Emanuel Says Kennedy Clinton Comments Out Of Line

The New York Times:

On a day when it seemed that everybody was beating up on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton -- even "Saturday Night Live" had run a skit making fun of her -- one person came to her defense on Sunday: Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the No. 3 Democrat in the House.

Mr. Emanuel called to assail Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, for remarks he made when asked about the possibility of Senator Barack Obama of Illinois choosing Mrs. Clinton, of New York, as his running-mate.

"I have a lot of respect for Ted Kennedy, but I don't know how the hell he comes off saying that," said Mr. Emanuel, who has ties to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama and has not endorsed in the race. "The gratuitous attack on her is uncalled for and wrong. He is a better senator than that comment reveals."

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[sharonh]

Who cares what Kennedy's opinions are. Without his name he would have been in prison a long time ago. You and I certainly would have.

Remember Chappaquiddick.

[wndrwrthg]

Oh yeh, Chappaquidick, that was that band from the late sixties that had the one hit wonder,"driving my baby over the bridge".

[dumboldfarmer]

Kinda like Mena?

[luvthelaw]

Looks like the latest talking points have come out. Suddenly there are a handful of posters out there who are insisting that Obama is under some kind of spell and is controlled by the Kennedys. Just looks a little weird that the same theory is suddenly showing up on several threads. I admit that I may be wrong and just missed them in the past but it just struck me as strange.

[08timefortruth]

I think it's their new line of attack. After all they can't accept the fact that Obama is kicking their butts all on his own. When you are as sure as the Clintons are that this nomination is theirs it is difficult not to grasp at excuses for why they lost.

[luvthelaw]

Yeah, but you have to wonder about where the Democratic Party is headed when having the support of the Kennedy family is somehow turned into an insult. Bill was inspired by JFK. I don't think Ted is quite the man his brothers were but after their deaths, he was destined to walk a different path. He has done many things I didn't like but he has also stood for many good things and worked hard for the Democrats. This kind of divisiveness is the reason I wish this thing was over.

[fourex]

You are correct the little right wing punks have their Kennedy marching orders. Remember this initiator Rahm Emanuel is big time DLC and Bush War supporter.

firedoglake,
As for Rahm's recruits strengthening what some call "centrist" positions-- and what I call reactionary positions-- just look at how they vote.

The freshmen voting most frequently abandoning the Democrats in order to vote with the Republicans are Heath Shuler (personally recruited by Rahm), Jason Altmire (not a Rahm candidate), Joe Donnelly (a Rahm candidate), Brad Ellsworth (a Rahm candidate), Baron Hill (relentlessly pursued by Rahm to run), and Nick Lampson (I hope some Texans will make public how Rahm made this happen; I'm bound to silence).

These are the guys who keep voting with the GOP on issue after issue after issue, and who constantly weaken Pelosi's chance to forge a working progressive majority. Rahm's big mistake in 2005-06 was his pigheaded belief that real anti-war candidates couldn't win and that grassroots candidates are worthless.

[piquet]

At least he has the balls to pick a side...

[KillTheMessenger]

Balls are of no use whatsoever when you pick the wrong side. You are still a loser.

[08timefortruth]

Doesn't that depend on who's balls you are discussing? Kennedy's or Emanuel's.

[macbabe]

I respect Kennedy and agree, at least he had the balls to pick a side while everyone else is pussy-footing around the Clintons. JMO

[eurydice]

Out of line?
In a Wall Street Journal article of August 30, 1999 entitled "Clinton's Clemency for Terrorists Is Unpardonable," Joseph and Thomas Connor, whose father was murdered by Puerto Rican Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN) terrorists, condemned their politically-motivated pardon by Bill Clinton. The Connors wrote that the pardon is "made in an attempt to sway New York's Hispanic voters with an eye to his wife's Senate campaign." The Connors' father, Frank, was killed on the day his two young sons were to celebrate their 9th and 11th birthday parties.

"In his rush to help the First Lady's Senate campaign, Mr. Clinton and his Justice Department did not have the decency to even notify the Connors of the clemency offer. Under the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. � 10607(c)(5)(B) and (8), "a responsible official shall provide a victim the earliest possible notice of ... [the] release from custody of the offender,' so the victim can provide his or her views on the proposed release. Even minimal courtesy and respect was not paid to the victims by either Mr. Clinton or his Justice Department," stated Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman. "At a minimum, before proceeding to finalize the pardons Mr. Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno should now personally contact the Connors and the other victims to first-hand obtain their views on the clemency offer."

[campgranata]

Pity, pardons and prostate cancer propelled MRS Clinton into the senate.

[RichLiberal]

Rahm better get used to Ted Kennedy and his remarks. Kennedy pulls the strings of the Obama puppet. What are these strings? There are two:

1. The Chicago political machine is the birthplace of Obama. The Chicago local machine
is a branch of the Kennedy national machine. Been documented since JFK 1960.

2. David Axelrod worked for Patrick Kennedy since 1994. Axelrod also involved w Chicago Exelon.
Axelrod also ran Deval Patrick's hope and change campaign in 2006 in Massachusetts which
was backed by Kennedy's Massachusetts supporters. And, of course, who is running Obama's
campaign? Why, it's David Axelrod.

Kennedy's fake outrage at Hillary's LBJ/MLK comments after NH primary was part of the Obama race card that Obama played on Hillary and Bill.

HIllary doesn't want VP, she doesn't want Obama's $. All she wants is votes in WVa and KY. She will then have over 300 electoral votes:

http://www.diversityj.com/ElectoralVoteStates.html

People are going to be looking at the realities of this campaign and wonder what Obama is doing here. Maybe they will sober up in time to make the right choice:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/04/07/hillary/print.html

[08timefortruth]

It must be hell to be so delusional........enjoy your delusions cause they're gonna end sooner or later no matter what lies you post here. Hillary lost the nomination by her own doing.

[luvthelaw]

Rich, you might want to check a few facts.

1. The Chicago machine was in place long before JFK in 1960. I'm old enough to remember and JFK had to go hat in hand to old man Daly to get his support. Believe me, they do not belong to the Kennedys.

2. David Axelrod makes his living running campaigns. It is not unusual for candidates who have similar beliefs to use the same campaign people. Logically sloppy reasoning to assume some kind of control from the Kennedys.

After WV and KY, Hillary will have exactly zero electoral votes, as will all the other candidates. This race is about delegates under the rules of the Democratic Party. Don't know why that is so hard to understand.

Obama is here because he ran a better campaign and motivated his supporters to not only donate but get out and work.

[fourex]

Rich is not factually based, he's a troll.

[piquet]

limp away...all she has left are fearful stupid white people...I would rather lose than win anything in THAT crowd. THEY are the reason this country is in the shit.

[DemocraticRN]

Thanks RichLiberal, I thought I was here alone trying to get the Obama supporters to see what has happened to them. Looks like you have been doing some truthseeking too.

[Knowbetter]

AnnInCa ride again!

[inthecolour]

Ted Kennedy was a little blunt, but honestly he said nothing inaccurate.

Anyway, I'm glad Kennedy, Dodd and Kerry are finally throwing their weight around for Obama. They've been pretty much MIA for the last two months.

His big-name surrogates need to buffer him from all of this crap. Particularly this Hillary for VP nonsense.

Also, I have no idea where people are getting this stuff from-- about Obama being a puppet for Ted Kennedy? HUH? I'm tired of these lame conspiracy theories.

[newshawk14]

Ted Kennedy said the obvious, David Gergen, who is a pundit I greatly respect, said that Obama's
staff would insist on food tasters, and my take is why would Obame want a honey badger (ratel)
as a running mate. See link below for more detailed explanation.
http://www.wildwatch.com/living_library/mammals-2/honey-badger

[jukesgrrl]

What did David Gergen do to deserve that??

[newshawk14]

Your post doesn't quite make sense, but I remember when he was on the Leher
report with Mark Shields of the Baltimore Sun. He was always thoughtful, and
avoided ideology, to where he and Shields would usually find common ground.
I hold him in the same high esteem that I feel for John W. Dean, who often
appears on Keith Olbermann's Countdown. I don't always agree with Mr Dean
or Gergen, but I always find them worth listening to.

[ether6]

Teddy for VP...

Man I sure hope Obama has the spine to hurl back some retribution after he is elected..

[patmancando]

You get what you pay for, and I'm afraid Michelle, the arrogant wears the pants in that family.
He needs a script to sound articulate, otherwise it's the Bush ahs, ems and ers.
Maybe he should send Michelle to stand in for him in a debate with Hillary. Obviously he is a scaredy cat..................meow, Michelle. God, I hope I don't have listen to her for four years in the WH.

Kennedy, whom I used to like, has turned into a real jackass, Especially after that classless tantrum he pulled when Carter won the nomination. Talk about splitting the Democratic party.

My theory about Kennedy, Kerry, Leahy, Daschle, etc. supporting Obama is jealousy. They want some of the power that Hillary's presidential election would consolidate for the Clintons for the next decade. Bill is already the head of the democratic party and the most loved Dem. in the country and the world............Greedy, jealous, elder Senators would probably die with the Clintons still in power if Hillary wins. No wonder they endorsed Obama and have done everything they could to get Hillary to drop out of the race. They are thinking about themselves instead of what is good for the Democratic party. If Obama gets the nomination and loses the GE, shame on the and a pox on their houses.

[SouthFloridaDem]

What planet are you from? Scared to debate Hillary? What, 21 times wasn't enough?

I can tell a lot from your syntax.

[fourex]

It's hard to believe anything you said.

[marc1antony]

you have a thing for michelle, don't you? is it her long legs? you keep posting about her, it's a what? secret obsession? don't worry, I won't tell Barack.

[Jaxxon]

It's funny how so many people bash Michelle. In an odd way she reminds me of Hillary when Bill was running in 1992. She didn't let anyone take a swipe at him. I admired Hillary for that then and Michelle for that now. Wow, I actually used to admire Hillary Clinton. I barely remember those days.

[Raymondf]

Bill is in Oregon right now at a campaign rally.

[eurydice]

Is he wearing his KKK sheet?

[08timefortruth]

The sheet probably wouldn't set well with the folks he'll meet in Oregon. Haven't you noticed the Clintons change their message based on the group they are pandering to?

[Jaxxon]

Wow. I know you don't really believe that.

[Raymondf]

The Clintons campaigned in West Virginia yesterday, today they visited the birthplace home of the lady who had mothers day made in to a holiday and made 5 campaign stops tomorrow, they are making 8 more campaign stops in West Virginia, you thing they are giving up, think again, they are planning the same for Kentucky starting Wednesday.

[ejay579]

Good for them. At least it keeps them off the streets.

[Raymondf]

Obama's new pastor at the trinity united church Had a great mothers day message today. he preached on the black people being lynched everyday. Obama's commit was I believe he will be a fine young Minister. That your presidential nominee.

[ritenow]

You my friend are truly SOS - stuck on stupid!

[08timefortruth]

What did you do go hide in the back of the church........do not make comments you cannot back up completely. Post links to you crap or shut up.

[Raymondf]

I didn't I watch the clip on TV. tonight.

[Raymondf]

It will be replayed on Hannities America again tonight if its not on now will be on at midnight.

[jukesgrrl]

Raymond, do you READ Huffington Post, or do you just come on here to tell us what Hannity thinks?

[Raymondf]

West Virginia will send a message to the country tuesday. And Kentucky will do the same in their primary. then the DNC will have to make a big decision.

[MRb1000]

West Virginia and Kentucky man people I am tire of these different bars that are set for Barack Obama. What is next the moon mar, saturn, neptune? What is going on here. Oh we are trying to fine a state that does not like black people. What are we trying to do here.

[08timefortruth]

They can't find a height he can't overcome and they won't . They are grasping at straws and now working on the "sympathy" vote. As long as Obama keeps his eye on the ball he will prevail. This will all be over soon and they will find different avenues to attack him on but that's ok cause he has right on his side.


Obama '08'

[RichLiberal]

If Obama can't take the heat, maybe he should get out of the kitchen.

[eurydice]

Two racist states with an insignificant number of delegates that will have no effect on Obama's insurmountable lead.

[sharonh]

A state can be racist? Insurmountable lead? Have you been reading Huff Post blogs?

[unmutual]

No need to be classy Mr Emanuel. Obama doesn't need Hillary Clinton or her supporters to win. Nor does he need the toothless, inbred white working class. He's got hope. And hope is all you need to win in November.

[kgb999]

That and more votes than McCain - which of course he will do: I'm pretty sure the toothless will be interested in his plans to help them get dental coverage.

[snobama]

I really really PRAY obama does not offer VP to clinton.....

Take a look at three maps in this analysis for what would happen if 10% Hillary supporters stayed home. It's the last 3 graphs at the bottom.

http://my.opera.com/Vorlath/blog/2008/05/09/who-is-the-safe-choice-for-the-white-house

ENJOY !!
I look forward to the Obama blowout in Nov.

[flabingo]

Hillary spent many years being replaced by bimbos, I can understand her pain being beat by Obama.
Put her on the supreme court and she and Clarence can RUMBLE.