Horserace
March 11, 2008 11:21 AM

Ferraro: Obama "Very Lucky To Be Who He Is"

Former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro, who appeared on the Democratic ticket in 1984, is the latest high-profile figure to cause a stir with comments about one of the Democratic presidential frontunners.

“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," Ferraro told California's "Daily Breeze" newspaper. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

As Politico's Ben Smith reports, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said, "we disagree with her." But Obama foreign policy adviser Susan Rice is nonetheless calling on Clinton to repudiate the “outrageous and offensive" comments by Ferraro.

Last week, after Obama foreign policy advisor Samantha Power called Clinton a "monster" in an interview, numerous Clinton supporters called for Power to be fired. She issued an apology and later resigned.

Ferraro, a Clinton supporter, made the comments while arguing the former first lady hasn't gotten a fair shake from the press.

"For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her," Ferraro said. "It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign."
Tags:
Geraldine Ferraro ,
Barack Obama
Topics:
Barack Obama
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by sshump March 12, 2008 5:38 PM EDT
Geraldine is the white version of Farrakan...both very ignorant!
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by impartialman March 12, 2008 6:10 AM EDT
This has to be one of the dumbest statements in political history.. Mrs Ferraro needs to be reminded the following:
1) Hillary was the overwhelming favorite in this contest for more than a year. She even bragged about that fact in many of the debates." they''re not attacking me because I''m a woman; they''re attacking me because I''m winning!"
2) Hillary underestimated Barack because he is black as evidence of her mismanagement of her campaign not planning past Feb 5.
3) Even many Black leaders were cynical of Barack''s chances of "being in the position he is in" and put their support behind Hillary.

Barack is not winning because he is Black. He is winning because his message resonates with millions of Americans that have the hope of a different kind of politics that is not based on throwing kitchen sinks, but based on ideas, character, and judgement.
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by gposs1 March 12, 2008 4:27 AM EDT
If Obama had anything substantial to say, then I would agree that what Ferraro has said is incorrect. But what she said is only what everyone else is thinking, they just don''t have what it takes to say it out loud. Again, it took a woman to make a statement wearthy of recognition. This is a free country and I''m proud to be an American. It''s good to see that someone is speaking out and taking part in our 1ST Ammendment right to free speech.
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by rrcampbell11 March 12, 2008 1:08 AM EDT

When Ferraro ran for VP she was very sensitive about being singled out for scrutiny because of her Italian ancestry, especially when it came to an investigation of her campaign finances.

Funny, Hillary still hasn''t released her financial statement has she?

Is it because he is black that Mr. Obama has no trouble raising millions over the internet and can be transparent about his finances?

No, it is because he is a true leader.

Is it because there is indeed a latent racism in the Clinton campaign that Mrs. Clinton cannot only officially disavow and repudiate Mrs. Ferraro''s comments but also distance herself from Mrs. Ferraro completely?

Perhaps.
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by user168-2009 March 12, 2008 12:04 AM EDT
Well educated, smart white males are supporting Obama in large number. Who''s jealous? Geraldine Ferraro, very!
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by March 11, 2008 11:51 PM EDT
This comment has NO negative connotation. Too many people think that simply raising the issue of race is racist. It is not. It is the basis of free speech and debate this country is founded on. Take the negative filters from your eyes and see the statements for what they really are.
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by luvcomments March 11, 2008 10:56 PM EDT
Re Ferraro-the-Bigot''s remark - only a racist could say such a stupid, stupid thing.

If. Sen. Obama were white, Clinton''s wife would have had to give up some time ago.

If Sen. Obama were white, nee Rodham wouldn''t have stood a chance.

His character is so far superior to hers that only a bigot wouldn''t see it.

Sometimes some people could make it really easy to be embarrassed for being white, let alone a white woman. These two come close.
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by bareb0nes March 11, 2008 9:53 PM EDT
Geraldine, i voted for you in ''84, and i admired you. I was as MORE aghast at the comment you made than i was with the recent behavior of our governor of NY. I say this only because I really didnt have quite the respect for our governor as i did for you. You''ve proved me wrong, and I truly hope you dont believe what you uttered.
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by cysofga March 11, 2008 9:52 PM EDT
I am both a woman and an African-
American. And just as I know a sexist statement when I hear one, so do I know a racist one. This was clearly a racist comment and I am deeply offended.
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by desertclair March 11, 2008 9:15 PM EDT
Why is Ferraro being called a racist for expressing her opinion, which seems to make a relevant point? I thought Obama''s campaign was against this kind of politics ... calling people names because they disagree with them. First, they call Hillary a monster and now Ferrara is a racist. Is that why the press is playing dead when it comes to Obama? Are they afraid of being called racist?
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by ceo4bam March 11, 2008 8:07 PM EDT
Well, contrary to what you might think, blacks don''t owe Hillary their vote. News Flash: Obama is charismatic, and Hillary is...well not. More pointedly, it is that sense of entitlement we see with Hillary and her supporters that that has haunted it from the beginning (when Obama was not widely accepted in the black community). That sense of entitlement we see in the responses on this blog will be the death knell. Listen up!
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by hillarynow March 11, 2008 7:33 PM EDT
I don''t remember the definition of racism meaning "anyone white who simply points out the truth about someone who is black" Now on the other hand, preference or favoritism towards one race over another, what racism actually is, like 99% of black voters voting for the black candidate, that seems pretty racist to me..
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by ceo4bam March 11, 2008 7:27 PM EDT
Blondchic,

I guess you didn''t think about it much when 100% of the white people in America voted for the white candidate for the presidency in any of the last 40+ presidential elections?? Hmmm.

Also, why are you so dissappointed that the hitherto unheard from black voters are now involved? Get over it! Obama has that popular appeal..that Je ne se quois that comes from being a true leader. Your candidate does not. Besides, she voted for an unpopular war with her base and never admitted she was wrong. I guess that doesn''t count if you are married to Bill.
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by sosoe-2009 March 11, 2008 7:18 PM EDT
I''ve been waiting for this bulls--- to surface it''s ugly head. I thought the Republicans would do the deed. But someone from the Democratic Party! This is really, really, sad! Geraldine is an OLD HAG who missed her chance and will say anything to get a "woman" in the whitehouse. So what, if Blacks are voting for Barack because he''s Black! White women are voting for "THE MONSTER" because she is a woman! And come off that bulls--- that Blacks don''t know what Obama stands for! That sounds as racist as Geraldine''s statement. Every Black I know, and they all AREN''T voting for Barack, does know Barack''s policies. He is a highly intelligent individual who is as capable of being president as any of those white men who has held the job before. He''s definitely more capable than the one in there now. I''m sick of all this ridiculous bashing of this man!! I HAD supported "The Monster" initially. Her negative chracter, her wining every time Barack responded to her remarks, her "mocking" Barack, and those GOTDA----pansuits, turned me off!! Everybody, have a nice day!!
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by karutam March 11, 2008 7:17 PM EDT
Now you understand why Ferraro has never been a winner. Under all her declarations, she is a racist at heart and not only that, affirmative action to her means just that - to affirm a woman to a position over any male, regardless of the fact that the woman is less qualified and experienced. Ferraro is the type that will destroy women''s rights because she expect women to be "given" and not because it should be judged on equal footing. They try to uplift themselves by putting down others.
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by alee25 March 11, 2008 7:10 PM EDT
Ms Ferraro is absolutely correct in what she said. She didn''t say Obama is a monster, she didn''t take anything out of context. She called it as she sees it. Race has been part of this nomination race from the day Obama declared his intention. Thank you Geraldine.
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by filecabinet2 March 11, 2008 7:07 PM EDT
Besscannon, I bet your mother would be ashamed.
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by hhkeller March 11, 2008 7:06 PM EDT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHsHM0laT8

Why is this covered up?
Clinton should apologize
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by filecabinet2 March 11, 2008 7:06 PM EDT
Unbelievable. Outrageous. If Hillary doesn''t explicitly ''both reject and denounce'' these comments, she is effectively complicit in overt racism and thus disqualified from the Presidency.
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by robsal3 March 11, 2008 6:52 PM EDT
It is amazing and appalling that a major Democrat like Ferraro would use a blatantly sexist and racist argument about Obama, and even more amazing and disappointing that Clinton is condoning (and tacitly encouraging this) from her surrogates. This disqualifies Clinton to be President of the United States.
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