Hillary Clinton’s participation in a racially-charged skit over the weekend at the New York City press dinner has set social media on fire, with some liberals denouncing the Democratic party’s presumptive presidential nominee.
“I just have to say thanks for the endorsement, Bill. Took you long enough,” Clinton said jokingly to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“Sorry, Hillary, I was running on C.P. time,” de Blasio responded to the deafening sound of gasps from the audience.
“Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr., who is black, responded to de Blasio by saying, “I don’t like jokes like that.”
“Cautious politician time,” Hillary said, going along with the joke.
“C.P. time,” for the uninitiated, translates to “colored people time.” The phrase refers to a negative stereotype that when arriving to an event, black people generally tend to show up late. It’s a stereotype commonly joked about between black people and other minorities.
Hillary’s line was meant to clarify what de Blasio meant by “C.P. time.” But the damage, it appears, had already been done.
And it didn’t take long before social media was rife with ridicule toward the Clinton camp.
https://twitter.com/brittaufait/status/719215302979010561
https://twitter.com/LucyIdaya/status/719635395135348736
Hillary’s blunder with de Blasio came at a bad time. Bill Clinton created negative press for his wife’s campaign after he was caught on tape clashing with Black Lives Matter protesters about black-on-black crime.
The headlines after Hillary’s colored people joke were about as bad as they’ve been throughout the Democratic primary.
“Hillary Clinton Tries to Prove She’s Not Racist With Awkward Joke About ‘Colored People Time'” read one headline.
“Hillary Clinton and Bill de Blasio Set Off Cringing With Painful Joke About ‘Colored People Time,'” read another.
Neither Hillary nor de Blasio have commented further on the brewing controversy.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson
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