A War on Poverty Subtly Linked to Race The shift in antipoverty policy, though sold in race-neutral terms, is central to the racial legacy Mr. Clinton leaves. At times he spoke explicitly, even eloquently, about racial justice; he defended affirmative action; and he appointed record numbers of blacks and Latinos to positions of influence. Yet much of his work consisted of more subtle efforts to reshape racial perceptions. "Clinton understood that welfare had become a racially stigmatized program," said Theda Skocpol, a political scientist at Harvard University who studies programs for the poor. "He ended the most controversial aspects of welfare, but at the same time, he built up supports for working families. And he certainly did see this as an effort to quiet racial disputes about social supports for the vulnerable." http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/26/politics/26CLIN.html?pagewanted=all