Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Bill Clinton Explains Obama "Fairy Tale" With Sharpton
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 12, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 12, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In the vicious waters of the 2008 presidential campaign, everything is fair game. President Bill Clinton learned that (again!) after a remark he made has drawn the ire of black leaders. So Clinton called into the Reverend Al Sharpton's radio show to explain why used the term "fairy tale" while criticizing Barack Obama.
It turns out during a Dartmouth College speech (the day before Hillary Clinton's victory in the New Hampshire primary), the former President was scoffing at Obama's Iraq stance. You can read the more of the lead-up here but the gist is that Clinton was blasting Obama continuously bashing his wife for voting for the 2002 Iraq resolution while Obama said in 2004 he didn't know how he would have voted on it had he been in the Senate at the time:
"In 2004 there was no difference between [Obama] and George Bush on the war and the speech you're running on off your Web site from 2004 and there is no difference on your voting record and Hillary's since. Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I have ever seen."
So Clinton told Sharpton, "There's nothing fairy tale about [Obama's] campaign... he might win....I think he's a very impressive man, and he's run a great campaign."
Sharpton also asked how black voters who are proud of Obama but also have "affinity" for the Clinton should vote, to which Clinton replied, "I would say first of all: You have a hard choice, and if you decide to vote for Senator Obama I respect you because it is a source of enormous pride in the African American community" but his wife "has had a unique set of experiences" and "extraordinary record in the Senate." And if Obama doesn't win this time, he has "many other opportunities to run." Whereas Hillary is chopped liver after this year, Bubba?
At any rate, Bill Clinton agreed to Sharpton's request to come into the studio for a live appearance so callers could "keep it real with Bill Clinton."
Tagged
african american
al sharpton
barack obama
bill clinton
bush
clinton
fairy tale
foot in mouth
George Bush
hillary clinton
iraq
new hampshire
New Hampshire primary
obama
Politics
President Bill Clinton
presidential campaign
Reverend Al
reverend al sharpton
Senator Obama
voting
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .