Saturday, May 24, 2008

Sometimes people say what they are thinking

A politician has to be careful. Sometimes they say what they are thinking, without intending to do so. Washingtonpost.com reported Clinton was asked during a meeting with the editorial board of the Argus Leader newspaper in Sioux Falls, S.D., about continuing to run despite long odds of winning the nomination. She said that while the media and Obama's campaign have urged her to withdraw, "historically, that makes no sense." "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right?"
True, but that election did not start the previous year.
she continued. "We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California."
Oops. What she meant to to say was something might happen to Obama before then, because people were starting to see what an empty suit he is. But the "Vince Foster" alternative was supposed to be a very closely held alternative.
Her advisers quickly explained that Clinton merely intended to note that this was not the first primary campaign to stretch into the summer, not to suggest that Obama might be assassinated.
Even if she would like to see it happen.
Clinton later apologized to the Kennedy family while speaking to reporters, saying she did not mean to offend anyone.
I don't think the statment was offensive. A threat, but not an offense.
But in a campaign where Obama's safety has been a subtext and in which critics have blamed Clinton for exacerbating racial tensions, her words added a new element of tension to the Democratic contest. Obama began receiving Secret Service protection about 18 months before the general election because homeland security officials were concerned about potential threats against him.
So they recognize that it is possible.
Obama campaign officials quickly called the comments out of bounds.
Since when does one of the players in a game declare something in or out of bounds That is up to the voters to determine.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Notice that although she apologized to the Kennedy's for possibly "causing offense," she did not apologize to Obama for, at the very least, giving the appearance of hoping he will be assassinated - which is the greater offense. Her "apology" in that respect was to me a double offense against Obama - and really inexcusable for a person in her position of responsibility.

Anonymous said...

Obama's campaign did not call the comment out of bounds. They called it "unfortunate"

Anonymous said...

This latest Clinton comment was anything but a gaffe. It was not even a Freudian slip. HRC has covered the same territory including the mention of the RFK assasination prior to this latest event in S. Dakota. She just got caught this time. It is way out of bounds and she owes Obama et.al. an apology. She will say and do anything to win. She is making her bed and will not like the slumber within those thorn laden sheets and bug infested blankets, not to mention the pillows covered with acidic slime much like her own words.

Don Singleton said...

she certainly wants something to happen to him. she does not think assignation is likely, and after vince foster she does not want to ask anyone to do it, but she hopes something like Wright comes up

Unknown said...

She is feared by many people, especially superdelegates. They know she is vindictive, cruel and a scorekeeper. It does not surprise me in the least that paramount on her mind is that something horible happen to Barrack. She has no soul that I can see and only wants to be President. Even Bill is fearful of what might happen if she doesnt get it. She likely will blame him in some way. All I can say is please oh please superdelegates save our party and kick her out of the race asap. Hillary is a cancer in the Democratic party.

Don Singleton said...

It is interesting to see Democrats discovering what Conservatives knew back in the 90s

Anonymous said...

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Certainly she is not the first American to have thought or uttered the concept.

Last winter, I heard that the reason that African-Americans in SC did not initially want to see BO succeed was specifically because they were afraid that some lunatic would try to harm him.

I've been worried all along that some nut would try to shoot Clinton, too.

This is America, after all.

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