I think, in all honesty, we know what she was trying to say but boy did she ever screw it up:
Hillary Clinton today cited the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy during the 1968 presidential campaign to explain why she was remaining in the race despite long odds.
“We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California,” Clinton told the editorial board of a South Dakota newspaper. ” I don’t understand it,” Clinton added, alluding to the calls for her to quit.
Clinton made the statement after pointing out that her husband didn’t lock up the nomination until June of 1992, trying to point out that, by past history, it’s not late in the campaign.
But Barack Obama received Secret Service protection one year ago this month, the earliest ever in presidential history, after reports of threats.
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement: “Sen. Clinton’s statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign.”
Intent is kind of irrelevant at this point. She’s done.
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I cannot believe that she commented on the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy as a part of her campaign. Some Clinton supporters think that she just acknowledged the assassination of RFK, but she could have done that any point of time in the past. It was clear that she was using the RFK assassination to send the hidden message (although it was not hidden at all) that “In case something happen to Obama, I will cling on to this race till the end.” Martin Luther King Jr. and RFK were killed because they were the two major civil rights advocates in 60s, and Hillary Clinton has been moving towards the opposite direction from MLK Jr and RFK. I doubt that she has much of respect to them.
I understand completely the role of the Superdelegate. The superdelegates are all educated, intelligent and reasonable people chosen to have some influence in who is the nominee of the democratic party. It is very interesting that if you look at the people who back Barack, they are the educated, more intelligent people living in our country. Those backing Hillary are mostly uneducated. This is why Obama can raise so much money and Clinton is $20 million in debt, those backing Hillary don’t and won’t contribute to her campaign. Those uneducated Americans are, in my opinion, unable to see past her lies (dodging bullets in Bosnia, the story about the girl in Ohio who “had no health insurance” and was turned away from the hospital – the girl HAD health insurance and received full medical care), pandering (gas tax relief for the summer which NO economist says is a good idea and which she cannot deliver anyway), so it is the job of the superdelegates to counterbalance those who do not really understand the issues or the candidates, those who really think Hillary can deliver a gas tax-free summer need to have their vote discounted somehow, because they obviously don’t understand that no matter what she says or promises, it won’t happen. Obama is the BEST thing to happen in politics in a long time. His policies and judgement are right on! Something MUST be done about the lobbyists and the special interest groups who currently control everything. These groups are the main reason our country is in the poor shape it is in today. The lobbyists for the oil companies, health insurance companies, drug companies have devastated our economy! People are spending so much for gas and health insurance, they can’t afford to purchase other products that keep the economy strong. Those who say he is all talk and no substance either have not been listening, or are not intelligent enough to understand what he is saying. He has great thoughts and policies on how to change the way our country is run, that will benefit the majority of the people, and not the richest few (as things are under the Bush administration). He has excellent agendas on health care (I have ideas to make it even better, starting with limiting how much each health insurance company keeps for profit and breaking up the monopolies that have been created under the Bush administration over the past 5 years), energy, education, and foreign policy. I am not trying to be divisive to the party or to put down those that support Hillary, but the truth is the truth. Obama is the best person to be answering that 3 am phone call!
We are outraged!!! How can anyone in their right mind make excuses for the stupid statment Hillary Clinton made for her excuse to stay in this race.”Sen.Obama could get assassinated IN JUNE!!!” This is crazy If Obama had made such a statement Mainstream media would demand his exit. Hillary has made these stupid statements before and has constanly stated she is staying race in case “something happens” now we know what her something is!! Sen Clinton has made these statement three times and with her referance to “something can happen” look at the entire picture and STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR HILLARY CLINTON”!!! SUPERDELEGATES IT’S TIME TO SHOW HER THE DOOR!
Perhaps we need to consider what it is for Mrs. Clinton in these hours of doubt, a slip of the tongue should be the measure of this wonderful woman? Unlike those Godawful words of that Wright preacher, so she is not as polished as we would assume of her , but cant we all just forgive the short comings of the Exfirstlady after all she has her heart set on returning to the white house as Boss this time don’t that mean anything to us hard working uninformed Americans regardless of implications of harm to the next guy. Win at all’s cause or demise… win win win baby!!
I really don’t understand why it’s either Hilary/Obama OR McCain. NOW is the time to come together as a whole party and see the BIG PICTURE. To renounce your democratic beliefs and participation because your chosen democratic candidate didn’t win the primary is appalling; wasn’t Bush enough trauma? Let’s restore and revolutionize our country by sticking together for ALL AMERICA; let’s show the world our real potential!
This was an intentional subliminal message to all of Hillary’s psychotic supporters crazy enough to try something as horrific as assination! I don’t know who she(Hillary) thinks she is kidding but she isn’t fooling the outspoken majority.
The DNC is letting her get away with 1) race baiting 2) gender bias 3) openly hostile remarks that have the potential to be deadly!
There is absolutely no possible way had Obama made the same remarks as Hillary that the DNC or anyone involved in the political process would let him get away with.
I applaud Keith Oberman for being the only news repoter to oopenly spek what he as well as many Americans feel is the truth behind yet another of “fatigued misspeaks.”
Hillary time for you and Bill to call it a day and carry your butts home…afterall the main reason you really want back in the White House is to steal what ever you couldn’t get your hands after you left the first time!
I am sicken by Mrs.Clinton’s words. She has said and done some questionable things in the past, but this is the most uncalled for and disrespectful of all. It’s almost as if she is trying to summon one of her supporters to knock Obama off because it is her only means to getting the nomination. If it isn’t her plan she sure as heck may have put it into one of her supporters thoughts.
What is even more disappointing it will be yet another situation where poor Hillary will get a pass. Why because, everyone else is giving her the benefit of the doubt, making tired excuses for her and feeling sorry for her, including Obama and his camp. When Obama made the “bitter” comment there were no excuses for him. Hillary and her camp jumped on it and made it larger than life and he paid daily for it, over and over again so much so we now have a new word “bittergate”.
The Dem’s have shown they will allow this one woman make a fool of them. They wont make a move because they don’t wont to hurt her feelings, yet she has proven that she has no love or respect for her on party. She wants to win at any cost, even if it destroys the party. All the while the repub’s laugh.
DEM’S wake up enough is enough, you jave your party’s NOM it is Obama end this while the Dem’s still look entact. If it goes on any longer you will lose support of your people and all hopes to having a DEM as President will be lost.
I think that this just shows what she us really thinking and it shows, that like she said at the beginning, “I will do whatever it takes to win.” It’s the cannot be defeated attitude the Clintons has, as if the country owes them something. Just like she is saying she has the most experience to be president from day one. Does she really? Has she been president before? No! So, even though she was govenor of NY or whatever, does not mean she has the experience to be president. It’s a known fact that all presidents have had advisors on different issues. But her statements yesterday just shows what is in her heart. Because from the heart the mouth speaks. It’s cruel. It shows that she needs a doctor because she is really mental.
Here’s why Hillary’s ‘history’ excuse doesn’t work for me. The primary election calendars in 1992 and 1968 were longer and extended well beyond this year’s end date.
In reality, President Clinton essentially secured the nomination after the Illinois primary. The date was March 17, 1992. And if she wants to use 1968 as an example, she ought to mention that only 13 states held primaries that year. No Michigan primary in 1968 either.
Hillary and the people who have made excuses for her ‘gaffe’ ie, she’s tired, she didn’t intend to offend, demonstrate an all too casual attitude toward the importance of avoiding any comments that are so offensive.
They demonstrate the continued willingness to enable her and many others who have deep seated unconscious prejudices by saying she’s not blatantly biased nor intent on hurting race relations in the country, but Hillary and the MSM do so because they aren’t trying hard enough to avoid that possibility. Period.
To me, unconscious prejudice is the most dangerous, insidious kind. Racism, conscious and unconscious is an issue this nation cannot afford to ignore, or excuse, right now. And that means Senator Clinton and the MSN pundits, as well as the superdelegates who continue to endorse her need to honestly and seriously examine their own.
As Barack so eliquently said in his speech on race on March 18 ‘The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we’ve never really worked through – a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.’
From a hard working, middle class white woman, ‘Not this time.’ For the sake of a more perfect union, ‘Not this time.’
SUPERDELEGATES UNITE! LET”S END THE PRIMARY SEASON SO BARACK CAN START PREPARING FOR MCCAIN. HILLARY CAN WIN 80% OF THE REMAINING STATES AND THE REMAINING SUPERDELEGATES AND BARACK STILL CROSSES THE FINISH LINE (CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF) – IT”S SIMPLE MATH. WE HAVE A CANDIDATE, ITS TIME TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL. HILLARY, YOU HAD BETTER PRAY NOTHING HAPPENS TO OBAMA NOW, OR YOU MAY BE A PRIME SUSPECT, OR AT LEAST A SUSPECTED ACCOMPLICE.
Scary skeletons in Clinton’s closet. The Clintons have powerful connections. No charges are being made:
1-James McDougal – Clinton ‘s convicted Whitewater partner died of an apparent heart attack, while in solitary confinement. He was a key witness in Ken Starr’s investigation.
2-Mary Mahoney – A former White House intern was murdered July 1997 at a Starbucks Coffee Shop in Georgetown . The murder happened just after she was to go public with her story of sexual harassment in the White House.
3- Vince Foster – Former White House counselor and colleague of Hillary Clinton at Little Rock ‘s Rose Law firm. Died of a gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide.
4- Ron Brown – Secretary of Commerce and former DNC Chairman. Reported to have died by impact in a plane crash. A pathologist close to the investigation reported that there was a hole in the top of Brown’s skull resembling a gunshot wound. At the time of his death Brown was being investigated, and spoke publicly of his willingness to cut a deal with prosecutors. The rest of the people on the plane also died. A few days later the air Traffic controller committed suicide.
5- C. Victor Raiser II- Raiser, a major player in the Clinton fund raising organization died in a private plane crash in July 1992
6-Paul Tulley – Democratic National Committee Political Director found dead in a hotel room in Little Rock , September 1992. Described by Clinton as a “Dear friend and trusted advisor”.
7-Ed Willey – Clinton fund raiser, found dead November 1993 deep in the woods in VA of a gunshot wound to the head. Ruled a suicide. Ed Willey died on the same day his wife Kathleen Willey claimed Bill Clinton groped her in the oval office in the White House. Ed Willey was involved in several Clinton fund raising events.
8-Jerry Parks -Head of Clinton’s gubernatorial security team in Little Rock . Gunned down in his car at a deserted intersection outside Little Rock . Park’s son said his father was building a dossier on Clinton.
9-James Bunch – Died from a gunshot suicide. It was reported that he had a “Black Book” of people which contained names of influential people who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas
10-James Wilson – Was found dead in May 1993 from an apparent hanging suicide. He was reported to have ties to Whitewater.
11-Kathy Ferguson- Ex-wife of Arkansas Trooper Danny Ferguson, was found dead in May 1994, in her living room with a gunshot to her head. It was ruled a suicide even though there were several packed suitcases, as if she were going somewhere. Danny Ferguson was a co-defendant along with Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Kathy Ferguson was a possible corroborating witness for Paula Jones.
12-Bill Shelton – Arkansas State Trooper and fiance of Kathy Ferguson. Critical of the suicide ruling of his fiance, he was found dead in June, 1994 of a gunshot wound also ruled a suicide at the grave site of his fiance.
13-Gandy Baugh – Attorney for Clinton ‘s friend Dan Lassater, died by jumping out a window of a tall building January, 1994. His client was a convicted drug distributor.
14-Florence Martin – Accountant & sub-contractor for the CIA, was related to the Barry Seal Mena Airport drug smuggling case. He died of three gunshot wounds.
15- Suzanne Coleman – Reportedly had an affair with Clinton when he was Arkansas Attorney General. Died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head, ruled a suicide. Was pregnant at the time of her death.
16-Paula Grober – Clinton ‘s speech interpreter for the deaf from 1978 until her death December 9, 1992 . She died in a one car accident.
17-Danny Casolaro – Investigative reporter. Investigating Mena Airport and Arkansas Development Finance Authority. He slit his wrists, apparently, in the middle of his investigation
18- Paul Wilcher – Attorney investigating corruption at Mena Airport with Casolaro and the 1980 “October Surprise” was found dead on a toilet June 22, 1993 in his Washington DC apartment. Had delivered a report to Janet Reno 3 weeks before his death.
19-Jon Parnell Walker – Whitewater investigator for Resolution Trust Corp. Jumped to his death from his Arlington , Virginia apartment balcony August 15, 1993 . He was investigating the Morgan Guaranty scandal.
20-Barbara Wise – Commerce Department staffer. Worked closely with Ron Brown and John Huang. Cause of death unknown. Died November 29,
21-Charles Meissner -Assistant Secretary of Commerce who gave John Huang special security clearance, died shortly thereafter in a small plane crash.
22-Dr. Stanley Heard – Chairman of the National Chiropractic Health Care Advisory Committee died with his attorney Steve Dickson in a small plane crash. Dr. Heard, in addition to serving on Clinton ‘s advisory council personally treated Clinton ‘s mother, stepfather and brother.
23-Barry Seal -Drug running pilot out of Mena Arkansas , death was no accident.
24-Johnny Lawhorn Jr. – Mechanic, found a check made out to Bill Clinton in the trunk of a car left at his repair shop. He was found dead after his car had hit a utility pole.
25-Stanley Huggins – Investigated Madison Guaranty. His death was a purported suicide and his report was never released.
26- Hershell Friday – Attorney and Clinton fund raiser died March 1, 1994 when his plane exploded.
27-Kevin Ives & Don Henry – Known as “The boys on the track” case. Reports say the boys may have stumbled upon the Mena Arkansas airport drug operation. A controversial case, the initial report of death said, due to falling asleep on railroad tracks. Later reports claim the 2 boys had been slain before being placed on the tracks. Many linked to the case died before their testimony could come before a Grand Jury.
It’s amazing how “white” people can make excuses for one of them when something goes wrong. But when an African American makes “a mistake” it’s played out to the hilt. It even more amazing how when Hillary Clinton makes ignorant remarks, people tries to make excueses, but at the same time, those same people are holding Obama accountable for things other people around him says. It’s funny how the comments he made in the “bitter” statements were and still are used against him, but Hillary’s subtle assasination remarks are to be overlooked because she has a great “lack of sleep.
The same is to be said about Obama attracting the votes of the blue-collar white worker, white women and others. Who has the problem? It is not Barack Obama who is not voting for a Black man. It’s those who see a Black man as a threat to their ideas. It’s those who seem to think that a Black man, no matter what his qualifications, is not capable of heading a country. It’s amazing how we can die for “our country” in a foreign land, but we are not fit to represent our country in any other capacity. America is deeply prejudiced and it’s 95 percent prejudiced by white America. Hillary has played the race card, the gender card and now the assasination card. What is next? I have said from day one that she is not getting out of the race, because she has an eleventh hour plot. She is proving me right. One more thing, everybody hopped on those comments made by Rev. Wright as something horrible, how much more horrible is it that those whites who voted for Clinton say they won’t vote for Barack Obama because he is a Black man. And you say America is not prejudiced? So many more of Obama’s supporters would vote for Hillary, so who’s more prejudiced? I am here to tell you – actions speak louder than words, any day. How can America ever get on one accord with attitudes like this?
She is unbelievable! Why on earth would she say such a thing! Some crazy out there will listen to what she said and take it as a mission for him or her. She needs to be taken out of this race. She has hit all the low’s anyone can imagine! S.D. need to pick a side and let this be over before anyone gets hurt! Shame on you Sen. Clinton! You are done! No one will ever vote you in anything after this. Forget the black, hispanic, and the smart white vote as you have brought the race card in! Shame on you, Shame on anyone who takes her side!
Why is she just saying she sorry to the Kennedy’s ? Did I miss her saying, she meant no harm to Obama?
Or should I think it’s alright for Obama to be a Civil Rights Martyr like Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther?
Well I hope now everyone sees how crazy she is. At best she has a memory problem because Bobby Kennedy’s assination has nothing to do with the year her husband clinched the nomination and he clinched it in April not June. But after sniper fire in Bosnia, she knows exactly what she is saying. Also once again it is all about Hillary with no sensitivity toward the Kennedy family. Does she have any self-awareness? Also she continues to get worse. The superdelegates need to really put a stop to her shenigans by pledging for Obama and stop the democratic party bleeding.What do you want to bet she will say something stupid again. This came out after her racist remark.
It’s possible that Mrs. Clinton just misspoke, but the point is that so many people have concluded that this is just another tawdry way to appeal to the superdelegates: He can’t win the white vote, oh and by the way, he might be killed before the election. This, I think, speaks to the deep, too-the-core mistrust that a majority of the electorate have of her, and this speak to the reason she should not receive the nomination.
Hillary made a mistake by not getting out of the race when she was mathematicly eliminated ….she did not say she is waiting or hoping for an assassination. She is guilty of only jet lag and exhaustion.
Sleep deprived? You’re joking, right? This is the same person who ran on being impervious to sleep deprevation… remember the 3:00am adds? If you think Hillary is sleep deprived and under pressure now, wait until the full weight of the Presidency is on her. God knows what will come out of her mouth then! I pray to God she is never elected to anything, ever again! My hope is that Hillary supporters would start to understand that the true character of their candadate, in all it’s ugliness is festering to the surface for all in see. In reading this, please understand this is not an attack on you Gordon. Please read the following from a respected national journalist and justify the horendous list of things offered up for the consideration of all -
God knows, Senator, in this campaign, this nation has **had** to forgive you, early and often…
And despite your now traditional position of the offended victim, the nation **has** forgiven you.
1) We have forgiven you your insistence that there have been widespread calls for you to end your campaign, when such calls had been few.
2) We have forgiven you your misspeaking about Martin Luther King’s relative importance to the Civil Rights movement.
3) We have forgiven you your misspeaking about your under-fire landing in Bosnia.
4) We have forgiven you insisting Michigan’s vote wouldn’t count and then claiming those who would not count it were Un-Democratic.
5) We have forgiven you pledging to not campaign in Florida and thus disenfranchise voters there, and then claim those who stuck to those rules were as wrong as those who defended slavery or denied women the vote.
6) We have forgiven you the photos of Osama Bin Laden in an anti-Obama ad…
7) We have forgiven you fawning over the fairness of Fox News while they were still calling you a murderer.
8) We have forgiven you accepting Richard Mellon Scaife’s endorsement and then laughing as you described his “deathbed conversion.”
9) We have forgiven you quoting the electoral predictions of Boss Karl Rove.
10) We have forgiven you the 3 A-M Phone Call commercial.
11) We have forgiven you **President** Clinton’s disparaging comparison of the Obama candidacy to Jesse Jackson’s.
12) We have forgiven you Geraldine Ferraro’s national radio interview suggesting Obama would not still be in the race had he been a white man.
13) We have forgiven you the dozen changing metrics and the endless self-contradictions of your insistence that your nomination is mathematically probable rather than a statistical impossibility.
14 We have forgiven you your declaration of some primary states as counting and some as not.
15) We have forgiven you exploiting Jeremiah Wright in front of the editorial board of the lunatic-fringe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
16) We have forgiven you exploiting William Ayers in front of the debate on ABC.
17) We have forgiven you for boasting of your “support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans”…
18) We have even forgiven you repeatedly praising Senator McCain at Senator Obama’s expense, and your **own** expense, and the Democratic **ticket’s** expense.
But Senator, we cannot forgive you this.
“You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.”
We cannot forgive you this — not because it is crass and low and unfeeling and brutal.
**This** is **un**-forgivable, because this nation’s deepest shame, its most enduring horror, its most terrifying legacy, is political assassination.
She easily could have said “Bobby Kennedy was still in the race in June.”
His assassination has absolutely zero to do with the supposed point she was supposedly trying to make.
She has been harping on the fact of that tragedy in a way that makes most people very uncomfortable. This most recent statement took the rhetoric way over the line.
She meant what she said and she said what she meant. She cannot be trusted – 100%.
It’s a good thing Hillary HAS lost the nomination. She is constantly lying/making “misstatements”. If she had been President she would have said the wrong thing to the wrong person and gotten us all nuked. Probably at 3AM!
I’ve seen all of the emails, for and against HRC, but I’m having a hard time believing that she can attribute her comments to fatigue, as Sen. Obama graciously has stated. HRC is a smart woman, she should have exhibited some forethought before making that statement for the 2nd or 3rd time. It would have been so much easier to just reference the campaign going on into June. And why did she choose that year? Other campaigns have gone into June besides the 1968 and 1992 campaigns. Really, she could have mentioned her husband and left it at that. She knew exactly what she was saying, after all she had said it previously in March, BEFORE Teddy Kennedy’s illness. So, there again, she told a cover-up lie, with much ease I might add, to make herself not look so bad. Had Sen. Obama, or Sen. McCain, said the same thing, HRC would have her foot at their necks and she would be renouncing them. I’m sure she would call for Sen. Obama to get out of the race because these kinds of remarks are not what the American people expect to be hearing from their president. Somehow, she would twist things to show that she is more “electable” and “experienced” and ready to lead this country on day one. My question is, WHERE will she lead this great country? I have my money on HELL IN A HANDBASKET.
Ken….what you say is all true but in this crazy year we may have to put Clinton on the ticket in order to defeat McBush. Flawed as Clinton may be I’m sure the prospect of 4 more years of war, torture and depression will convince you that Clinton is the lesser of two evils.
That’s it. Hillary’s right. I’m changing my vote. Obama might be assassinated. Give it a rest you psycho-babbling guilt-riddled loons. Take your medication.
hillary should pray nothing happens to obama.
So quick question- how many people were in Barack’s ex-pastor’s church when Barack was present? I chuckle everytime someone relates Sen.Obama to Rev. Wright because he was a member of the church. Did any of you see him at church EVERY Sunday? I was baptistized at a church 25 years ago and so were my kids…and on the docket, I’m still a member. But I haven’t been to that church in 6 years… Stop making poor rationalizations for not liking Sen. Obama and just tell the truth…whatever that may be.
Pleasssse, give me a break! From the moment I first read the comment, I instantly knew what she meant. Anybody with any kind of common sense can read between the lines. She and God knows why she’s holding on. No amount of explanation can convince me that she’s not waiting for someone to assassinate Obama. Little does she know that Obama is destined to be the next President of the United States of America. I don’t know why I’m surprised by her statement. After all, it never fails, it always takes a while for people to show their true colors.
To all who have respectfully posted,
Even Robert Kennedy’s son realized what she meant– and she had stated this before. At this point and time, to have the Axelrod media and major media outlets stream the “analogy possibility” of inference- that Clinton is staying in the race so the extremely remote chance of Senator Obama’s demise would play into her receiving the Democratic Nomination is even lower than I’d hope to hear coming from the major outlets; then having the Obama campaign ‘forgive her’ is shameful.
Here’s the discussion from CNN (which obviously few individuals read before stating their inflammatory comments here):
***************************
Clinton explains RFK assassination reference
Story Highlights
NEW: Obama says Clinton was merely “careless” after long campaign
Clinton references Robert Kennedy assassination in remarks to editorial board
She says later that she regrets if comments were considered offensive
Clinton made a similar remark to Time magazine in March
From Peter Hamby
CNN Political Producer
BRANDON, South Dakota (CNN) — Sen. Hillary Clinton said Friday that she regretted comments that evoked the June 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy as part of her explanation for why she was staying in the presidential race late into the primary season.
Earlier Friday afternoon, she told the editorial board of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Argus Leader that “My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don’t understand it,” she said.
Clinton complained that “people have been trying to push me out of this ever since Iowa” and said that position “historically … makes no sense.”
Later at an event in Brandon, South Dakota, she said, “Earlier today, I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns that both my husband and Sen. Kennedy waged in California in June in 1992 and 1968, and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nominating primary contests that go into June. That’s an historic fact.” Watch more of Clinton’s comments to the editorial board »
“The Kennedys have been much on my mind in the last days because of Sen. [Edward] Kennedy, and I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that whatsoever,” Clinton added. Watch Clinton explain her remarks »
During an interview with Radio Isla Puerto Rico on Saturday, Obama reacted to the Clinton comment.
According to a quote released by the campaign, he said, “I have learned that when you are campaigning for as many months as Sen. Clinton and I have been campaigning, sometimes you get careless in terms of the statements that you make, and I think that is what happened here. Sen. Clinton says that she did not intend any offense by it, and I will take her at her word on that.”
On Friday, the campaign said in a statement, “Sen. Clinton’s statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign.”
Her campaign first defended the remarks, saying the New York senator had been making a historical parallel.
“She was simply referencing her husband in 1992 and Bobby Kennedy in 1968 of historical examples of the nominating process going well into the summer. Any reading into it beyond that is inaccurate and outrageous,” Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said.
Kennedy, the brother of slain President John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed just moments after claiming victory in the California primary in 1968.
Friday night, Kennedy’s son, Robert Kennedy, Jr., released a statement that said he understands the point Clinton was making and said it would be a mistake to be offended.
“I have heard her make this reference before, also citing her husband’s 1992 race, both of which were hard-fought through June,” he said. “I understand how highly charged the atmosphere is, but I think it is a mistake for people to take offense.”
Also Friday, the Clinton campaign released a statement from Randell Beck, the newspaper’s executive editor, saying Clinton was answering a question about whether her continued campaigning threatens party unity so close to the Democratic convention.
“Her reference to Mr. Kennedy’s assassination appeared to focus on the timeline of his primary candidacy and not the assassination itself,” Beck said in the statement.
Clinton’s campaign manager, Maggie Williams, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that people may have “misinterpreted what she meant.”
“It was clear to anybody watching her this afternoon that she was … deeply regretful, and people did not understand the context in which she made this reference, and so I think that she immediately, as soon as she could, spoke out to express her regret for … perhaps the way that she had spoken or the people had misinterpreted what she meant,” Williams said.
Clinton made a similar reference to Robert Kennedy in a March interview with Time magazine Managing Editor Richard Stengel, saying she could not envision a scenario in which party leaders would step in and call for the race to end.
“I think people have short memories,” she said then. “Primary contests used to last a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn’t wrap up the nomination in 1992 until June. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing particularly unusual.”
All three candidates have Secret Service protection.
Clinton, the former first lady, has had agents guarding her since her husband’s administration; Obama was assigned a protective detail in May 2007; and presumed Republican nominee Sen. John McCain agreed to accept Secret Service protection in April.
*************************************
I find it ironic that Time magazine editors (who are Pro-Obama) failed to notify other major media outlets (besides CNN) of the interview Clinton gave in March- verifying her sincere use of the example along with her husband’s campaign in order to respectfully reduce the outcry that has been in the media for over 48 hours now.
The Obama camp is loving this I’m sure….
Regarding the questions of who played the ‘Race Card’, please review the following article (too long to provide here):
http://www.thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/PDFfiles/2008Election.pdf
Lastly, my disappointment with the Obama campaign is in the slander of Senator Clinton regarding the honest comments which had NO inference to the Illinois Senator; Senator Obama gets TV time to ‘attack’ the statement and say that it’s a ‘careless comment’ from Senator Clinton due to a long campaign – I term this in line with several other instances as the Audiacity of Arrogance; In light of Senator McCain’s situation, Senator Obama now reaps the benefit of not having to worry about the Wright controversy as much; the media researched two pastors with controversial personal beliefs that had endorsed Senator McCain. The GOP cannot raise this issue without Axelrod countering with his conglomerate:
http://www.nbc4.com/news/15616529/detail.html
Clever, but how does one campaign now, or in the general election? I’ve been a lifelong Democrat, and I will not consider McCain in the general election, however I’ll be hard pressed to vote for the Democratic apprentice who claimed to have not wanted anything more than being a mayor in Illinois, or even the legislature. After the 2004 speech, the presidential aspirations became more transparent and Senator Obama was ‘taught’ by none other than Kennedy, Kerry and Clinton (each helped in getting him elected). Had Senator Obama TRIED to save Maytag jobs that were downsized in his state (Lester Crown and his family benefited though and gladly contributed a great deal to his campaign), or tried to improve the poor conditions of the apartments that were owned by his friend Tony Rezko in Illinois, then I would reconsider my casting my vote towards him. I only wonder how can we consider such brevity in record (literally since there are no scheduling/diary records of the Senator while in legislative office; where are they? Senator Clinton provided some records, and the tax results prior to PA primaries- though they earned 109M in 7 years, I applaud their contributions to charity- they were slightly above 10%. I didn’t see such percentages reached with either other presidential candidate- but correct me if I’m mistaken) for the United States Presidency?
As the nomination nears, It is obvious that the threat of Hillary supporters voting for McCain becomes a obstacle to be overcome. It is slowly becoming apparent that many Hillary Clinton followers are part of the 2000 Bush Cheny Power-base that upset the election for Gore in Favor of W.. One can read on any comment forum or news site just how many Hillary supporters are going to opt for McCain over Obama, and this shows clearly just how closely linked the Bushites and Clintonistas are. It maybe necessary for the Obama campaign to actually speak the truth about the Neocon agenda in the past 16 years, if he is actually to give the american eloctorate an honest and clean break with politics of the past. it is time unfortunately for Hillary and her supporters to be called out on what they really are: agents of stagnation, and a neocon attempt to insert a false candidate posing as a progressive democrat.
I cannot bring myself to believe that Sen. Clinton truly meant to say that she could still win if one of her supporters would just kill Barack, but it sure sounded like that. Her “apology” wasn’t one–show me where she said that she did not hope that somebody would kill Obama–which is her last remaining hope.
I remember Bobby. I remember our sense of hope that things could be changed. I have no doubt that he did not give up his life in order to create an excuse for Sen. Clinton or an opportunity for her supporters.
Just don’t go there. Sen. Clinton’s “apology” was inadequate. She made it sound like just another round of sniper fire racist hard working white and why is this uppity upstart beating me stuff.
She ran hard, and largely she was classy, and she deserves credit for that part. That does not give her blanket permission to suggest that her way to win is to have somebody kill Obama.
Is Hillary planning something? Did Bill clinton has anything to do with RFK assassination? All these are worth an investigation.
I think she honestly didn’t intend it as harm. she planned on referencing the impact, but didn’t think of the effects. I think she’s given up and wants to stick to her promise otherwise she’ll not be forgiven by her supporters.
Obama did the right thing by not going after, I think I remember when she used his words to win Pennsylvania, that he was an “elitist”.
Typical politics at it’s best. Typical uninformed people seeing/reading what they want. Typical media blowing something out of proportion. Typical, typical, typical. Vote who you want to vote for for what ever you believe in as long as the current gang of monkeys are sent packing. It’s going to take quite awhile for the people of america to be able to hold their heads up in this GLOBAL SOCIETY without being shot at. It’s going to be a very long time before the parents will be able to allow their kids to play in their fronts yards without worrying who is watching/waiting to harm them. Get a grip people, where are you priorities? I as an american are truly disgusted at the way my fellow americans have been acting for the last 30 years or less. I have lived many of places in & out of the U.S. & I never been more afraid to live anywhere more than I when I do/did in the U.S. because of all you crazy gun zealots, murders & child molesters.
I am one truly disgusted American citizen & military veteren who is ashamed to be known as an american. everyone who proudly flys the flag should fly it upside down in these times.
So, Obama wants to lead the country that his wife so desperately dis pisses and he does not even know his own family history! NO THANKS to an IDIOT like that. Hilary, you have got to keep going or we are all DOOMED!
If obama picks hillary as VP he better make sure his life insurance is up to date .The clinotns have a bad record of people ending up dead when they get in their way. There are too many supposed suicides with people who were a threat to them. Obama better get a food taster as well . They have proven over the yrs tht they will do anything to get what they want, and if you get in the way watch out ala Vince foster , Ron Brown and numerious others . Obama has got to be street smart , hopfully to smart to let her get that close a heart beat away from the seat her and sleazy bill want.
George,
Are you out of your f*&^ing mind!!! How out of touch to reality are you? I bet that you are a subscriging member to the KKK and wish that hangings were brought back. I truely cannot believe that people such as yourself will be allowed to vote. It’s no wonder that I live outside the U.S. and don’t feel safe for myself & family because of stupid, inbred people like you are running around.
I think Hillary got the idea to say this when she saw Billy Bob (Monica Lewinski’s Ex-Lover) heading down to Lee Harvey Oswald’s grave with a shovel and pick ax, presumably to dig him up…..