Black Americans Turning Against Bill Clinton

Black America Feels the Sting of Ex-President's Comments

By Darryl Fears
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 25, 2008; Page A08

For nearly two decades, Yvette Wider, an African American, adored Bill Clinton, once described by a famous black novelist as the nation's first black president.

But now, after Clinton's "fairy tale" remark about Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in New Hampshire and a statement in South Carolina that Obama had put a political "hit job" on him, Wider said she feels she hardly knows the former president. "I was surprised to hear him make a comment like that, because I thought he understood our people better," said Wider, who said she will vote for Obama in Saturday's South Carolina primary. "It made me think he's been playing us all this time."

Wider's sentiments are echoing across black America -- on blogs, Web chats and talk radio, where Clinton is being attacked as never before.

It is a significant turnabout for Clinton, who throughout most of his presidency counted black people as his staunchest supporters. Less than eight years ago, African Americans gave the former president a stratospherically favorable rating -- higher than those for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

With his attacks on Obama, however, that appears to be changing, causing some strategists and observers to wonder whether Clinton's behavior will alienate black voters whom his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), will need should she win the nomination.

"The tone of some of the things he said just crossed a line," said David Bositis, chief researcher for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a black think tank. A 2000 survey by Bositis showed that 91 percent of African American respondents had a favorable view of Clinton. Bositis said he doubts that the number would be as high if the survey were conducted today.

"He thinks he has some free pass in terms of race," Bositis said of Clinton. "I've been watching the polls and Obama's been capturing a larger share of the black vote, and Clinton's like, 'I'm going to get mad.' "

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012402987.html?wpisrc=_rsspolitics

We all do NOT think and vote alike.

That sure is a sure fire way to win the Southern White vote. Good luck with that!

Most of my friends all said the same thing when she endorsed Obama. It was a collective "oh shit" sigh. She turned him into the "Black" candidate.

we need to focus on Nov. and who is electable, cause the repigs are getting ready for the kill. And who wants another repig sitting in the WH, not me!! that is for damn sure.

treat a certain segment of our population as a herd of sheep. Some have become soup du jour for the media. They feel so superior to the electorate. They think we are brainless.

women voting for Hillary and Blacks voting for Obama. I hope everyone knows such statements do not mean that all women, Blacks, Hispanices, or any other group all vote a certain way. Political campaigns do appeal to the hopes and fears of various groups, in order to build a winning majority.

I suspect that the Clintons believe, probably rightly so, that they can win back the vast majority of Black voters in the GE. Even if he sees it as a possible risk, it is worth it if it helps Hillary win the nomination.

and for the blacks who really think Clinton called Barak's run a "fairy tale": can you say mentally-challenged?

embarassing to see him take such a low road. It reflects poorly on the entire party. Very rovian..

because of course it is media spin. The media has been attacking the Clintons for decades. This is no different.

Just remember that all of you who are now embrassing the media because they are giving your candidate an unfair leg-up, they are doing it becasue they know in the long run, it will benefit the republicans.

If this person would only read the exchange on the "fairy tale" for herself she might have a different opinion.