Agreed.  I was amenable to her as a possible VP but  reading the statement and then seeing the video has left me still pretty stunned.  

Three cheers for Josh!

Seriously, this has to end now.

Mark my words:

If anything happens to Barack Obama between now and his inauguration, the blame will be placed (justly or otherwise) on Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Please, i saw this clip.  She takes a long pause and then talks about how Kennedy's campaign also went into June.

This is sad that you feel so comfortable twisting her words that she has already clearified.  And then demand she quit.  Just say you hate her and demand she quit.

david

There really isn't anything more to say.

This is truly a disgusting and unfortunate end to the whole thing.

oh please.  
so much for the "new" politics.

I doubt that anyone with 1/2 a brain thinks that Hillary wants Obama killed.

Sorry, she made a reference to an assassination... she did not call for anyone to be assassinated, as you (and so many other commenters) seem to be darkly implying !!

Clinton's response:

"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."

There are no sides now.  You either disown this shit or you leave the party.  Period.  I don't give a fuck about reconciliation now.

1. Not long ago, a news photographer covering Obama was interviewed. He said that he was afraid to stand near Obama because of "what happens to charismatic leaders".

2. The timing is horrific. June 6th will mark thre 40th anniversery to that night in Los Angeles and all of California has been thinking of it. I've been thinking a lot about RFK and await a new book next week.

3. Last night I attended the unveiling of a bust at SF City Hall to honor Harvey Milk as November marks the 30th anniversery of his assassination.

You just don't say that.

You don't risk putting it in the mind of the true crazies who are out there.

And someone who had staffers held hostage should damn well know that.

It's time for her to go.

Samantha Power stands vindicated.

These comments serve as a "dog whistle" to some of those gun-owning "hard-working, white, working-class white American" in Appalachia and elsewhere.

Senator Obama is now in great danger.

oh, and Hillary's run is also historic.  I am sick of hearing that Obama's run is historic without noting that Hillary is also just as historic.

You've got to be kidding me.  What part of her talking about campaigns historically going into June did you not understand?  So what if she referenced RFK?  She was clearly talking about his campaign in JUNE 1968 not being over (and indeed still would not have been over had he not been killed).

Why don't you just use any excuse to trot out the tried and true "she must go now!"

I'm cringing right now.

Are you though, Josh, speaking for MyDD in urging Clinton to leave the race?

He was killed in April of 1968, just a few months before RFK's death.  

Seems the comment is ok...she was talking about campaigns that went into June. Which Bobby's did was [historically] accurate.

Once again, the politics of "GOTCHA" is back.

The funny thing is that Bill Clinton was the presumptive nominee in around March 1992 (he didn't have the requisite number of delegates at that point, but everybody else was beaten or had dropped out), so the soundbite doesn't make sense any way you look at it.

This is so not fair! Why is Hillary getting held accountable for her gaffe, she clearly did not mean that Obama might get assassinated.

When Obama made the "bitter" gaffe, Clinton completely refrained from bringing it up. Her surrogates didn't mention it, and she didn't use it in her campaign literature. In fact, she was so kind that it left the news cycle in a day.

We all knew what Obama said was true, and he just misspoke. And If he has any decency, he won't use this gaffe against her just like she didn't use his against him.

Oh, wait.

No possible VP spot now. I was against it and am even more against it now. This woman is toxic. This is the third time that she has said this acording to MSNBC

There was no malicious intent, but that doesn't matter.  It is absolutely verboten to deliberately bring up the spectre of assassination in the context of a presidential election.  It just isn't done.  It's too sensitive an issue, and too real a threat.  

I'm sure Obama's secret service is now on special alert because of her comments.  

Perhaps some people should take some history courses in college, because it seems that you all slept through them.

This topic is not taboo in American society.  

Hillary Clinton, Evil or Moron? It's up to the viewers to decide!

I disagree I am an Obama supporter but THIS, this should not be the reason she stops her campaign.

yes she should apologize, and she should actually apologize to Obama!, she really really screwed up here, but I do not think this should be the reason she should drop out.

I see this EXACTLY like the bitter gaffe, Obama screwed up there she screwed up here, sure her supporters didn't give Obama the benefit of the doubt, but lets not be that way.

there are 2 weeks left, I want Hillary to go out at the END of the campaign.

she didn't mean it that way and no she should stay.

I keep watching it and I can't believe it.  I just can't believe that she'd ruin the legacy of being the first serious woman contender for president and then go out like an idiot scorned.  

Ugh.

UGH.

Why does everyone always assume that it's about Obama?  It's not.  It's about campaigns that head into June.

This screed does not belong on the FP. Hillary was talking about campaigns going into June and nothing else. Any sane and reasonable person can see that.

But keep it up. She made a statement and it should be enough. Let's see what happens if the harping continues.

She is obviously not calling for violence. And you calling her out as if she were is not going to help your future calls for unity.

Of all people, she is not going to call for violence.

If your meme is adopted, the possibility of a unity ticket could be harmed.

She was pointing out that no one has called for others to drop out and trying not to point out the insane sexism of the media.

from http://angryforareason.blogspot.com/

* In 1980, Ted Kennedy carried his run against Jimmy Carter all the way to the convention, even though it was clear he had been routed.

* In 1976, Ronald Reagan contested the "inevitability" of Gerald Ford all the way to the convention. Few, then or since, have ever thought to criticize Reagan's failure to step aside and let Ford assume the mantle.

* Also in 1976, three candidates -- Mo Udall, Jerry Brown, and Frank Church -- ran against Jimmy Carter all the way through the final primaries, even though Carter seemed more than likely to be the eventual nominee.

* Even in 1960, Lyndon Johnson and Adlai Stevenson fought the "certain" nomination of John F. Kennedy all the way to the convention floor.

Although I think in 1988 Jackson was mercilessly slammed and ridiculed by the media for going to the convention, so I deleted that from the blog quote above. I also think that is the best comparison. As the first black man to make a widely supported, continued, competitive run for the Presidency, ridicule was heaped upon Jackson. I think that his actions opened doors for others in the future at many levels of political participation. And I think her run is doing the same.

And just as Jackson was an agent of change by his fight, so is Clinton.

What's next? She murdered Vince Foster? Come on unity bloggers, blog for unity not division.

Wow - can you imagine how these comments are going to make Obama's little girls feel?

This is just so sad - such a dark day.

Hillary's comment is unacceptable.  Period.  You don't reference that event for several reasons; the history of violence against African Americans in this country, the recent tragic circumstance involving Ted Kennedy, and the upcoming 40th anniversary of the event being among them.  

However, the hand-wringing about this increasing the likelyhood that Obama will be assassinated needs to stop.  No one is going to take this as a call to action, and no one can legitimately claim that Hillary is hoping for or even expecting something like that to happen.  It was a very ill-advised and insensitive example to try to make her point.  

However, people do need to be held accountable for the words they choose, and her insensitivity on this should be noted and acted upon by those who have the power to hold her accountable.

This comment has been deleted by an administrator.

Wow - can you imagine how HRC's heartless assassination comments are going to make Obama's little girls feel?

This is just so sad - such a dark day.

If she had decency she would resign from Robert F. Kennedy's seat in the United State Senate.

RFK was succeeded by Charles Goodell.

Goodell was succeeded by James L. Buckley.

Buckley was succeeded by Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

And Moynihan was succeeded by Clinton.

I do not accept that this statement is an innocent misstep that's being misunderstood.

First, if HRC is this clumsy that she says things that are profoundly offensive by accident, she has no business being the Dem nominee for POTUS. The position is too important for a person that carelessly offends.

But I don't think the statement is an accident.

HRC is deliberately invoking the idea Obama could be assassinated. This is just another way of playing the race card. HRC not only is subtly stroking the race issue, she's also legitimizing the idea of someone attempting to kill Obama b/c he's Black.

Here's HRC's implied message: Of course, I wouldn't kill Senator Obama, but I could see why some people would.

This kind of dog whistle discourse is beyond acceptable.

I call for HRC to resign from the United States Senate.

I'm scared out of my mind. Is she planning to kill Obama???

I don't think she meant it the way you're reading it.  She just meant that Kennedy hadn't wrapped it up by then, it's a point of placing the date of June into the campaign, not in any way saying she thinks Obama will get hurt.  At least that's how I see it.

Now, I'm not a big fan of hers for other reasons, and think it's best if she gracefully exits, but that's a story for another day and another thread.

Peace.

I am just getting SICK of the Obama campaign. They would whine about racism and now, violence,  where there is none.  

The Obama campaign is politics-as-usual. Although so subtle, it is so disgusting and condescending.

This is the single most disgusting smear campaign I've witnessed during this Primary.

Go ahead and hide my comments, again.  You should be ashamed of yourselves.

This goes too, too far!!  I will never forgive or forget about this vile, vile tactic to get her out of this race.

There will be no unity.

Only those who want to jump to conclusions like that will and do.  It didn't even occur to me that there was any such nefarious meaning in her words, perhaps because I don't go looking for nastiness in either candidate.  I mean, it's been all across punditry that Hillary is expected to bow out when one man after another ran for the nomination right up to the convention.  

What drama.  Are you going to update your front-page story with Clinton's statement of clarification?  You can find it in this comments thread.

only an obama supporter can read this text and infer that clinton is asking for obama to be assasinated.

take your outrage somewhere else.

I'm thinking the ensuing hysteria to this remark must be proof positive that thw Obama forces are scared to death that they cannot win with Clinton in the race. Why else for this reaction?

She just referred to an event that happened in June during an ongoing primary, showing that primaries have historically gone on longer than they have now.

She could have referred to her mother working at during World War II, another awful event.  This is preposterous that it means anything else.

This is an example of twisting something Clinton has said and making it something it isn't, something sinister.

She insinuated this on purpose. Hillary Clinton does not make mistakes like this. Not think quickly on her feet? Have you ever seen her in a debate? She's the quickest person on her feet I've ever seen. Well, hopefully she just destroyed her chances of being a VP.

I'm thinking the ensuing hysteria to this remark must be proof positive that thw Obama forces are scared to death that they cannot win with Clinton in the race. Why else this reaction?

I don't believe it justifies her comments, but she deserves to be heard on this.

All she was doing was giving examples of primaries that went into June. But when she realized that so many people were offended with the statement she quickly apologized.

I don't understand why Obama supporters are so persuaded by the Republicans back in the 1990s that Clinton is a bitch, witch and everything that is evil, worse than any Republican.

She is embarrassing herself and the party.  What an incredibly stupid comment, if nothing else.  

if you think Obama has it wrapped up already, who the heck cares what Hillary Clinton says?  All you are doing is fanning the flames.

Besides, Axelrod and Susan Rice just stated that they believed she didn't mean it in that way.

Obama supporters of propagating a smear.

Are you people for real?

I really don't give a rats ass who you vote for.

I'm not intereseted in your vote.

These are the same people who felt insulted when Obama used the word "bitter".

How dare he say people are "bitter" ?!?!?!

It's ok to use the words assassinate though. It's a smear to respond to this outrageous statement.

The  people who spread the most baseless rumors and accusations are OUTRAGED at the outrage. I pity you folks.

You don't have a clue.

No one jumped on the AA supporters who threatened violence in the streets if Obama didn't get the nomination.  Funny how selective the outrage is among Obama supporters.

But hey, keep it up.  Keep pushing Hillary supporters away.  Do you think we will forget in November?  The longer the list of insults gets, the longer the memories will live.

As other news organizations are tirelessly pointing out, there were MANY other primaries that lasted until June.

To bring up the RFK one is completely fucking uncalled for.

There are no excuses.

I truly don't want her anywhere near the White House except down the street on Capitol Hill.  Send Bill instead.

Again, there are no excuses for this.

Many, many other primaries last until June.

Wow, look at all the people complaining about twisting words that are twisting Josh's words!  He never says anything about this increasing the likelyhood of violence against Obama - all he says is "There is no excuse for flippantly referencing assassination".  It is horribly insensitive at best, given the Ted Kennedy situation and the history of violence against AA's.  

No one is suggesting that Hillary is advocating or hoping for violence against Obama, so stop with your own fake outrage.

BTW--Wasn't RFK's 1968 contest against Humphrey as much as McCarty?

so when the nytimes did that article a few months ago about a hushed concern around obama (citing past leaders who have been assasinated...and the times assuming that he's such a messiah), the outrage was where?

she was obviously referencing primaries that went on through june. even if she left out the assasination part, obama's supporters and campaign would have made it look like she inferred it. whatever.

I understood Hillary to imply that she's staying in the race to capture the nomination in the event that something tragic happens to Obama. I can see she was trying to say that anything can happen before the convention, but that was an appallingly bad and hurtful way of saying it. And her apology is to the Kennedys, as well it should be, but she makes no apology to Obama?

This is bad on three levels:

• She makes it look like she is so cynical that she is staying in the race to profit from a potential tragic event.
  
• She flippantly brings up Bobby Kennedy's death when Teddy Kennedy is seriously ill.
  
• She has made this comment at least once before, so she can't downplay it by saying that it was an off-the-cuff remark.

Her remarks were way out of line. This is a very unfortunate way for her campaign to come to an end.

Josh, I agree.  I don't think she had a malicious intent, but it's inexcusable to raise the subject of assassination in this context.  A national figure must be very careful with making such statements, on a national stage, with untold numbers of possibly disturbed people listening...I just think it's incredibly careless.

It's also incredibly thoughtless to the Kennedy family, at this moment.

Again, even with the best of intentions, HRC chose her words horribly.  She apologized, but I agree that she should bow out.

People, simmer down.  Frankly this contest is already over, the only thing left is to discover what depths of insanity both sides can reach before the nomination is officially declared over.  Voicing OUTRAGE (TM) at this point does nothing to bring the party together to help us defeat McCain.  The race will end in about two weeks and then we all have to figure out how to reconcile - stuff like this just makes that more difficult.

Take a breath and think about the situation pragmatically.

5/23/2008
Statement from Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton issued the following statement today in Brandon, SD:
"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."

She was referencing past primary seasons reminding voters that unexpected things can happen.   Your insinuations are truly irrational about her advocating violence.

Before the primary season even began, Randi Rhodes was taking a poll from her listeners, especially from the AA community.  Most of those who called in were definitely concerned about Obama's safety if he ran.  About 8 out 10 AA callers said they did not want him to run because of their fear about a possible assassination attempt (perish the thought).  It was a concern of many and it may be a current concern.  It is a horrible thought that it could ever happen.  

Both candidates have misspoke on numerous occasions (Obama's reference to Bataan Death  march---horrible, insulting reference for the survivors of that, along with many of his supporters advocating Hillary's demise---Keith Olbermann's taking her into a room and having only him come out---very, very violent---and Hillary's Bosnia misstatements, etc.)----but let's not go there about her insinuating violence.   Please get real.

Like this:

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/n orthfulton/stories/2008/05/21/89031625_P icture_6.html

Funny, how the editorial board that asked her why they were trying to force her out thought it was nothing.

Of course, then the kool aid drinkers got ahold of the comment to produce the outrage.

Much ado about hate as usual.

Get a grip man.

Regardless of lack of ill intent, this is certainly her Dean Scream, but worse.  She is now probably clearly out of the running for VP or anything else.

I get what Hillary was saying, and I know it wasn't meant the way it came out.  She was talking about races going into June, I get that.

Unfortunately, in a race like this, there are some things you just can't say.  And it's not just WHAT you say, but how it is going to be perceived/interpreted/misinterpreted.  We've already seen a lot of that here - I can't believe anyone in their right mind really thinks she was advocating violence in any way.  That's just not the kind of person she is.  

That said, she has unfortunately been escalating her historical parallels over the last few days (2000 recount, Civil Rights struggle, Zimbabwe, etc) and I think things just got out of hand here.  You just cannot raise the spectre of assassination  in the context of a presidential campaign when the nominee is black.  You just can't.  It was a stupid, stupid thing to say and I'm sure she deeply regrets it.

I think it will blow over - but I do think it will torpedo her chances to be VP.  This thing is going to be pretty widely disseminated through the mainstream media, and some of those supers who have been wavering are probably going to make up their minds that the potential of her doing damage to Democratic chances in November is getting bigger every day.  And it gives Obama a good excuse not to put her on the ticket.

for those who don't think she jumped on the "bitter" misinterpretation...

are saying that Clinton hopes that Obama should be shot they should apologize. Because they hate Clinton so much they are overly sensative to everything she says and ignore the many sexist comments she receives. I am a hard core progressive democrat. But sometimes the Obama supporters make me think about voting for John McCain. I just don't like the self-righteous attitude that so many Obama supporters have. I feel like I'm in 1988 talking to Pat Robertson supporters, except they hold different ideologies.

I always have to remind myself that Obama is not the Obama supporters. But as time passes, I'm not sure that reminder is going to work anymore.

....Clinton supporters would have done if she was in the lead in late May, and Obama said well the reason I'm staying in the race is because no one has enough delegates yet, her husband stayed in until June, and remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June of his primary run...so anything could happen.

There would be soooooo much outrage, diaries out the ass, and Obama would, and rightfully so, asked to withdraw from the race.

Hypocrisy at it's finest

This is going over the edge. We've heard for years from the right-wing, over 16 years, that people who happened to have died were because of the Clintons. Vince Foster, Ron Brown, that whole "body count," and now, from our supposed own, THIS? She is NOT intending to kill Obama. She just got taken out of context. Seeing people even here insinuate that she is going to have him killed is deserving of being banned. I would initially say all those here who are insinuating another smear should have their comments hidden, or banned, but instead, I say this diary needs to be deleted. I will not stand, and I hope others here will not, to hear such Democrats be smeared as murderers, or potential murderers. There needs to be a cap on this anti-Clintons diaries and comments. It starts at this diary.

read into it ANYTHING else then that she is trying to give some historical reference that previous primaries did go WELL into June (1960, 1968, 1972, 1984, 1992 and so forth), you are just dishonest and trying to spin it and milk it for just cheap cheap cheap political gain.

Those who do that are very twisted and we don't want  you in our campaign and we don't want you supporting Senator Obama and you do not deserve supporting Senator Obama. In fact, i am calling pure nasty republicans who are trying to exploit perfect innocent remarks and into us against each other.

Please, we need to be better than this. Our campaign is better than turning some innocent remarks into something that she didn't mean. Yes, i support Obama and Yes i am telling the Obama supporters to be honest and stop THIS BULLSHIT.

I have to agree.  This was a clinker of the first magnitude.  I've been one to slam Obama supporters who pile onto Hillary and mock her supporters (and I still think I was right) but with this she spun off into a whole new dimension of appalling stupidity.

Hillary seems to have forgotten how you get and keep political power - first and foremost you have to persuade people you are right and let them develop and keep confidence in you and your judgment and motivation.  Up until she made this comparison, you could squint and see how she might be persisting so all the states get a chance to make their votes count and give her the benefit of the doubt.  It just got exponentially more difficult to do that, however.

ok, obviously she didn't mean to imply that Obama would be or should be killed. Obviously she didn't mean to promote that possibility.

However, this was a massively stupid and careless thing to say and she should apologize forthrightly. This deserves more than the typical "I apologize if people were offended" thing which she's done.

Her reputation was one of inevitability because she was so politically savvy, she had experience with diplomacy, she was a campaign genius, etc.

Whether she meant to plant the seeds of such horror in some unbalanced mind, or whether she simply meant to point to an instance in the past where the candidate had not been locked in by as late as June---doesn't matter.

Either way you look at it, this is a monumental display of extremely poor judgment.

She has shown why she is not ready to be President.  She has shown that she never was ready to be President.  

Yes, she looks truly remorseful in her apology statement.  That's how somebody looks when they know they've just sustained a self-inflicted mortal wound.

calm down. Can't understand why obama supporters got such excited.

Hillary is in this for one reason, and one reason only: Hillary Clinton. She doesn't care WHAT she has to do to win. There's been plenty of examples of this during the campaign, and now .... this!

"Look. Everyone thought Bobby Kennedy was about to wrap it up. Humphrey could have just given up and dropped out. But then look what happened. See... you never know what's gonna happen."

Hillary cares about Hillary.... period.

Primary contests more often go long than short. The truncated schedule is a post-1980's effort. Yes, we Democrats suffer from a tragic history of assassinated leaders. Yes, Clinton made the mistake of referring to one of our leaders who was assassinated. Those who extrapolate that reference into wild accusations, including Obama spokesman Bill Burton, are a disgrace to the Democratic party.

Yes.

to you who are her supporters. She has given all she can possibly give. Yet you continue to demand she give more and more, with no end in sight. Go, fight, go, fight. Don't stop. We need you to win. All our hopes and dreams rest upon your victory Hillary.

You are running her into the ground. When will you give her a chance to stop?

Because I believe that she was thinking - June.

The reason I remember June of 1968 is because school was ready to get out and Bobby Kennedy was assassinated.  It was association and association only.

Funny, though, nothing the Clintons can say is right.
Nothing the Obamas say is wrong.

Good fucking gawd -
Obama compared the lengthy nomination campaign to the Bataan Death March
and there was hardly a peep.

Now THAT was intentional.

I.AM.FUCKING.SICK.OF.ALL.OF.IT.

over the word "bitter" to now be calling for the dismissal of Hillary's "assassination" remark  is the height of delicious hypocrisy.

March 6, 2008

Not only that, but Bill wrapped up his nomination at the end of March or April, 1992 - Not June.

Seriously Josh? Seriously?  No, seriously?   Such a ridiculous argument doesn't even deserve comment.  Other than, well- seriously Josh?  Wow, this whole Obama victim crap has worn super thin.  No wonder he's been losing states left and right.