During a campaign stop at a coffee shop in Minnesota on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton told a young black woman to “go run for something” if she wouldn’t support the former secretary of State’s bid for the White House.
According to The Hill, the woman was confronting Clinton about the remarks she has made in the past, including comments she made about “super-predators” in 1996. Some people have taken those comments as digs at black men.
Clinton made reference to meeting a Somali-American city council member, presumably Abdi Warsame of the Minneapolis City Council, yet the woman persisted in arguing with Clinton.
“You know what, dear, you have a different opinion,” Clinton said. “He is a Somali-American elected to the city council. I’m really proud of that.”
After the woman disagreed with her again, Clinton fired back: “Why don’t you go run for something then?”
“I’m working for a Somali-American,” the woman said.
“Well, good!” Clinton exclaimed. “Good luck to you!”
Watch the whole confrontation here:
This isn’t the first time Clinton has been confronted about her record on racial issues. Last week, a Black Lives Matter protestor interrupted one of Clinton’s fundraisers to demand an apology on her past remarks about “super-predators” — a line of rhetoric that popularized the notion that some of the worst criminal offenders were doomed from a very young age.
This isn’t the first time Clinton has said something cringe-worthy about black people, either. Last July, she admitted she thinks black men in hoodies are scary.
“I mean if we’re honest, for a lot of well-meaning, open-minded white people, the sight of a young black man in a hoodie still evokes a twinge of fear,” Clinton said.
In August, she had an uncomfortable conversation with Black Lives Matter activists, during which she told them she would only talk to white people about racial issues.
“Respectfully, if that is your position, then I will talk only to white people about how we are going to deal with the very real problems,” she said.
