'place in our politics or the Democratic Party.' 'I think they were divisive,' he said. 'I think anybody who understands the history of this country knows they are patently absurd.' Roland Martin, a CNN commentator, compared Ferraro's remarks to the heyday of racial hiring quotas, when skilled black professionals and trade workers had their accomplishments diminished by remarks that 'you got the job because you're black.' Obama, who leads Clinton in the number of delegates for the nomination, has been projected to win Tuesday's Democratic primary vote in the southern state of Mississippi because of the state's heavily black population, but he has also captured nearly all-white states such as Iowa and has shown strong appeal for crucial independent voters. Either Clinton or Obama would mark a historic US marker as the country's first female or black presidential nominee.

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SP4:'Geraldine!'Mar 12th, 2008 - 03:46:00

'come here Geraldine.....momma needs you to do something....'

'...please Senator Clinton, not that again.....I had to wash for an hour...'

'....no, Geraldine...no more golden rainstorm...I need you to help momma get elected!'

'...oh, that...what do I have to do....?'

'...you know.....momma needs you to slime the black guy...'

'oh...thats hard...I don't think I like.....'

'....does momma have to slap a bitch?!'

'...oh....No, I don't think so....'

'Good! Now get out there...Sandy will give you the text...pull it out of his pants...he always likes that...make it good...I want to see footage at five....'

'...of me pulling text out of Sandy's pants?'

'NO BITCH, OF YOU SLIMING THE OREO COOKIE WHO'S BEATING MY ASS!'

'...gee...do I have to wear this outfit anymore..?'

'no Geraldine.....you can go back to the sheep outfit, the sailor outfit is only for special occasions....'

'...oh, good...it's so hot in all this wool....'

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ManMar 12th, 2008 - 13:35:57

Why don't you act like an adult???????????

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SP4: ManMar 12th, 2008 - 14:30:58

...why don't they?

Have you ever seen such a display: Geraldine Ferraro, taking one for the team, then Hillary disavowing her comment?

This is what dems debate, not healthcare, not the environment, not Social Security....but Obama's race.

It's classic Clinton politics, dirty tricks backed up by a sympathetic media. I can't wait for the convention.

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SP4: oh yeahMar 12th, 2008 - 14:46:50

...it also doesn't make Ms. Ferraro wrong either...

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SP4: Rush, Geraldine and Hillary!Mar 12th, 2008 - 14:49:42

...Rush Limbaugh said the same thing about a Black Quarterback and lost his spot on ESPN.

Rush, Geraldine and Hillary....who knew...?

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Who are you people to talk...Mar 12th, 2008 - 17:33:26

is Geraldine F. white? Isn't she Itallian? white washed?

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Is itMar 12th, 2008 - 18:13:47

only obvious that Hillary instructed Geraldine Ferraro to make that non-racist comment or do you have proof SP4? You'd make a great ass-hole, and that's a step up from the dick-wad you already are.

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MinoritiesMar 12th, 2008 - 18:22:22

always get jobs Anglo-Americans are more qualified for and they get paid equal pay......it's the law! Women and Gays have it the toughest.

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???Mar 12th, 2008 - 19:17:02

I agree-women and gays have it the toughest. I also think her comments have some merit. I know of a very large groud of 20 somethings that think it would be 'cool' to be a 'black dude' as a president. They're going to vote for him for no other reason than that.

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