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Clinton Defends
Her Campaigning, Obama Navigates Racial Minefield

Clinton Defends
Her Campaigning, Obama Navigates Racial Minefield

Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday she must respond in kind to criticism from rival Barack Obama even though she'd rather keep the race for the Democratic presidential nomination focused on their differences on public policy issues. Democrat Barack Obama is walking a tricky racial line in South Carolina, openly appealing to black voters while striving not to be tagged as ''the black candidate.''

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Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday she must respond in kind to criticism from rival Barack Obama even though she'd rather keep the race for the Democratic presidential nomination focused on their differences on public policy issues.

''I try not to attack first, but I have to defend myself -- I do have to counterpunch,'' Clinton told NBC's Today Show.

''I took a lot of incoming fire for many, many months, and I was happy to absorb it because obviously, you know, I felt that was part of my responsibility. But toward the end of a campaign you have to set the record straight,'' the New York senator said.

Clinton, Obama, and their campaigns have exchanged increasingly hard-hitting jabs in recent days over race, his relationship with a Chicago developer, her vote on the Iraq war, and other issues. Clinton pulled a South Carolina radio ad critical of Obama on Thursday and Obama took down his radio response in an attempt to cool the angry public spat.

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Democrat Barack Obama is walking a tricky racial line in South Carolina, openly appealing to black voters while striving not to be tagged as ''the black candidate.'' His success or failure will help decide his party's presidential nomination -- and could strongly influence the fall general election if he prevails over Clinton.

African-Americans make up a large portion of the Democratic electorate in Deep South states, and they could help Obama win a handful of primaries, including Saturday's in South Carolina. But the more Obama is seen through a racial lens, the more it might hamper him in other states, especially those where voters are unaccustomed or unwilling to support black candidates.

Obama's aides acknowledge the dilemma, saying it is inevitable for the first viable black presidential contender. They hope he can benefit from black voters' enthusiasm while also highlighting the many votes he has drawn in states such as Iowa, where he won the January 3 Democratic caucus. (AP)

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