Bill Clinton stuck by his criticism of a black rap singer Monday, saying her comments were an example of "how profoundly alienated and divided some of us are."
"I wouldn't call it an attack. I just disagreed with her remarks," the Democratic candidate said on "CBS This Morning." He was defending his weekend criticism of singer Sister Souljah, who was quoted after the Los Angeles riots as saying blacks should consider killing whites for a week rather than each other.Clinton said his remark, which drew fire from Jesse Jackson and raised eyebrows among some of his own rank-and-file supporters, was not an appeal to white, suburban voters.
"I fail to see how that's pandering. That's bringing the people together," Clinton said.
"I have constantly in this campaign spoken out against divisiveness. I did not go to some group of white conservatives" and criticize the singer, Clinton said.
His weekend remarks were made to the Rainbow Coalition - which is why they raised the ire of Jackson, since the group had embraced Sister Souljah the day before when she participated in a youth forum.
Attempts to reach Sister Souljah for comment were not successful.
Clinton said that celebrities with influence should be preaching "harmony, not discord."
"We don't have a lot of time to pull this country back together . . . I thought that was a good example of how profoundly alienated and divided some of us are," Clinton said, adding that he thought a lot of people had overreacted to the comment. "I stand by what I said."
He passed up a chance to attack likely rival Ross Perot, declining to comment on whether he is a "temperamental tyrant" with contempt for the Constitution, as Republicans have said.
"It's hard to know because he hasn't said much about what he believes," Clinton said.
At a Manhattan fund-raiser Sunday evening, at least some of Clinton's supporters said they didn't think Clinton should have made the remarks.
"It was irrelevant," said Natalie Cave, a black social worker from Brooklyn who was at a $250-a-plate fund-raiser for Clinton. "I wonder if it's a political move. . . . Let's talk about the issues that matter - savings and loan bailout, poor women and children."
Clinton used his opening remarks to jab at Republicans. Clinton said the "Perot phenomenon" has been caused by voters' disgust - much of it deserved - with both political parties.