Clinton defends husband

Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton has strongly defended her husband’s record on civil rights at a forum in New Orleans.

She also acknowledged “painful moments” in the presidential contest, pitting the first woman candidate against a pioneering black contender.

At the annual State of the Black Union conference, Mrs Clinton denied the notion that former president Bill Clinton had inflamed racial tensions while campaigning for her in the run-up to South Carolina’s primary last month, saying he had made racial reconciliation a key part of his public life.

Mr Clinton harshly criticised Barack Obama in South Carolina, producing a backlash among blacks that helped lead to his wife’s crushing defeat there.

He then angered many by suggesting Mr Obama had won the state because he was a black candidate campaigning in a state with a large number of black voters.