Even when white people are "cool" with Black folks, it is important for them to remember not to get too comfortable. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton showed how comfortable she is with Black Americans Friday when she made a joke about all Black people looking alike.
According to The Hill, Recode held an event with the former U.S. senator at New York City's 92nd Street Y, and host Kara Swisher mistakenly attributed the "when they go low, kick them in the shins" quote to Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) instead of former Attorney General Eric Holder.
After Clinton corrected Swisher, she sarcastically added, "I know they all look alike." Swisher immediately rebutted that claim but then realized the former presidential candidate was joking and gave Clinton a "well done" as the audience laughed.
While some folks appreciated the sarcasm, not everyone thought the joke was a laughing matter.
I don't give Hillary Clinton a pass on her "I know, they all look alike…" joke. This is a big problem with liberals. Racist and homophobic jokes aren't funny and yet we see it every day. If it's a liberal, they get a pass? No.
— Lori (@iCounterSpin) October 29, 2018
“I know they all look alike,” said Hillary Clinton. She attempted to mask her bigotry as a joke. #EpicFail. @friendshipwest
@ibocchurch
https://t.co/ERoOfmF7cV— Jeffery Myers (@jefferymyers) October 30, 2018
I think that was her checking the interviewer. Maybe that was not her place as a white woman, but I am not offended. I am glad she is aware of how real and commonplace that belief is. I don’t think it deserves a donkey of the day! Peace ☮️!
— Simone Y Delaney (@lung4me) October 30, 2018
If taken out of context, yes it would be. However, the comment was a check on the interviewer and not a jab at the African American community. It was rather flippant to say.
— Darinda Sant ???????? (@DarindaSant) October 30, 2018
As the Pittsburgh Courier points out, some of Clinton's critics likely had some of her past statements on race in mind as they called her out for the joke. The politician had to answer for her previous use of the term "super predators" during the 2016 presidential campaign.
You can check out the Recode exchange for yourself below:
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