Clinton: RFK assassination reference unrelated to Obama

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Clinton: RFK assassination reference unrelated to Obama

(CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton said Sunday some people are using her controversial reference to Robert F. Kennedy's assassination to suggest that she meant something "completely unthinkable." Her campaign also accused the rival Obama campaign of "inflaming" the situation and purposely taking her words out of context. But the Obama campaign said it was not trying to "stir the issue up."

In an editorial in the New York Daily News, the Democratic presidential hopeful also acknowledged her dwindling chances of winning the nomination, saying she is aware of "the odds" against her. Headlined "Hillary: Why I continue to run," the editorial began with an explanation of her reference to the assassination when she was speaking to the Argus Leader newspaper in South Dakota. She said she was pointing out that presidential primary campaigns have continued into June. "Almost immediately, some took my comments entirely out of context and interpreted them to mean something completely different -- and completely unthinkable," she wrote.

Clinton said the newspaper's editor and Bobby Kennedy Jr. issued statements arguing that was the meaning of her remark. No other member of the Kennedy family has issued a public statement on the matter. "I realize that any reference to that traumatic moment for our nation can be deeply painful -- particularly for members of the Kennedy family, who have been in my heart and prayers over this past week," she said, in a reference to Sen. Edward Kennedy's diagnosis with brain cancer. "And I expressed regret right away for any pain I caused. "But I was deeply dismayed and disturbed that my comment would be construed in a way that flies in the face of everything I stand for -- and everything I am fighting for in this election." Some people -- particularly a number of bloggers -- have suggested she was imagining the possibility that Sen. Barack Obama, the likely nominee, could be assassinated.

After Clinton's initial remarks to the newspaper were reported, the Obama campaign issued a statement saying the comment "was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign." But Obama himself later said, "I don't think that Senator Clinton intended anything by it," and that "we should put it behind us."...

***

...Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod told ABC's "This Week" that "we take her at her word," and he added, "We're beyond that issue now, so certainly we're not trying to stir the issue up." The program's host, George Stephanopoulos, noted that a member of Obama's staff sent to the media Saturday a "searing commentary" by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann slamming Clinton for her remark. "Mr. Olbermann did his commentary and he had his opinion," Axelrod responded, adding, "As far as we're concerned, this issue is done."...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/25/campaign.wrap/index.html

[99th_Monkey]

1. Translation: "I'm a TOTAL VICTIM. I'm being SO mis-interpreted by those mean Obama people. n/t

[Deja Q]

2. Often is the phrase stated, "it is better to just do something and apologize later"

Maybe we're all in the wrong.

But then, at what point does a candidate need to preemptively vet their own scripted speeches?

[Richard Steele]

3. And if you believe that, I have some magic beans I'm willing to sell at steep discount. nm

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. Ha! Ha! Axelrod "takes her at her word". Touche! nt.

[monmouth]

5. Then why, pray tell, did she look like a deer caught in the headlights, go pale,

and, to herself, go "oh shit, I've done it now." We all saw it, we've all been there one way or another. She was guilty, looked guilty and I will never be convinced otherwise....

[BearSquirrel2]

6. Even ABC nailed the Clinton's on this one ...

They played the McAuliffe clip and then showed the Obama surrogates saying that Obama was unconcerned.