Much ado about nothing.
This big story is a non-story.
Hillary Clinton referenced Democrat primary history, citing examples of the nomination not being decided until summer.
It was in the context of discussions about her political future that Mrs. Clinton made the remarks on Friday to the editorial board of The Sioux Falls Argus Leader. She had said that some people whom she did not name were trying to push her out of the race, but she noted that historically many races had gone on longer than hers.
“My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right?” she said. “We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.”
Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Obama campaign, which has refrained from engaging Mrs. Clinton in recent days, said her statement “was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign.”
Privately, aides to Mr. Obama were furious about the remark.
Concerns about Mr. Obama’s safety led the Secret Service to give him protection last May, before it was afforded to any other presidential candidate, although Mrs. Clinton had protection, too, in her capacity as a former first lady. Mr. Obama’s wife, Michelle, voiced concerns about his safety before he was elected to the Senate, and some black voters have even said such fears weighed on their decision of whether to vote for him.
It was against that backdrop that Mrs. Clinton’s mentioning the Kennedy assassination in the same breath as her own political fate struck some as going too far. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, an uncommitted superdelegate, said through a spokeswoman that the comments were “beyond the pale.”
The speed at which the remarks were transmitted and reacted to illustrated the new reality candidates are grappling with in this year’s campaign, in which Mr. Obama’s own remarks about “bitter” small-town voters ricocheted around the Internet.
No, no, no.
Hillary was talking about historical facts. She wasn't suggesting that she was staying in the race in case Obama was assassinated. What's "beyond the pale" is twisting a simple historical reference into wishing for Obama's death.
Furthermore, Obama's remarks about the "bitter" Americans clinging to their religion and their guns and their prejudices can't be compared to what Hillary said.
Obama was stating his theories to a private gathering of rich supporters. Hillary was stating historical fact in an on the record meeting with the editorial board of a news outlet.
I think it was wise for Hillary to apologize, though she really did nothing wrong. By quickly expressing her regret, she defused the issue.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton quickly apologized Friday after citing the June 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in defending her decision to keep running for the Democratic presidential nomination despite increasingly long odds.
...Within a couple hours of the South Dakota remarks drawing attention, Clinton decided to make a personal apology.
"I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns of both my husband and Senator (Robert) Kennedy waged in California in June in 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," she said.
"The Kennedys have been much on my mind the last days because of Senator Kennedy," she added, referring to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's recent diagnosis of a brain tumor. "I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and in particular 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 to our leaders who have inspired us, 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 Kennedy family," she said.
I think it was just stupid for the Obama campaign and Obama supporters like Dick Durbin to act as if Hillary had done someting terrible. It was a sleazy attack.
Durbin called Hillary's statement of history to be a "careless remark."
No, it wasn't.
It's quite a leap to say that because Hillary noted that Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June that she was making some sort of prediction of harm about to befall Obama. Hillary wasn't talking about Obama's possible fate at all.
Stories like this have a hysterical element to them. They are complete distractions based on goofy distortions.
Hillary was treated unfairly. I think all those people so quick to criticize her remarks owe her an apology.
God, what a stupid story!
________________
UPDATE: Watch Keith Olbermann rant against Hillary. He babbles on and spits for over 10 minutes!
Transcript
"You actually used the word 'assassination' in the middle of a campaign with a loud undertone of racial hatred - and gender hatred - and political hatred."
...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 unforgivable, because this nation's deepest shame, its most enduring horror, its most terrifying legacy, is political assassination.
Lincoln.
Garfield.
McKinley.
Kennedy.
Martin Luther King.
Robert Kennedy.
And, but for the grace of the universe or the luck of the draw, Reagan, Ford, Truman, Nixon, Andrew Jackson, both Roosevelts, even George Wallace.
The politics of this nation is steeped enough in blood, Senator Clinton, you cannot and must not invoke that imagery! Anywhere! At any time!
And to not appreciate, immediately - to still not appreciate tonight - just what you have done... is to reveal an incomprehension of the America you seek to lead.
This, Senator, is too much.
Because a senator - a politician - a person - who can let hang in mid-air the prospect that she might just be sticking around in part, just in case the other guy gets shot - has no business being, and no capacity to be, the President of the United States.
Good night and good luck.
Good grief.
In my opinion: Olbermann is mentally unstable.
Moral of the story: Do not utter the word "assassination" in America. We must not speak of our history. It's heartless and insensitive and just too much.
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