Clinton pins racially charged skit on New York City mayor's shoulders

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Hillary Clinton draws criticism for racially-charged joke

Ed Henry reports from New York

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton distanced herself Tuesday from a racially charged comedy sketch she participated in with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over the weekend.

In the sketch at the city's annual Inner Circle charity show, de Blasio said he took so long to endorse Clinton for president because he was running on "CP time", an apparent reference to the stereotype of African-Americans being late for appointments. Clinton then interjected: "Cautious politician time. I've been there."

"Well, look, it was Mayor de Blasio's skit," she told Cosmopolitan.com. "He has addressed it, and I will really defer to him because it is something that he's already talked about."

Many of the New York politicians, power brokers and reporters in the room laughed at the joke. But as word of the sketch spread via social media, the coverage became scornful. The Daily News blared "Skit for Brains" on its Tuesday front page. And New York magazine made reference to the mayor's black spouse, asking, "Does your wife, Chirlane (McCray), know about this joke?"

De Blasio, whose two multiracial children identify as black, downplayed the controversy.

"It was clearly a staged event," he told CNN on Monday. "I think people are missing the point here."

Mayoral aides added that the skit was not meant to offend and pointed out that it was far from the only risque joke during a night on which reporters put on a show to roast politicians and then the mayor returns the favor.

At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest deflected questions about the propriety of the joke, saying he hadn't seen it, but he praised Clinton and de Blasio for the "commitment that they've shown over the course of their career to justice and civil rights."

The flap comes at a poor time for Clinton, who has enjoyed deep support from black voters during the previous primaries and is banking on their support again in New York's April 19 primary to ward off a challenge from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. A loss for Clinton in her home state could upend the Democratic race, though she would still have a significant delegate lead.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.