Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > January > 30 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHillary Clinton: ‘Each day I keep trying to improve on my imperfections’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama played nice in front of thousands of African-American church-goers gathered in Atlanta on Wednesday.
The audience was the National Baptist Conventions of America.
Obama, speaking via an unevenly streaming Internet connection, went first. Clinton appeared in person, her speech a prelude of an address she’ll make to Georgia Democrats who also gather at the Georgia World Congress Center this evening.
It’s the start of an all-Hillary night, given John Edwards’ withdrawal from the Democratic race today.
You can see details of his speech below, but Obama did make some veiled references to the back-and-forth between himself and both Clintons, decrying “politics that’s all about winning.” Though he did admit that Hillary Clinton’s candidacy had inspired women.
Clinton, for her part, spoke as if she and Obama hadn’t any differences at all.
During a 25-minute speech, the New York senator made only the barest references to the conflict that has polarized many of the black voters she’s been trying to reach.
“I should begin by acknowledging my husband is a Baptist. And I have learned from sitting around the kitchen, that Baptists have quite the tradition of disagreement. Sometimes the decibel level can rise, depending on the passion of the moment,” Clinton said at the outset.
At another point, she confessed, “So often, like all of us, I fall short. So each day I keep trying to improve my imperfections. that’s what I try to do not only in my personal life, but also in my public life.”
Her touchstones included John Lewis, who has endorsed her, the late Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela. She also promised to double federal funding for traditional black colleges such as Spelman and Morehouse.
Any invective Clinton saved for the Bush administration. “For the past seven years, our leaders have gotten it wrong. They’ve gotten it upside-down and backwards,” she said. “They have lifted up the drug and insurance companies, but vetoed health care for millions of children in need.”
Where Obama gave multiple mentions to the disproportionate number of young black men in prison, Clinton emphasized “nooses in schoolyards” — a reference to the Jena situation of last summer — and the failure of the federal government in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
“Our country deserves a president who rolls up his — or her — sleeves,” she said.
Comments
By Dave
January 30, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
“Every day I try to improve….”. Give me a break. If you can’t see through her, you are a moron. All Hillary cares about is power and she tell you whatever you need to hear in order to get it. If she actually had a soul, I’d say she sell it to win….
By Andre Walker
January 30, 2008 7:27 PM | Link to this
Obama 08 is a vote to heal the wounds of the last decade.
By FJ Stratford
January 30, 2008 9:23 PM | Link to this
Looks like Obama is ignoring Georgia like he “ignored” Florida.
Hmm…
As long as the Obamababies wont protest if Hillary wins Georgia…
By FJ Stratford
January 30, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this
Looks like Obama is ignoring Georgia like he “ignored” Florida.
Hmm…
As long as the Obamababies wont protest if Hillary wins Georgia…
By FJ Stratford
January 30, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
Looks like Obama is ignoring Georgia like he “ignored” Florida.
Hmm…
As long as the Obamababies wont protest if Hillary wins Georgia…
By VG
January 30, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
To this comment: “Obama 08 is a vote to heal the wounds of the last decade” and all those Obama supporters who want to turn the page on Clinton because she is damaged/tarnished.
Let’s say your mother went into an ocean to fish for you and got picked on by the sharks. Would you say, ah, mother is too divise. She riled up the sharks and now she is damaged. Let’s dump her. We need a fresh one to fish for us.
Moral of the story: Obama supporters, don’t be mercenary. Don’t eat your own. If you still must turn the page - do so. But don’t make a guy who yesterday was Blacker than Black a racist. Have some decency.
By Sue
January 30, 2008 10:51 PM | Link to this
Hillary’s imperfections could fill a library. Obama is by far the best candidate. Based on his background, leadership abilities, and policy positions he has my vote. He is also the cleanest candidate in my opinion. I just found this website that shows Hillary has way too many skeletons that will come up again if she is the nominee. Obama is relatively clean and honest when he makes a mistake.
www.realchange.org
This is not a site that supports Obama. I, however, do!
By sue
January 30, 2008 10:53 PM | Link to this
Hillary’s imperfections could fill a library. Obama is by far the best candidate. Based on his background, leadership abilities, and policy positions he has my vote. He is also the cleanest candidate in my opinion. I just found this website that shows Hillary has way too many skeletons that will come up again if she is the nominee. Obama is relatively clean and honest when he makes a mistake.
www.realchange.org
This is not a site that supports Obama. I, however, do!