Politics | Hillary Clinton Clintons Still Seething Over Racist Portrayal Aides didn't defend Obama on McCain's 'race card' accusation By Dustin Lushing Posted Aug 5, 2008 12:23 PM CDT Copied %u201CThe McCain campaign is doing the right thing by pushing back, and I feel slightly vindicated,%u201D a former Hillary Clinton aide says. %u201CBut at the end of the day, I hope it goes away pretty soon.%u201D (AP Photo) The Democratic primary battle ended months ago, but many in both Hillary and Bill Clinton’s circles still harbor a grudge over the way her campaign was painted as racist, Ben Smith writes in Politico. This ill will is coming back to haunt presumptive nominee Barack Obama as he grapples with the McCain campaign's suggestion he is now playing the race card. "The Clintons or their supporters could have provided a powerful rebuttal," Smith writes of the comments last week made by John McCain's campaign manager. "Instead they were silent, and in private, some even quietly cheered." On Friday, McCain's chief strategist compared his candidate to Bill, and the Clintons "seemed to accept the analogy." Read These Next Actor Sam Rockwell gets residuals from movie he wasn't in. Gavin Newsom has filed a massive lawsuit against Fox News. New York Times ranks the best movies of the 21st century. Rick Hurst, Dukes of Hazzards' dopey deputy, dies at 79 Report an error