As long as we’re dissecting telling Bill Clinton moments, here’s onemore. Heading out the door of a Charlestonbar and grill Wednesday, the former president heatedly responded to reporters asking about race on the campaign trail:
“This is almost like once you accuse someone of racismand bigotry the facts become irrelevant. Not one single solitary citizen askedabout any of this and they never do.” [More context here . Video here .]
Fast forward to Clinton’sKingstree event that evening, where an audience member asked a long question about Hillary and Obama andrace. “We know you sound polite when you talk about Obama,” he said. “But blackAmericais voting for Obama because he’s black.” The man went on to claim that America isn’tready for a black president and that Obama would lose to a Republican in thegeneral election. “I’d love to see a black president,” he said, adding that hethought Obama would do a good job. “But America, it still has racistproblems.”
The questioner said he’s a minister from a nearby town but refused to give his name. When reporters pushed, a policeman who was escorting him–and inexplicably wearing a Department of Corrections uniform–waved them away.
