Clinton Carves New Strategy With Double-Edged Sword : Politics: On one side, he’s bucking Democratic power players, while on the other, he’s wooing voters on face-to-face interview shows.

Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton pursued a two-pronged strategy Monday, featuring a combative approach to a flap over remarks by a rap singer and a separate effort to charm voters during a two-hour show on CBS.

The strategy cast Clinton as an independent candidate of political change, willing to stand on principle when necessary against special interest groups. At the same time, Clinton aides said, they intend to use broadcasts that feature live audiences to present the presidential candidate to voters who are uncertain or skeptical of where he stands on policy issues.

“On the one hand, you get to lay out the details on important issues,” said campaign spokeswoman Dee Dee Myers, “and on the other hand, you have the opportunity to have the candidate interact with real voters.”

On Monday Clinton interacted with voters by serving up sound-bite portions of his standard stump speech in response to questions from CBS-TV audiences in six states participating in the “This Morning” show.

Later, he added fuel to the smoldering fire he ignited in a weekend speech to the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition by criticizing black rapper Sister Souljah for what he termed racially inflammatory views.

Souljah, who had addressed the coalition a day earlier, was quoted in an interview with the Washington Post in the wake of the Los Angeles riots as saying: “If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?” Clinton denounced the remarks as racist.

Jackson, pointing to Souljah’s contention that she had been misquoted, called Clinton’s remarks divisive. Jackson and many of his supporters charged that Clinton was using the civil rights organization to send a message to conservative white voters that he would be tough with a special interest organization.

Clinton told host/interviewer Harry Smith on Monday that he did not “attack” Souljah but had only “disagreed with her comments.” The candidate said he was not attempting to send a signal to white conservative voters by embarrassing Jackson or raising the matter at the Rainbow Coalition event.

But Clinton clearly saw the controversy as helpful to him. He discussed it at length with reporters after the show, even though the audiences assembled by the news program’s staff never raised the issue again. He defiantly repeated his opposition to the singer’s comments and rejected Jackson’s demand for an apology.

In a remark clearly aimed at Jackson, Clinton told reporters Monday: “I think a lot of people have overreacted. I stand by what I said.”

In Washington, Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) commended Clinton for “his rebuke of such blatantly inflammatory rhetoric and for reminding the country that no race has a monopoly on racist provocation and demagoguery.”

Rev. Timothy Mitchell, a prominent black minister in New York, said he found Clinton’s decision to use a black organization as a forum for his criticism especially offensive. “You don’t invite a person to your house for them to insult your daughter.”

Laverne Perry, a publicist for Sister Souljah, said the rapper would not comment until a news conference today in New York.

Other than the brief and early exchange on Sister Souljah, Clinton’s appearance on the show proceeded without any intense or confrontational comments or questions.

Clinton discussed health care, taxes, child care, deficit reduction and a range of other issues. He said he was unsure if there should be an oil import tax and that he would consider changes to the 1986 tax law.

“I don’t think there is any question that the direct, more extended interviews like David Frost and Arsenio Hall and the direct question-and-answers are better in terms of relating to the people,” Clinton said after emerging from the CBS studios. “I also think they are very good when they are unscripted and when you’ve got a studio audience that’s not filled with your supporters. People get to watch you react in a totally unprepared way. I think that’s good.”

The give-and-take of ordinary viewers helps Clinton refine his message to appeal to the broadest audience, he said.

But it is also necessary for Clinton to outline his campaign’s big themes, and to achieve that goal, Clinton has scheduled campaign speeches before selected audiences.

Later Monday, Clinton arrived in California for a round of appearances. He began with a speech to a meeting of the United Auto Workers in San Diego.

Foreign competitors are “eating our lunch,” he said. “I say more incentives to invest here at home. No more incentives to move our jobs overseas,” a remark that drew a standing ovation.

“I disagree with the people who say we can make it as a service economy. That’s nuts. We have to make things in America.”

He has planned a major address on Wednesday before the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. He also plans to appear before the U.S. Conference of Mayors next week to reveal the urban legislation package he would press during the first 100 days of his Administration.

“What we want to do is take one issue and explore it comprehensively in a group setting such as those,” Myers said.