Clinton Rejects 'Ugly Perception' Campaign Used Race As A Tactic

Hillary Clinton describes her heated Democratic primary race with rival Barack Obama as one of the more "civil and positive" campaigns she has ever been involved in. And she's not kidding.

In the middle of Thursday's trip through North Carolina, Clinton strayed off the economic message that was the focus of speeches in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Winston-Salem to talk about race.

Clinton took 30 minutes in the middle of a hectic day for a conference call with members of the Trotter Group -- a national organization of black columnists.

In a statement before the question and answer session, she started on a high -- "the historic nature" of a contest between a woman and an African American.

She quickly got to the point -- which she clearly considers a low point -- the "ugly perception that my campaign has used race as a tactic."

"I categorically reject that," Clinton said.

When passions run high, there are "painful moments" in a campaign, she said. Some supporters of both candidates have "crossed a line."

Read more: The Charlotte Observer