Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod, Concedes Obama ‘Dollar Bill’ Remark Referred to His Race
ABC
Obama Playing the Race Card
When first asked about the comment Obama’s chief strategist refused to admit that his candidate was referring to his race when he said Republicans were trying to scare voters by suggesting Obama “doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.”
The comment had triggered a charge Thursday from Sen. John McCain’s campaign manager that Obama had “played the race card… from the bottom of the deck.”
Obama’s camp initially denied the remark was a reference to Obama’s race.
“He was referring to the fact that he didn’t come into the race with the history of others,” Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday. “It is not about race.”
But Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod, acknowledged on “Good Morning America” Friday that the candidate was referring, at least in part, to his ethnic background.
When pressed to explain the comment, Axelrod told “GMA” it meant, “He’s not from central casting when it comes to candidates for president of the United States. He’s new to Washington. Yes, he’s African-American.”
That seemingly obvious reference sparked the first real fireworks between the two camps as backers of both candidates accused the other of injecting race into the presidential contest.
When questioned about the drop in the polls after the ‘Obama King of The World Tour,’ Axelrod said “We didn’t expect a boost in the polls.”
“Say What?”
But Not The Guy Below
Comment by John Austin personal training on 3 August 2008:
““We didn’t expect a boost in the polls.”
And then the reason for going there during a Presidiential campaign was?
BHO admits there was a racial element to his remarks? Someone should tell his spokeshumans appearing on the news shows. Daschle didn’t get the memo. I think people are going to soon get fatigued from this constant racial discussion. I am tired of it already. Should these petty squabbles continue I cannot see it helping BHO’s campaign.