Screenshot/YouTube
During Saturday night's Inner Circle dinner, an annual entertainment show for local politicians, reporters and other insiders, Clinton joined de Blasio onstage for a surprise appearance with "Hamilton" actor Leslie Odom, Jr.
"I just have to say, thanks for the endorsement, Bill. Took you long enough," Clinton said, needling the mayor for his endorsement that came more than six months after she announced her campaign.
"Sorry, Hillary. I was running on C.P. time," de Blasio said, invoking the stereotype of "colored people time" in a reference that drew groans from some audience members.
Odom, who is black, then butted in:
"That's not - I don't like jokes like that, Bill," he said.
After a beat, Clinton then delivered the punchline.
"Cautious politician time. I've been there."
As the joke made its rounds on Monday, it drew plenty of scorn from users on Twitter:
Hillary Clinton and Bill de Blasio made a racist joke together.
How much information do you need to prove she ain't here for us?
Almost Perfect! De Blasio and Clinton's "routine" about #CPTime was missing just one thing: pic.twitter.com/ZuoJSE9Gem
I still love how the awful "CP Time" joke bit from Clinton and DeBlasio seems right out of a Veep episode.
- Jonathan Cohn (@JonathanCohn) April 12, 2016
Looks like @HillaryClinton 's fall back career of a stand up comedian isn't gonna pan out...#HillarySoQualified https://t.co/QlzWHn1OJQ
if you're black and work in the mayor's office, you're allowed to go to work at noon tomorrow
If Hillary is low key racist enuf to plan a #CPtime joke for a speaking event imagine what she says when noise machine is on #HillarySoDown
- Zach Haller (@zachhaller) April 11, 2016