Clinton accuses Obama camp of pushing race issue

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) accused the campaign of Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), her main rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, of deliberately distorting remarks she made about Martin Luther King Jr.

Clinton said there “is not one shred of truth” to assertions that her campaign is making race an issue. The former first lady argued that remarks she had made, meant to say that it takes more than words to bring about change, were unfairly mischaracterized.

{mosads}“This is an unfortunate storyline that the Obama campaign has pushed very hard,” Clinton said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

She argued that her comment saying that former President Lyndon B. Johnson deserves credit for signing civil rights legislation into law should not be interpreted to mean that the contributions of leaders such as Dr. King were not more important. Instead, Clinton said, it only showed that those with inspiration and ideas still need to work through the system to accomplish change.

Obama responded to the criticism later Sunday.

“I think what we saw this morning is why the American people are tired of Washington politicians and the games they play,” he said.

Obama noted that it was Clinton who made an “ill-advised” remark about Dr. King and former president Johnson.

“I didn’t make the statement,” Obama noted, “I haven’t remarked on it and she I think offended some folks who felt that somehow diminished King’s role in bringing about the Civil Rights Act. She is free to explain that, but the notion that somehow this is our doing is ludicrous.”

On the show, the former first lady stated that Obama offers inspiration, but she said voters have to determine the record of candidates to see if they could translate ideas into action.

Clinton went after Obama on Iraq, saying that his actions and statements following an “impassioned speech” against military action in 2002 did not match the campaign’s rhetoric. Arguing that these are not attacks, Clinton stated that voters should get all of the information to then pick the candidate who is best qualified.

Obama criticized the former first lady for going after him instead of focusing on her own agenda.

“I have to point out that instead of telling the American people about her positive vision for America, Senator Clinton spent an hour talking about me and my record in a way that was flat out wrong,” Obama said. “She suggested that I didn’t clearly and unambiguously oppose the war in Iraq when it is absolutely clear and anyone who has followed this knows that I did.”

Clinton did discuss some of her plans for Iraq. The senator said she would begin withdrawing troops even if the military leaders would ask her to do otherwise and if there is evidence that political reconciliation is working. Clinton argued that Iraqi leaders are already influenced by the plans of the Democratic frontrunners, who all have said they would begin to pull out troops at the beginning of their presidency.