For any left who still think she'd be "dreamy" as the V.P., this should put it to rest.
From the New York Post via Americablog:
Hillary Clinton today brought up the assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy while defending her decision to stay in the race against Barack Obama.
"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, dismissing calls to drop out.
This is definitely "Worst Person in the World" material.
For those who don't trust the NY Post, the site has video confirming the statement, and having listened it it myself, it is downright disgusting. Jon Chait was right, she is temperamentally unfit to be president.
Keith Olbermann asks if this comment spells the "end of her political career"?
I hope so.
UPDATE: For those of you who are pedlling the straw man argument that being upset about this implies that Clinton is "wishing" Obama would be killed, you're wrong. I reject that idea out of hand and am still outraged that she could be so cynical and so irresponsible to bring up this "third-rail".
In a strange way, I'm somewhat grateful that Clinton made this remark, because media coverage of this interview will no longer be about her quixotic V.P quest. Now, it should be completely obvious that Obama could not, and would not, chose this monster as his running-mate. This has been apparent to most of us all along, and I don't think even the corporate media is going to be able to swallow this whopper.
UPDATE II: First Read is reporting Clinton's response:
Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithe just said to a group of reporters in South Dakota -- including Memoli -- that this is "one of the more ridiculous" issues that has come up in a long race. The campaign, he said, will soon send out an official comment.
*** UPDATE *** Here is the official statement from Elleithe: "She was simply referencing her husband in 1992 and Bobby kennedy in 1968 as historical expmales of the nominating contest going well into the summer. Any, any reading into it beyond that is inaccurate."
No, Ms. Elleithe, it is not ridiculous to be upset about Clinton's statement. Barack Obama is the first political figure in a long-time to inspire the downtrodden in the same way that RFK, JFK, and MLK did in the 60's. To make wholly unnecessary references to the assassinations of those great men when discussing your own historic race against Senator Obama is the height of cynicism and disregard for the movement that Senator Obama has created and the adoration his supporters feel for him. It is sick and cowardly, and if the super-delegates have any spine, they'll push you and the monster you work for out of this race promptly.
UPDATE III: Hardball is leading with the story. Could this push her out of the race?
Axelrod is playing it down, very graciously.
Here is a link to the video of her "apology" to any who "may have been offended": http://www.youtube.com/...
UPDATE IV: The blogosphere reacts:
Armando at TalkLeft:
ut her mention of the RFK assassination is simply is an indefensible remark, and in very poor taste. I believe Clinton's point was that the fight for the nomination was going full bore in June 1968. But the statement was a terrible mistake. Indeed, a politically damaging mistake. Senator Clinton should apologize and I imagine will apologize for it. Her enemies will of course use it against her and accuse her of hoping for something bad to happen to Senator Obama. And that tells you about them. But there is no getting around this - Senator Clinton made a terrible statement and she needs to apologize for it immediately.
Al Giordano at The Field:
I’m not going to dignify Senator Clinton’s latest statement with a new thread, nor say anything about it on this thread. It stands on its own as repugnant and I think that it would be playing with fire to give it any more legs than it already has.
And I wish that Field Hands would likewise resolve not to repeat it or spread it or comment on it.
Josh Orton at MyDD:
This must now end.
Over the past weeks, many have called for Clinton to end her campaign based on metrics. But with the infrastructure-building the primary keeps delivering, I've been reasonably comfortable waiting until June for closure.
But this is unacceptable.
The United States has a history of profound political violence - and the use of violence to oppress and coerce. And while I'm not quite willing to accept that Clinton spoke maliciously - it doesn't matter. There is no excuse for flippantly referencing assassination, especially given the historic nature of Obama's campaign and our nation's grim history of racial oppression through violence. When Hillary Clinton speaks of our history, she is not reflecting academically or only in a vacuum - her words and influence are real. To act otherwise is negligent, at best.
No context can save her. She must go.
Farley at Lawyers, Guns, and Money:
I've heard a lot of talk about how Barack Obama might get assassinated because he's black, but I can't understand why. Every single President who has been assassinated in the history of the United States has been a white male. Every. Single. One. In fact, I have it on good authority that every single attempted assassination has been directed against a white male President. If history is any guide, Obama should be safe.
Oliver Willis:
Seriously, who says this sort of thing? Your average person doesn’t say it, let alone somebody running for president. Hillary Clinton didn’t lose this race because she was a victim of sexism. She lost this race because people are tired of her clawing for power and running over everything to do it.
UPDATE V: This isn't the first time she's said it.
UPDATE VI: Rachel Maddow weighs in:
UPDATE VII: The inimitable Keith Olbermann: