Ferraro: ‘I will not be discriminated against because I’m white’

Under fire for saying Barack Obama is leading the Democratic race for the presidency because he is African-American, an unrepentant former Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, D-N.Y., lashed out at critics in a series of interviews on Tuesday.

“Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let’s address reality and the problems we’re facing in this world, you’re accused of being racist, so you have to shut up,” Ferraro said in an interview with the Daily Breeze. “Racism works in two different directions. I really think they’re attacking me because I’m white. How’s that?”Contacted for comment by the New York Times, Ferraro reiterated the criticism. “Every time [Obama's] campaign is upset about something, they call it racist,” she said. “I will not be discriminated against because I’m white. If they think they’re going to shut up Geraldine Ferraro with that kind of stuff, they don’t know me.”

And in an interview with Fox News, Ferraro said concerns by the Obama campaign over her statements were “offensive.”

“Any time someone says something about the [Obama] campaign, they’re accused of being racist,” she said.

Clinton’s camp removed Ferraro from the campaign’s finance committee, and issued a statement in which Clinton said, “It’s regrettable that any of our supporters on both sides say things that veer off into the personal. We ought to keep this focused on the issues. That’s what this campaign should be about.”

Ferraro ran for vice president in 1984 with Walter Mondale against Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. She was the first woman to stand for election on the national ticket of a major party.