Rep. Clyburn, Most Influential Black in SC, Says Clintons "Insulting, Denigrate" Black Achievements"

[rodeodance]

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject Rep. Clyburn, Most Influential Black in SC, Says Clintons "Insulting, Denigrate" Black Achievements"
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2660275#2660275
2660275, Rep. Clyburn, Most Influential Black in SC, Says Clintons "Insulting, Denigrate" Black Achievements"
Posted by Dems Will Win on Fri Jan-11-08 11:16 AM



This is huge, and likely causes a major shift in not only South Carolina, but the AA vote in the nation as well. Clyburn really lights into the Clintons! Wow.

WASHINGTON — Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, said he was rethinking his neutral stance in his state’s presidential primary out of disappointment at comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that he saw as diminishing the historic role of civil rights activists.

Mr. Clyburn, a veteran of the civil rights movement and a power in state Democratic politics, put himself on the sidelines more than a year ago to help secure an early primary for South Carolina, saying he wanted to encourage all candidates to take part. But he said recent remarks by the Clintons that he saw as distorting civil rights history could change his mind.

“We have to be very, very careful about how we speak about that era in American politics,” said Mr. Clyburn, who was shaped by his searing experiences as a youth in the segregated South and his own activism in those days. “It is one thing to run a campaign and be respectful of everyone’s motives and actions, and it is something else to denigrate those. That bothered me a great deal.”

-snip

Mr. Clyburn, reached for a telephone interview Wednesday during an overseas inspection of port facilities, also voiced frustration with former President Clinton, who described Mr. Obama’s campaign narrative as a fairy tale. While Mr. Clinton was not discussing civil rights at the time and seemed to be referring mainly to Mr. Obama’s stance at the Iraq war, Mr. Clyburn saw the remark as a slap at the image of a black candidate running on a theme of unity and optimism.

“To call that dream a fairy tale, which Bill Clinton seemed to be doing, could very well be insulting to some of us,” said Mr. Clyburn, who said he and others took significant risks more than 40 years ago to produce such opportunities for future black Americans.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/us/politics/11clyburn.html ?


If Clyburn endorses Obama, SC could be out of reach for Hillary. This will be talked about ad nauseum by the pundit class.


........
Fri Jan-11-08 11:32 AM
Response to Reply #5
14. Clyborn is WRONG--Clinton did NOT say it BECAUSE obams is black but because he is an opponnet!

[rodeodance]

1. more --early responders not reading before they respond

Forum Name General Discussion: Politics
Topic subject Poor judgement of Bill and Hillary...
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4036914#4036914
4036914, Poor judgement of Bill and Hillary...
Posted by elizm on Fri Jan-11-08 04:36 PM

WASHINGTON — Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, said he was rethinking his neutral stance in his state’s presidential primary out of disappointment at comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that he saw as diminishing the historic role of civil rights activists....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/us/politics/11clyburn.html?_r=2&ref=politics&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[liberalnurse]

2. I think it is much to do about nothing.

I think Clyborn would be making a serious mistake if he does go against his word. The Clinton's have always been advocates of Civil Rights. If Clyborn does openly support Obama, then he is making ones race the issue to elect Obama.......since he evokes the comment by Clinton, in Clyborn's delusional opinion, as a race issue.