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RFK Assassination Gaffe Mystery Solved?

5/23/08, 8:14 pm EST

I’m coming to the conclusion that maybe this RFK thing isn’t quite as venal as it appeared at first glance.

Clinton first trotted out this line on March 6:

TIME: Can you envision a point at which–if the race stays this close–Democratic Party elders would step in and say, “This is now hurting the party and whoever will be the nominee in the fall”?

CLINTON: No, I really can’t. I think people have short memories. Primary contests used to last a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn’t wrap up the nomination in 1992 until June. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing particularly unusual.

That was one day after Jeffrey Toobin made the same point on Larry King on March 5:

L. KING: Jeffrey Toobin, it is a ding dong race, isn’t it?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: You know, there’s never been a political race anything like this in any of our lifetimes. Yes, many races have gone on longer. In fact, most political primaries have gone on longer. They often been resolved in June with the California primary, whether Bill Clinton in ‘92 or George McGovern in ‘72 or the — in 1968, of course, was when Robert Kennedy was assassination in June, at the end of the California primary.

Looking at this as generously as possible (Why? Because she’s not this stupid.) it seems at least plausible that she found herself watching Larry King one night a couple of months ago. She regurgitated Toobin’s friendly analysis the next day in an interview with Time, and then had the same nugget burble to the surface today in South Dakota.

Not that it mitigates the impact, but it’s certainly more plausible than the “I’ve been thinking about Teddy” excuse.


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Comments

The Enemy Below | 5/23/2008, 9:36 pm EST

Hillary,You sure Done It This Time!!!
Remember,Close Your Mouth Before you Put Your foot In it!!!

celticfenian | 5/24/2008, 12:54 am EST

if you have to go so in-depth to explain the innocence of it, you come off as disingenuous. how many ‘gaffes’ are they allowed to make before we call them out on this trash? if she can’t see the ghoulishness of her comment as it would relate to obama, then she is not sophisticated enough to be a vice-president (let alone president). it’s ’sincere’ apology time for this one…

J | 5/24/2008, 2:22 am EST

I’ve asked this question a few weeks ago in this forum: “Is Hillary ruining her chance of ever getting elected President by not bowing out gracefully now?” I think I got my answer.

DirtyDennis | 5/24/2008, 7:53 am EST

Venal?

DirtyDennis | 5/24/2008, 8:15 am EST

Tim Limbaugh,

I’m sure your journalism professors at ‘Ol Wes’ cringe when they read some of the convoluted logic you submit in the guise of ‘analysis.’ They probably also wonder at your fixated hatred for all things Hillary at the expense of truly meaningful events taking place in the world. Give it a break.

She was talking about campaigns NOT being decided well into June (it’s still May in case you’ve forgotten). Billy Boy’s wasn’t decided until then and if you take the time to listen to the clip you provided, she accented JUNE when referring to RFK. In 1968, the Dems still hadn’t settled on a candidate in JUNE. Everyone remembers that campaign because Bobby was killed during it. It was/is one of those watershed moments that are used in reference.

I studiously avoid listening to ANYTHING Mr. Limbaugh conjures up; I’m disappointed to learn that a liberal website such as R$ was his equal. Perhaps, just perhaps, if you and your MSM cronies spent just a little more time on the REAL issues of today, something might get done. As it is, 37% of news coverage is on the primary election. Little wonder Bushney is going, un-impeached, about the business of dismantling the world.

Venal?

DirtyDennis | 5/24/2008, 8:16 am EST

Tim Limbaugh,

I’m sure your journalism professors at ‘Ol Wes’ cringe when they read some of the convoluted logic you submit in the guise of ‘analysis.’ They probably also wonder at your fixated hatred for all things Hillary at the expense of truly meaningful events taking place in the world. Give it a break.

She was talking about campaigns NOT being decided well into June (it’s still May in case you’ve forgotten). Billy Boy’s wasn’t decided until then and if you take the time to listen to the clip you provided, she accented JUNE when referring to RFK. In 1968, the Dems still hadn’t settled on a candidate in JUNE. Everyone remembers that campaign because Bobby was killed during it. It was/is one of those watershed moments that are used in reference.

I studiously avoid listening to ANYTHING Mr. Limbaugh conjures up; I’m disappointed to learn that a liberal website such as R$ was his equal. Perhaps, just perhaps, if you and your MSM cronies spent just a little more time on the REAL issues of today, something might get done. As it is, 37% of news coverage is on the primary election. Little wonder Bushney is going, un-impeached, about the business of dismantling the world.

Venal?

Coach | 5/24/2008, 11:18 am EST

Breathe DD. Breathe Big Fella. It may be okay with you that she keeps referencing RFK’s gundown, but plenty of people get riled up about it. Meaningless or not, she shouldn’t be referencing it with such ease. It’s a bit creepy, if you ask me.

Anonymous | 5/24/2008, 12:15 pm EST

Jed Clampett

It was planned and deliberate as everything else is in these campaigns. Some subordinates may make these kinds of errors, or well placed misstatements, but the candidate and their upper eschelon are usually shielded from any blowback.
In this instance not only the candidate but also some high officers in her campaign are involved in ‘code speak’ which they must know could incite just such an event in their ‘target audience’. The weak of mind, the disconnected from spirit.

The simple fact that they have repeatedly allowed the reference to be used even though it’s significance in reference to her opponent MUST have been discussed indicates they are either very naive and therfore dangerous if allowed to take over international diplomacy, or outrigth criminal, which would mean her administration would be little different from bushney.

Sad to see actually. She went down taking every cheap, dirty shot possible… this latest one a short time after Sen Obama had praised her so graciously… Sad, truly sad, but very telling. Republican’ts better change their modis operandy before the general or they will get trounced.

SoootiredofstatingtheObvious | 5/24/2008, 12:38 pm EST

Yesterday, KO went all out in his “special comment” on this and listed a series of HRC’s comments/statements made in poor taste. When the list is taken in its entirety, it is quite damning for her…

Stunned in California | 5/26/2008, 1:26 am EST

No. The mystery isn’t solved. It’s very different for a journalist or pundit to discuss assassination and for a candidate to discuss it. Two different things.

It’s also one thing to merely discuss the length of a primary battle. It’s another to use discuss assassination as a reason you’re not leaving the race.

By the way, this would be horrid regardless of the race or gender of the candidate. This is why Huckabee apologized. PRESIDENTIAL said the exact same words about John McCain.

Strangely enough my senior prom, featuring Fishbone, was held in the same ballroom where RFK was assassinated. I only learned this 18 years after I graduated, but it still chilled me. How could HRC talk about anybody’s assassination so glibly? This reflects a serious character disorder.

Stunned in California | 5/26/2008, 1:31 am EST

Correction: Part of my comment was deleted. What I wrote was that it is wrong for any candidate to mention assassination in a PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. It would have been just as wrong if Ron Paul had aid the exact same words about John McCain.

Dr. Ralph | 5/29/2008, 6:09 pm EST

If Hillary really believes, as I do, that Obama will be assassinated why doesn’t she suck up for the VP slot? The crazies will certainly wait until he’s elected before they go completely bonkers… unless she’s got the good old Arkansas Mafia already working on it.

Anonymous | 5/29/2008, 7:12 pm EST

Jed Clampett

why do you think McCain keeps inviting him to iraq?

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