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Breaking: Hillary Says Vote for Her Because, Hey, You Never Know, Someone Might Shoot Obama

A major hat tip to Prof. Jon Schaff at SD Politics for the links and video. Read his post.

Apparently Sen. Hillary Clinton told the Argus Leader Editorial Board today that one of the reasons she should stay in the race is in case of assassination. She doesn’t mention Sen. Barack Obama by name but she brings up the 1968 assassination of Sen. Bobby Kennedy.

EB: You don’t buy the party unity argument?

I don’t, because again, I’ve been around long enough. You know my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere around the middle of June

EB: June

We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. Um you know I just I don’t understand it. There’s lots of speculation about why it is.


She has since issued an apology:

“Earlier today I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns that both my husband and Senator Kennedy waged in California in June 1992 and 1968 and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nomination primary contests that go into June. That’s a historic fact. The Kennedys have been much on my mind the last days because of Senator 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. My view is that we have to look to the past and to our leaders who have inspired us and give us a lot to live up to, and I’m honored to hold Senator Kennedy’s seat in the United States Senate from the state of New York and have the highest regard for the entire
Kennedy family.”

I am absolutely shocked and disgusted by even a hint that assassination is on the table or a possibility in this campaign. Not only that, but she obviously feels entitled to the nomination should some idiot actually shoot and kill Sen. Obama.

So what if someone shoots Obama? Seems to me the first place the investigation should start would be the Clinton Campaign.

 

That’s her new rationale for being in the race?  Someone could shoot Obama?  I mean, heck, June rolls around and that’s the time when leading Democratic candidates get offed?  Oh, and by the way, YOO-HOO, here I am!

This is a far, far worse gaff than last’s week’s misstatement by Obama thanking “Sioux City” instead of “Sioux Falls.”

Hillary needed to get out of the race weeks ago. She absolutely needs to get out now. This does nothing to help heal the party. In fact, it pours gasoline on a smoldering fire of racism that she and her husband Bill Clinton have tried to tap into this whole campaign.

This is sick and disgusting and wrong. I know Hillary has “apologized”. But the Clintons never say anything without first considering every angle about a statement or position. I don’t buy that this was a slip of the tongue. 

My guess was this was the roll out of a “beta version” of a new message for the Clinton campaign.  It is a Friday afternoon before the first big holiday of the summer in Flyover Country, USA.  Talk about the proverbial political trick of “taking out the garbage” on Friday afternoons.  If it flopped, no big deal, it will be forgotten by Tuesday.  If it has traction, you’ll see it in her talking points.

Hillary, get out now while you have at least some small bit of dignity left.  Please.

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Reader Comments (7)

This was a terribly stupid thin for Hillary to say, becaus people were certainly going to take to the way that you did - that she was saying "someone could shoot Obama."

However, I think the point she was making was that the 1968 Democratic nominating process was still going on in June 1968 at the time RFK was shot. This is supported by her first example - Bill in 1992 didn't clinch the nomination until June either.

Boneheaded, nonetheless. tttttttt

May 23, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterHmmm

You don't think that Clinton was making a reference to the other primary on June 4, 1968. The one in South Dakota? Her point was that the '68 was far from decided when it got to the South Dakota/ California primaries.If she had said that instead of "RFK's assassination" there wouldn't be any controversy.
Too bad nobody remembers the "other" primary that day.

Interesting to see you said she should have been out weeks ago. Didn't you want to have a debate between her and Obama weeks ago?

May 23, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterCaptain Mandrake

I am not sure what she was trying to say, but I am guessing that back in the primaries she references, there were STILL STATES LEFT to vote. It is over June 3. Unless you count the 57 states that Obama has visited... and I think he said he still has a couple left.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p7S5V2es9Dw

May 23, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAlter Ego

Actually in 1968, the nomination WAS decided by the convention. But of course the system was rather different in those days - Hubert Humphrey didn't enter even one primary and got the nomination.

May 23, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterHmmm

The special comment by Keith Olbermann espresses my disguest with Sen. Clinton's statements.

Not exactly the way to heal the party, nor get the VP position.

May 24, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterThe Feefster

The first place to look is the Clinton campaign?


....really, Todd?


If you think Hillary's (possibly implicit) comments were divisive and offensive, how much more divisive and offensive is flat out saying that the Clinton campaign is going to assassinate him?

May 24, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterAngie

Angie: Don't play the victim for Hillary. You know what she said. This is all her fault, no one else's. But that is typical Clinton--cause harm to another then blame them. It's worked all through their political careers. It's sick.

I just have two words for you and your candidate: Vince Foster.

Todd

May 24, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterTodd Epp

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