Obama's Hackles Raised Over Enduring Race Issue

Barack Obama yesterday expressed frustration at comments about his ethnic background following the resignation of a Hillary Clinton campaign member who made remarks about his race.

Geraldine Ferraro, who became the first woman on a US presidential election ticket in 1984, said Obama would not be in a position to claim the Democratic nomination if he was white or a woman.

The comment sparked the ire of Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, who accused the Clinton camp of setting an "insidious pattern" of attacks on her rival. Ferraro responded by pointing the finger back at Obama, saying his backers were criticizing her because of her race.

She resigned yesterday, saying in a letter to Clinton: "The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won't let that happen."

Following her departure, Obama said his primary victories showed he could draw support from all races and regions, and was not overly reliant on black voters.

"We keep on thinking we've dispelled this," the Illinois senator said of the race issue. "And it keeps on getting raised once again."

In winning Tuesday's Mississippi primary, Obama took about 90% of the black vote and 30% of the white vote, according to exit polls. Similar results in other southern states have prompted some political analysts to raise questions about whether his strong support among black voters is nudging some white Democrats into supporting Clinton.

Obama said some voters may support or vote against him because he is black, as some may support or vote against Clinton because she is female, but that it was not how the majority made up their minds.

"[The] overwhelming majority of Americans are going to make these decisions based on who they think will be the best president," he said.

"I have absolute confidence that if I'm doing my job, if I'm delivering my message, then there are very few voters out there that I can't win."

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton moved to calm the backlash provoked by Ferraro's comments.

Obama was last week forced to cut ties with foreign policy aide Samantha Power after she called Clinton a "monster". Ferraro's departure has allowed Obama aides to remind voters and the media of other racially tinged asides Clinton supporters have recently directed at the Illinois senator.

Addressing an event sponsored by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a group of more than 200 black community newspapers, Clinton distanced herself from Ferraro's remark and apologized for any offense they had caused.

She said: "I certainly do repudiate it and I regret deeply that it was said. Obviously she doesn't speak for the campaign, she doesn't speak for any of my positions, and she has resigned from being a member of my very large finance committee."

The New York senator also apologized for any offense caused by comments made by her husband, Bill Clinton, which many thought suggested Obama only won the South Carolina primary because of his race.

The former president said Jesse Jackson also won South Carolina when he ran for president in 1984 and 1988, a remark which was viewed as belittling Obama's success.

Hilary Clinton said: "I want to put that in context. You know I am sorry if anyone was offended. It was certainly not meant in any way to be offensive. We can be proud of both Jesse Jackson and Senator Obama."

"Anyone who has followed my husband's public life or my public life know very well where we have stood and what we have stood for and who we have stood with," she said.

"Once one of us has the nomination there will be a great effort to unify the Democratic party and we will do so, because, remember, I have a lot of supporters who have voted for me in very large numbers and I would expect them to support Senator Obama if he were the nominee."