Hillary Clinton Regrets Gandhi Joke

abcnews.go.com ^ | 1/6/04 | metalboy

[metalboy]

Hillary Clinton Regrets Gandhi Joke Hillary Clinton Says She Regrets Joking That Gandhi Used to Run a Gas Station in St. Louis

The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS Jan. 6 — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized for joking that Mahatma Gandhi used to run a gas station in St. Louis, saying it was "a lame attempt at humor." The New York Democrat made the remark at a fund-raiser Saturday. During an event here for Senate candidate Nancy Farmer, Clinton introduced a quote from Gandhi by saying, "He ran a gas station down in St. Louis."

After laughter from many in the crowd of at least 200 subsided, the former first lady continued, "No, Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader of the 20th century." In a nod to Farmer's underdog status against Republican Sen. Kit Bond, Clinton quoted the Indian independence leader as saying: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

The director of a U.S. center devoted to Gandhi's teachings said the remarks amounted to stereotyping and were insensitive.

After being approached by The Associated Press to clarify the remarks, Clinton suggested in a statement late Monday that she never meant to fuel the stereotype often used as a comedic punch line that certain ethnic groups run America's gas stations.

"I have admired the work and life of Mahatma Gandhi and have spoken publicly about that many times," Clinton said. "I truly regret if a lame attempt at humor suggested otherwise."

Michelle Naef, administrator of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, a Memphis, Tenn.-based organization founded in 1991 by a Gandhi grandson, credited Clinton and her husband, former President Clinton, with long having "supported the Gandhi message." But she said Saturday's remarks "could be incredibly harmful."

"I don't think she was, in any way, trying to demean Mahatma Gandhi," Naef said. "To be generous to her, I would say it was a poor attempt at humor. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive, but I find it offensive when people use stereotypes in that way."

On the Net:

M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence,

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This m

[metalboy]

She should have told her "Paul Fray is a FJB" "joke"

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[1066AD]

Thought they preferred motels !

[Bush Cheney]

In actuality it was a slip of the tongue....meaning something she was not supposed to say out in public, but something that routinely is used in conversations with Hillary and Bill, I'm sure. These people routinely talk this way about minorities.

[Jeff Chandler]

"Thank you. Come again."

[kitkat]

***The director of a U.S. center devoted to Gandhi's teachings said the remarks amounted to stereotyping and were insensitive. ***

They're eating their own. I love it!

[punster]

The only way that Hitlery, aka Hillary Rotten Clinton, the Former First Madam of the Clinton White House of Ill Repute, cares about minorities is how she can exploit them for furthering her own power.

[battousai]

Ah once again the left proves clearly who are actually racist bigots. Basically she is trying to get cheap laugh by denigrating all Indians stating that they are only good enough to work at a gas station, even Gandhi.

Guess this will be breaking news all over the lamestream media tonight.. NOT!

[Diogenesis]

Her Royal Highness:"Time to destroy anyone who gets in our way.
Get me Ghandi's FBI files. He ran a gas station down in St. Louis.""

[annyokie]

[Lazamataz]

I had very much thought to donate my life savings --
12 rupees in all -- to Mrs. Clinton. But she has dishonored Indians.
Please do not do that to the Slurpee Machine.

[Inyokern]

Those towel-heads are offended??? How DARE they???

Don't they know who I am?

[harpo11]

These so-called ultra-tolerant and diverse happy leftists always think they are so smart and can slither away after making such rude, thoughtless and imbecilical comments.

They are also so bathed in social classifications and labels that these comments are so much a part of their dogma, only they try very hard to never let these insensitive remarks breach their lips, sometimes the truly arrogant become in their own minds so powerful that they lose their caution.

Thank God that they do so that they are revealed in the blinding lights of truth.

[troublesome creek]

An illustration of the theory that, in certain cases, 1+1=0.

[Lancey Howard]

This was one very serious lapse in judgment.
Could you imagine ever having, for example, a President with judgment so poor?

[PhilDragoo]

"Oops I did it again!"

[Lancey Howard]

[jla]

LOL

[Mia T]

MISSUS CLINTON'S GHANDI ETHNIC "JOKE" CONFIRMS CLINTON BIGOTRY, LIES_bump

[snippy_about_it]

Ewwww!