So Hillary Clinton said the following today, explaining why she opposes calls for her to drop out of the presidential race:
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.
You can see the remarks here to make sure I didn’t take it out of context:
All over the internet and on cable television, Obama supporters are very, very upset about these remarks.
Can someone explain to me why?
Because, you know, it is true. The only way Hillary Clinton can win the presidential nomination now is if something very bad happens to Barack Obama, like he gets shot.
Maybe I’m dense, but I don’t get how Hillary Clinton saying something like that, something that is true, is horrible. I mean, I’ve said it myself, and I certainly didn’t mean anything bad against Barack Obama by it — in fact, it was part of a criticism of the notion that Hillary Clinton has a bat’s chance in a woodchipper of winning. (Oh, was that offensive?) I want Barack Obama to win the presidency, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know that he might get shot by some nut with a gun. Heck, the New York Times wrote about it in a featured article — was it offensive of the New York Times to write?
It is true that presidents and presidential candidates have been shot. They’ve been killed at a much higher rate than your average citizen. So why is it horrible for Hillary Clinton to mention this?
Keith Olbermann writes with his special theatrical outrage ink:
…She actually said those words.
Those words, Senator?
You actually invoked the nightmare of political assassination.
You actually invoked the spectre of an inspirational leader, at the seeming moment of triumph, for himself and a battered nation yearning to breathe free, silenced forever.
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.
You actually used the word “assassination” in a time when there is a fear, unspoken but vivid and terrible, that our again-troubled land and fractured political landscape might target a black man running for president.
Or a white man.
Or a white woman!
You actually used those words, in this America, Senator while running against an African-American against whom the death threats started the moment he declared his campaign?
You actually used those words, in this America, Senator, while running to break your “greatest glass ceiling” and claiming there are people who would do anything to stop you?
You!
Senator — never mind the implications of using the word “assassination” in any connection to Senator Obama…
What about you?
You cannot say this!
She!
She said them!
She!
She said those words!
She!
“Assassination”!
Boo!
It’s not enough to use exclamation points, Mr. Olbermann. Why can’t she say “assassination”? It is an important aspect of presidential politics. Assassination, assassination, assassination. There. Did that kill a fairy?
Explain it to me in small words, be you Keith Olbermann or another person who is so heartily, gravely, rapturously upset about this. Or, if you find that it is not so astoundingly horrendous, tell me so and tell me why, too.
go kill yourself. mccain ’08. god will come down and smite thee. amercia, fuck yeah!
A long time ago there was a king of England, Henry II was his name. He was having a years-long quarrel with his friend, the priest Thomas Becket. One day Henry became so frustrated with Thomas he exclaimed “Is there no one who will rid me of this turbulent priest?”
Four of Henry’s knights took his words at face value, went to Canterbury Cathedral, and murdered Thomas Becket.
The End
If you cannot understand on your own, no amount of explaining is worth it. You merely reveal yourself as someone to be avoided. At all times. Have a nice life, and stay the Hell away from me and my family.
Given all of the things throughout history which have happened in June, Hellary mentions the assassination of Bobby Kennedy? An unusually close parallel to Obama or wishful thinking or maybe instructions to the wack job racist out there?
“You guys aren’t doing your job!”
That’s what I hear Hellary saying!
Maybe that’s just me, …. we will find out at Barak’s wake.
David, that was very flashy and insubstantial rhetoric. When I was a kid it we did that too: “I’ve got a diamond in my pocket. I could show it to you if I wanted to. But I don’t want to.”
Dale and Steve, thanks for your explanations. But does that mean that the New York Times was calling for Barack Obama’s assassination too? Or is it about context? How?
Do you really think Hillary Clinton was sending out a call to assassinate Barack Obama?
I have to disagree with ya on this one Jim. It’s not that she said the word “assasination.” It’s that she seemed to reveal that she was hoping that someone took Obama out. Yes, it’s a free country and she is fully within her rights to say such a thing. But we are within are rights to call that thought what it is – despicable. I could understand if you thought the fallout was a bit overblown. But, I’m a little surprised that you seem totally ok with it.
If she’s as “intelligent” as her supporters claim then she chose those words carefully.
She could have avoided all this if she had not said that one sentence referencing assassination of political figures in America as a fact, like there’s still the possibility she can win if that happens.
i didn’t read the NYT article, and i didn’t hear anything else about it, so i’ll check it out and see if it’s as crass as Hillary’s statement.
At one time invoking the “where were you when Kennedy was shot” meme was a national unifier, something everyone remembered together, but that was 40 yrs ago and now too young to remember. When RFK was shot, McGovern was still running, ‘Clean for Gene’ McCarthy, some minor candidates, and Humphrey. Perhaps she want to invoke 1968 for the convention violence was part of the reason the democrats lost the election, her supporters are talking about million woman march on Denver. EDvey time the pundits say drop out, her fundraising drops, she has until August to repay the 20 million she loaned her campaign.
Mrs Clinton has gone too far again! How will her supporters try to turn this one into something good or the media will just give her another pat on the back.She is a disgrace to women leaders.If she was president or vice president she would ruin woman leaders for years to come.They would do women a far better favor if they stop her and find a better woman to run in 2012!
It’s such a callous thing to say. It’s so matter-of-fact sounding and pragmatic about something so vile–”He could get offed, so I’ll stick around and then be the nominee.” It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. Actually it’s because it could be true that it’s such a colossally horrific idea to even contemplate as a possibility. And to say it as a favorable outcome for her? Who talks like that?
What she’s suggesting by bringing it up is that she can win if he dies. She didn’t say that explicitly, but that’s the implication. She’s staying in it because he might die.
Nice.
It seems clear to me there’s a big big difference between New York Times (or Irregular Times) talking about assassination of the front runner as a possibility, and having that same sentiment come from Hillary, who stands to personally benefit in a huge way were that to happen. Isn’t that clear to you too?
I think this is one thing that she simply cannot alude to in any way shape or form, without sounding as though she is wishing it. Frankly, given just how smart she is, it’s hard for me to agree with Obama here and chalk it up to carelessness on Hillary’s part.
Supposedly, according to her campaign staff, Hillary was just trying to point out how long primary battles had lasted in the past. But if that were the case, she simply might have said Bobby Kennedy campaigned until June as well. Rather, it certainly seems she was invoking the possibility that she may still wind up the beneficiary of some as-yet unnamed nutjob out there, and reminding him, as he sits on his couch stewing in his racist rage, that he could still take care of things.
Pretty ugly.
OK, you all convinced me. That distinction makes sense.
Hi, Kimberly!
If I wanted someone killed, first of all I wouldn’t talk about them getting killed, I would talk about someone else who had got killed, then second I would go mention it to some podunk newspaper in South Dakota where all the podunk killers hang out—think FARGO.
If I was a candidate that was worried about someone talking about assassination to publicly, I wouldn’t contact their organization directly and ask them not to do it anymore, I would issue a public announcement and have it go out over MSM.
Hilary Clinton might be assasinated soon!
First Obama media guru Axlrod hand carries the Olberman tape to the other MSM networks persoanlly on the long weekend, then Obama mentions Bobby Kennedy several time in a graduation speech. She wouldn’t drop out, maybe they try to tell her something.