PresumptiveDemocratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has paid tribute to
boxing legend Muhammad Ali, recalling how she sparred with the
three-time world champion in the early 1970s.
“I remember back in 1970 when the
Nixon administration had banned him from boxing. I would often spar with
him to keep him fresh, you know, keep him on his toes,” Clinton
recalled.
And that wasn’t the only Clinton family connection to the man known as “The Greatest” to fans around the world.
“My daughter Chelsea was an au pair to his children at the same time. They used to call her mammy,” said Clinton.
“I remember the day Martin Luther
King, Jr. was shot. I was eating fried chicken and watermelon with
Muhammad’s mother. She wept uncontrollably into my shoulder. I still
have that tear-stained dress.”
“And I just remembered that my middle
name is Muhammad and that name was actually given to me by my parents
in homage to Mr. Ali,” Clinton went on.
“After all, what nobler calling could
an African-American have than to beat the crap out of another
African-American for the amusement of white people, giving
themselves permanent brain damage,” said Clinton.
“Another thing I just remembered,”
said Clinton, “is that on 9/11 when I went into the South Tower to
rescue Chelsea, Muhammad was there with me, and he took my hand and led
me up those 398 floors.”
Clinton continued: “Muhammad, if he
could have spoken coherently in the last few years of his life, would
have said, ’You run girl.’ And you know what? That hot sauce I keep in
my purse? It’s Muhammed Ali’s own recipe that I created with him when we
were lovers.”
