I'm Going to Disagree with Arianna -- and Scream for Clinton to Step Down

Why?

By bringing up Bobby Kennedy's assassination in conjunction with reasons she should continue her race to become the Democratic Nominee she has officially lost her mind. It's beyond irresponsible and beyond reprehensible.

Just the other day I was willing to hug it out and even push for an Obama/Clinton ticket.

Today I realize this candidate will go to any lengths, including the discussion of assassination, to get what she wants, and I am disgusted.

Please don't tell me this was an innocent turn of phrase meant to make some point.

It's not. We all know Senator Clinton knows better and says NOTHING innocent.

Clinton says, "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it."

Yeah, I'm guessing those white, blue-collar voters just ate that up.

While cleaning their guns.

My call from February 12th, 2008 stands now, more than ever.

Senator Clinton, Step Down NOW.

hat-tip Donklephant.

Erin Kotecki Vest normally is angry at HRC, but not usually THIS angry over at Queen of Spain Blog. She even really liked her once.

Comments

[tyrdofwaitin]

Hillary should have stepped down a few yesterdays ago. She has said in recent weeks that something really big might happen and that's why she's remaining in the campaign.

NEWS BULLETIN FOR HILLARY CLINTON: Something really big HAS happened! You have imploded and expelled a vile bile. You have offended every man, women and child of good will and decency. Your apologists are no better because they are afraid to acknowledge to themselves (and to us) how profoundly you have let them down in this campaign. You have gone beyond the pale and it is now time for you to step down before you do any additional damage to Sen. Obama, the Democratic Party, the American people and maybe most especially your daughter, Chelsea. What will your legacy be to her? To other women? To the American people? You have jerked us and divided us and have attempted to character-assasinate Barack Obama. You have coveted women and hard-working-whomevers for your own purposes; you don't care a hoot about them. You have lied and insinuated and now the darkest recess of your soul is there for all to see.

Those who have the courage not to paper over your mendacity are deeply hurt. How will you reconcile with them? I hope some of them will remain with you for what portends to be a life-long process of healing.

[Cougarkj]

Better yet, HRC, retire from public life all together. I feel as much rage and disgust for her at this moment as I have ever felt for Bush. Throughout this campaign I have been disenchanted, and disgusted by Clinton's choices and behavior. I've even claimed that I would find it hard to support her if she managed somehow to defeat her opponent fairly, but I not only will not support her I will work actively to support her opponent. She is the antithesis of everything we need in a leader at this moment in history. She does not represent women--she just happens to be one. For everyone still supporting her, especially those still delusional enough to support her simply because she's a woman, I would beg them to examine their conscience. She and Mike Huckabee should be blacklisted by the party for their appalling comments and behavior over the last month.

[soupdragon]

Even if HRC is the last one standing by the time the convention finally convenes, there is no way she should be the candidate. Someone like Gore, someone respected, would have to step forward and pick up the pieces. She can insist on sticking to the bitter end, but it already is her bitter end; she is damaged goods, obviously unfit to answer the 3 am phone after the rigors of the campaign. How difficult it is, when trifling with the truth, to keep your stories straight.

Why did she stick with Bill after he lied and lied and lied? Because she then had him by the short and curlies, and he has to promote her to get back in the White House.

The last person Obama needs as a vp would be this worn out and confused person, with all that baggage she claims has been rummaged through over the years. I can still remember Whitewater, and her singular failure to deliver a health care program. Watching her campaign implode, how could anyone have confidence in her as a chief executive? You are judged by the company you keep; how can she link up with all her old conservative enemies? And watch your supposed friends melting away. . .

Please Hilary, do us a favor, do the right thing, step down gracefully.

[OrionGal]

This is one video clip I hope stays out of the Main Stream Media.

We here have viewed and reviewed Hillary's statement and her laughing (which was the most disturbing to me), and her vague apology given a short time after. I've been following her statements for months, and this Hillary is the LAST.

Hillary - your campaign has been over, but now your political career is over. And you - YOU - did this to yourself. There is NO blame on gender, or the media, or some conspiracy. This blame is on YOU. YOU are responsible for the words that come out of YOUR mouth.

I do want to know that YOU make a personal apology to the Obama family and his campaign staff.

After that, go away.

[abigail1]

I just want her to stand up and say, "I said a really boneheaded thing. It was stupid. I was trying to make a point about long primaries with uncertain results, but that doesn't matter and the analogy I was using was flawed at best. What I said was dumb, just dumb. I, of all people, know what it is like to live with Secret Service protection and to need it for my family. I have been around long enough to know that there are many who fear for Sen Obama's safety given his historic run, just as there are many who fear for my safety given my historic run. It was a dumb thing to say. I apologize to Sen Obama, to Michelle, and especially to his daughters Malia and Sasha as well as to all Americans who were shocked by what I said. My words have been misinterpreted, but that is my fault because of the boneheadedness of what I said. I should have been more sensitive. I should have been more careful. I know better. I am exhausted but that's no excuse. What I said was really dumb."

Then she can run out the primaries, give Obama her endorsement and a bear hug at a big rally in Florida June 3rd, campaign her fanny off for him, and return to the senate and work her fanny off there to get health care passed.

Is that too much to ask?

[emcd]

You are right on! Why can't any of the paid writers in her campaign write this? More importantly why haven't any of her paid advisers told her she needs to do this to redeem herself and to have any chance of reclaiming even a tiny bit of respect she might have had.

There is no way she should be badgered to drop out. But she is continuing a campaign that is only serving to make her remaining supporters more crazed and irrational.

HRC ladies: please take a step back and realize that your vote is not about electing a woman. It's about the Supreme Court, the Iraq war, the Constitution, your reproductive rights and those of your daughters. Take a look at the stark differences betwen the Dems and Repubs and make a PASSIONATE reasoned fact-based decision. Step back from the brink!

(And before you accuse me of being one those sexists you hate -- I'm a member of your demographic, and you're all just plain losing it and reinforcing the stereotypes of hysterical, illogical women).

[jp5472]

I agree wholeheartedly with you. What I have seen though is a complete lack of accountability from anyone on her staff. They have made so many mistakes, presented so many statements that have been out and out false or completely boneheaded, and yet never do they admit wrong, these minions of hers just keep trying to weasel out of a bad situation with more and more spin. If I were her I'd have a whole team now in place to check every word of what her regular staff comes up with as the fact of the matter is not only was the use of the word "assassination" so absolutely wrong in the political arena (and used numerous times by her since March), but her assertion that her husband's nomination was still up for grabs in June is a complete falsehood. One can EASILY find that he was the presumptive nominee by late March of 1992. This whole gang is clearly "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" and the scary part is this is the team that was supposed to be in support of the inevitable nominee up until 6 months ago....in an election that the Dems surely could have won over whatever dolt the opposition presented. Could you imagine this much incompetence as her advisers in an HRC administration? Well, yes we have that with BWB, but we are supposed to be moving away from that.

[Dave01]

Better yet, why can't she write something like that FOR HERSELF?

[RDixon]

No one has said she doesn't have a "right" to stay in the race; even after Obama has taken the checkered flag, if she so desires.

I, and many others though, question whether it is "right" for her to do so.

There is no question that she is doing harm to the party.

There is a legitimate question as to why she is doing that.

And like all things Clinton, answers are few and far between and when there are answers, they generally turn out to be lies.

[cincyr]

Clinton will get a free ride on this just like she does on everything else. The Democratic party leadership is too fearful of losing her supporters and her big donors. Clinton could have used many other examples of long races that continued up until the convention. The 1968 race started March 12th and the 1992 race started Feb. 18th. Bill Clinton had the nomination wrapped up after the New York primary in early April 1992. That RFK's own son would forgive her this, I don't understand. It wasn't even a good historical reference to a "hard fought race" as he put it.

[schicklett3]

Hillary will never concede - no matter what!
Seriously folks, this woman has been given a pass for everything she's said and done during this campaign. She is making the Democratic Party look like fools and ruining any chance of defeating the republicans in the fall.
The choice is now up to the Superdelegates - either step up and end this now, or face defeat to John McCain. Take your pick.

[katzooks]

My letter to the Democratic Party, followed by a link for others to do the same:

Good Morning,

Up until now, I have reluctantly accepted that, in the interest of party unity, this primary season was be seen to its completion, much as I've felt that the Clinton campaign hijacked the primary process, keeping the superdelegates hands tied on endorsing Obama. As of yesterday afternoon, however, when Clinton made her RFK assassination comment, it is a different morning for the Democratic Party.

Yet, I cannot believe, as I live and breathe, there are those out there who not only excuse her comment as "an unfortunate reference," or a "historical reference," or "a misstatement" due to campaign fatigue, but who condone her comment, many cheering her on in the most racially vitriolic terms imaginable. I implore you, and I know that I speak for many, many Americans -- from common citizens to politicians and superdelegates -- to push for an end to this. The time is now. Not June 3rd. Now.

Respectfully,

http://www.democrats.org/contact.html

[Jamey]

Yes, I too have written to the DNC but with a very different view point. I have asked the Superdelegates to endorse Senator Clinton. Some of you just don't seem to understand there are a multitude of us out here that will not support Senator Obama. We have been made " bitter" by his bitter remarks he made behind closed doors in Ca. that he never expected us to hear. His remarks spoke loud and clear about how he really feels about the middle class. Now, the voters of PA.,WV,OK, etc. are speaking equally loud that they will not support Senator Obama. I hope the superdelegates are paying attention to these facts. If not, then all of us Democrats will suffer when we have to welcome John McCain to the white house.

[MaineMike]

I still don't think she's going to concede.

She should, however, replace her fake apology with a real apology. Regardless of her intentions, her careless remark upset a lot of people and her fake apology only made things worse.

Perhaps she should also take the next tens days off and get some rest.

[Manx]

I never questioned Hillary's right to continue in the race but I question her judgment.

However, after the repugnant "assassination" remark, I think she should resign her Senate seat immediately. Her campaign has become maniacal.

[Ontariocentric]

I am SO glad the entire video of the interview was provided.

I watched and listened, waiting to hear her say those evil words.

...and then she did...and...YOU ARE ALL MAKING SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF THIS!!
(Especially YOU Keith Olbermann)

Clinton was giving an interview, thinking on her feet. Making her case about the problems with privatizing the public arena, how it's polluting the Great Lakes and making our bridges collapse.
When the question about her being pressured to drop-out of the race came up, her lawyer persona took over and she just started thinking about all the reasons why primaries can run all the way to the convention. She emphasized June, using '92 as an example. The she remarked about RFK's assassination - in JUNE. She underestimated how on people's minds the fear of another assassination is at this juncture. She was wrong to invoke it. She should apologize - to Senator Obama for the speculation this has caused about him. BUT SHE SHOULD NOT STEP DOWN!!!!

[Nobuks]

I have a buddy who was sitting with me as we were watching NBC talk about this latest incident attributed to Hillary's short sightedness. As she was talking about Bobby Kennedy's assignation happening in June, my buddy, (who I will admit, while having a great heart, is a bit of a wingnut), asked me if she just advocated for someone to go out and shoot him so that she can get the nomination. Now myself, I did not get that impression that this is what she was asking for, and the more I listed to exactly what she said, I realize that what she was talking about, while being in poor taste, has actually occurred. What did concern me though, was that my buddy thought this information as a possible request. Now I know that's not the case, but there are people out there, this is a fact, who do not have such an aversion or a grounding in reality who may just construe this as a plead for help for her quest to be president. Let's face this simple truth. There are some very well armed people out there who do not like black people, and if just one of them was to think that this is a path to prevent him from becoming president, the last thing they need is encouragement, whether implied or not!

[OtayPanky]

Just sent this to [e-mail]

===

Dear Governor Dean -

Hillary Clinton has just done more to put Barack Obama at risk of an assasin's bullet than all the wackos on the web.

Everybody knows that when you broadcast a lethal idea like this, it works its way into the brains of the unstable.

And everybody who follows the race knows that Barack already has a much tighter Secret Service detail than either Hillary or McCain.

While I certainly won't impugn hateful motives to her, she could not poasibly have said anything more irresponsible - and potentially more harmful. Surely she owes Barack and his family and honest and forthright apology - and it is past time for her to stop her destructive, divisive campaign.

As chairman of the DNC, you must speak out courageously - and all the supers must make their feelings known by declaring their commitment now - to force her out of the race.

Sincerely,

[4wehttam]

Dean and the rest won't do a damn thing. They are to afraid of crossing the Clinton's. I'm getting really sick and tired of my party, I don't even know why I'm still apart of it except Barack gives me hope for a better vision for our country.

[mergina]

Oh sure. Just like that. Step down Hilary, with your larger popular vote and all the key states you have won, just fade into the sunset. Right. Now that is a sure formula for Obama's defeat in November. The ONLY way he can win is with Clinton's voters and her support. If you take away the idiotic rules of the Democratic Primary, she is at the least tied with Obama, and could win more of the popular vote by the time its over. No, Obama should be the one screaming for her to be his running mate. He should be asking her daily for her support. If he thinks he can win this thing without her, he is delusional.

[aht772e]

I hate those idiotic rules, like counting delegates, etc....Of course, CURRENT polls show an overwhelming majority of dems preferring obama to hillary, but those pesky rules make you count the votes made in february , before she began he "kitchen sink" campaign.

as for needing hillary's supporters, no he doesn't. All he needs are american patriots and loyal democrats. the people who are not those, but hillary supporters instead, are a minority of democratic primary voters, and are not only unneccesary for an Obama win, but actually need the democratic party much more than we need them (imagine womens rights under a john McCain presidency, supremem court nominations, etc...), Take your ball(s) and go home if you want, but don't complain when the party realizes that it needn't pay attention to YOUR issues anymore, because after all, 48% of women voted for bush in 2004, how many more do you think would/could vote for McCain this time? Certainly not enough to overcome new registers and overwhelming independant and anti-republican sentiment.

[Nobuks]

Yea, those darn rules. Now, if women didn't need to follow the rules that others do, they would be at the top, eh? That's what you feel? So what your are saying is that women are the weaker sex, and that they need exceptions to compete? Wasn't the point of feminism and equal rights supposed to be the leveling, the opening of opportunity's for women that traditionally were once closed to them because of stereotypical attitudes about ability? So what your saying is that this is a lie, and that women do need special treatment? Please make up your mind, as I have no inkling to have a President that requires special conditions in order to function!

[BluesDogLefty]

Popular vote--???

This is a delegate primary.

All this talk about the popular vote gives the illusion that more people have actually voted for HRC and somehow Obama won on some technicality.

Please----there were many many many caucuses---and these voters would be disenfranchised if you go by the popular vote. This is nonsense. Iowa doesn't count???? Are you serious????

HRC lost the caucuses---they aren't new----Obama beat her fair and square in the caucuses. My God, we have had caucuses for a very long time and I cannot ever remember anyone arguing that they should not count because their candidate lost them.

[BluesDogLefty]

Caucuses do not record the popular vote. Your argument is meaningless.

[FLindependant]

And to NOT count the caucus states is the ULTIMATE in voter disenfranchisement!

[ljmck]

Yup, you're right. If you take away the rules of the Democratic primary, Hillary could win. So could my dog. On the other hand, I do appreciate your doggedness.