Clinton Camp Stokes RFK Controversy By Blaming Obama

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign accused Sen. Barack Obama's campaign of fanning a controversy over her describing the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy late in the 1968 Democratic primary as one reason she is continuing to run for the presidency.

"The Obama campaign ... tried to take these words out of context," Clinton campaign chairman Terence R. McAuliffe said on "Fox News Sunday." "She was making a point merely about the time line."

The issue is particularly sensitive given longstanding concerns about Obama's safety as a presidential candidate. (He first received Secret Service protection last May.) The Obama campaign called Clinton's words unfortunate and circulated a TV commentary criticizing them, although Obama himself said Saturday that he took Clinton at her word that she meant no harm.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[StephenDedalus82]

It is quite typical of the Obama campaign to profess innocence while slyly forwarding emails about the incident to millions of people.

[JTyroler]

Blaming other people for your actions and statements is NOT a good attribute for a President. The buck has to stop somewhere - and I guess any bucks going to Clinton's campaign is going to pay debts.

[ObamaFanInWi]

This is the Clinton's standard approach to anything outrageous HillBillery happens to spew. When she is called on it, she blames the injured party. Can you imagine if Obama said the same thing about her, she would be screeching it from the rooftops to every news person who would listen.
The Clinton campaign uses every excuse in the book as to why she has lost this election; the truth is she needs to look no farther than in the mirror.

[olenska]

What is important about this story is that the Clintons, over the last three months, have shown America who they really are. Power-mad and consumed by ambition, willing to destroy the very party they built up in order to seize control. I regret to say that Billery is my senator. I hope this will mark the end of her political career

[diogeron]

I voted for BIll twice and think he was a fine president overall. Having said that, the conduct of the Clintons in the past few months has made it quite clear to me that it's all about the Clintons and they couldn't care less about the fate of the Democratic Party in 2008 or the nation. At this point, I have nothing but contempt for both of them.

[emory]

lets all collectively stop writing stories like this and Hillary will just go away. after all she lost so lets just report on the race at hand OBAMA vs McBUSH

[keclxivq]

Please, just shut up!!

[andrushka]

I wholeheartedly agree!

[JTyroler]

I find it interesting that it's Obama's fault for Clinton's comments to be blown out of proportion. Sen. Clinton seems to have an issue with taking responsibility for any of her comments or actions. I don't know if I received an email from the Obama campaign - I usually don't read them, just like I usually don't read the emails from the DNC. Even if Obama's campaign sent an email about Clinton's comments, I was offended by her comments - I couldn't believe she brought up Robert Kennedy's assassination as a reason for her to stay in the race. Obama had to have Secret Service protection very early on because of concerns of assassination attempts.

Part of Hillary Clinton's problem is no one seems to know why she's running in the first place. Ensuring that delegates from Michigan and Florida are seated at the Democratic convention is not a good reason to be President. Winning the Michigan "primary" by being the only person on the ballot is a tactic usually reserved for totalitarian regimes. Saying that you want to make sure that every vote counts and excluding the states that had caucuses is absurd.

[Unique71]

Let me get this straight, the Clinton campaign is blaming Obama because his campaign responded with a few words such as, "unfortunate" and "no place in the campaign". On top that, Senator Obama said later that Senator Clinton didn't mean any harm by it. So again, why are the blaming his campaign?

[strangelet]

Because, *while* they were saying all those good things, they were also continuing to send emails reminding the recipients of how awful it was that Clinto made those comments. This is called hypocrisy.

[utd]

in the famous words of cousin Cheney..."So."

[OrganizersWin]

Just for the heck of it.. try this for a second. Imagine if every table was turned... and Obama and Clinton switched places, in every regard. Do you think your attitude to this would be the same? Also, can we really compare staffers sending emails (to what extent who knows), and a Presidential candidate even referencing an assassination, esp. a kennedy at this time, esp, 1968, and esp, WRONG in all matters of comparison and fact?

She didn't "mean" anything... she "revealed" everything... at least to those adults still sane in American society. Check it out, and try it. Maybe you will see it different if you switch the candidates, from Iowa to Bosnia, from the working whites to jesse, and simply the 'attitudes' of each.. Well, to mock her some, "she is not trying to destroy the democratic party, 'as far as I know'". (I criticize him for policy reasons, not personality. Maybe Hillary can reference lynchings next time she visits a rope factory?)

[MikeL1]

As an independent, I'll ALWAYS have great respect 4 Bill Clinton & what he did as president. But his wife defines the typical nasty, filthy, cruel & deceiving politician. She can't even stand up & admit her gaffes. 1 of MANY, of course. But it's time 2 blame the target. WOW! Seems like only a White women can get away with it. If it was Michelle Obama or even Barak saying such nonsense, LOOK OUT!!! Friggin sad. A "so-called" regret statement without mentioning or apoligizing 2 Obama & then turn around & blame her statements on HIM!!!!!!! A Black or a White man would be slaughtered 4 saying that!

[kira181]

The Obama campaign already got called out for firing up this Fake Scandal. Axelrod got nailed by George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning. He tried to BS his way out of it but ... e-mails, baby.

[condieshoes]

I watched and heard the quote. No one from the Obama headquarters called me up and said, "watch this and this is what we think....yada"

The close approximation of the two comparisons with her campaign, very much sounded as disgusting as other people have found it to be. It was just creepy. She has menitoned RFK assassination more than once. Really, what is this woman doing here? Has she lost her mind?

[mcgreen]

Here is the Snopes web page that documents the beginning of public suspicion linking the Clintons and murder. It began in August 1998 long before the campaigning of this election.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/bodycount.asp

Hillary just unfortunately had a mis-speak that ran smack into a long standing negative perception.

[cece]

so, the Obama campaign distributed the Olbermann commentary on Hillary and
you expect her supporters to take the "Obama did not say anything" line?
that fanned the flames. Obama knows that his staff and supporters are
getting in the mud on his behalf. deep mud.

[HarryTheHat]

Seriously, how many people responding on HuffPo or YouTube do you think were recipients of an email from the Obama campaign?

You're going to have to take a deep breath, look reality right in the eye and acknowledge that the reaction to HRC's remarks are widespread, spontaneous and raw.

The backlash is down simply to what Hillary said, as reported in the mainstream media.

Whatever happened to taking responsibility for one's own words and actions?

[osteoclast]

I didn't get an email.
I just winced at her comments as they flowed from her lips.

[user168]

Hillary decided to "win at all costs" from day one. That means she gave herself the permission to do whatever, whenever, and to whoever. Anyone thinks she is wrong at anytime is by all means "in her way".

[MissingAmerica]

The more I look at this one, the more I think of George Bush accusing us of being Fascists when we do not agree. The president should be above accusations and blame, and willing to face up to mistakes with dignity and true humility. Bush has never displayed either of those attributes, and we have become painfully aware of that fact. I've never really seen any humility in Hillary during this campaign, and she is rapidly losing her dignity. This blame is a cheap shot that's beneath even her.