O guys, calm the fuck down. H guys, what she said was dumb as hell.

[Occam Bandage]

Dearest Hillary supporters:

I understand that there is an alternative reading to this statement. I understand that one could interpret it as, "well, you know, things can change around quickly, and keep in mind that RFK had just finished winning a primary in June of '68--proof that races can go on for a long time! My husband won it in June of '68, too. Really, it isn't that bad to have a primary going on in June."

That said, that is not the most natural-sounding reading of her statement, especially given the fact that she's had both enemies and allies saying that she is growing more desperate. People latch on to the attention-grabbing words, and so the most natural-sounding reading of her statement is, "Why should I drop out? Kennedy was assassinated around this time. Maybe Obama will be too."

You can claim that she didn't mean to imply he was at risk to be assassinated. You cannot, however, claim that it does not sound like she meant that. Her campaign's immediate and bombastic backtrack and the wall-to-wall television coverage of the remark suggest that this is, indeed, a problematic statement for her. You might not be outraged, and she might not have meant to draw any outrage, but that doesn't mean it wasn't outrageous.


---------


Dearest Obama supporters:

It was a bad statement. It was a really bad statement. It was offensive, outrageous, and rather shocking in its disregard for history and for civility.

Now chill. It was not racist. It was not a threat on Obama's life. It was not indicative of a conspiracy. It is not cause for Sen. Clinton to be stripped of her office. It is not the worst thing you have ever heard. It is not the worst thing anyone has said this campaign. It is not evidence that she is evil. It was a stupid, foolish thing said by a candidate trying to justify a candidacy that even she knows is not capable of winning the Presidency, but which has to maintain the appearance of such a belief in order to be taken seriously.

------

Thank you.

[WA98296]

1. She CHOOSES to say this. It's the THIRD time she's brought it up in recent weeks.

[danimich1]

33. when were the other 2 times she said this?

Links?

[MBernard]

44. Google yourself silly and find out yourself... or wait for the morning papers or watch Olbermann....

your choice.

She did it over JFK/Johnson and Obama last time. Then there was that "white" people support me comment.

[LittleBlue]

2. I don't think it was racist

Just incredibly stupid. I can't figure out how, no matter how tired or possibly insane she is, she could have said something so politically stupid.

[Common Sense Party]

5. Hasn't she been involved in politics most of her life?

She can't be that naive to think such a boneheaded statement wouldn't have firestorm repercussions.

[Occam Bandage]

8. She managed to say it once or twice without repercussion. Tough to know what's going

to blow up and what won't. Everything you say in politics is a risk.

That said, this was a very, very risky statement.

[Spazito]

25. Hillary Clinton is a very smart person, she KNOWS what she is doing, imo

To raise it once might be construed as a mis-step, to raise it AGAIN after her and her spokespersons have repeatedly said "ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN" with reference as to why she is still in is not an accident, it is deliberate, very deliberate.

[movonne]

6. It is more than stupid it is dangerous...there are so many nuts out

there you do not encourage them...

[LittleBlue]

11. Some nut will believe he/she is the avenger of sexism

and bring a gun to one of his unmanageably large rallies. :cry:

[Occam Bandage]

15. If we always operated on fear of how the worst among us might respond,

Obama wouldn't be in this race. It's an offensive statement, but it was not a particularly dangerous one.

[PoliticalAmazon]

42. especially after she's convinced bigots that they should be proud of their bigotry....

She needs to be locked up.

Better yet, limit her exposure to her family and supporters. Let THEM deal with the crazy bitch.

[Heather MC]

24. Consider the source

Hillary's entire campaign is a highlight of her stupidty
Am I angry yes, am I surprize nope!

[nichomachus]

27. But that's just the point

she is not politically stupid. She's been around for a long time. She's had the media hanging on her every word for almost 20 years. It's the same as when Bill "misspeaks." The Clinton's do not make "mistakes" like this. They debate the meaning of the word "is," for heaven's sake.

[Occam Bandage]

28. They don't make "mistakes" as such, no. They calculate risk and then speak. She miscalculated.

[nichomachus]

30. That seems to be the theme of her campaign -- not the sort of person we'd want for president

[Occam Bandage]

31. I agree. She's shown terrible judgement.

[OregonBlue]

29. Agreed, not racist, just horrible, terrible, stupid, mean, threatening, nasty and insane.

[Duke Newcombe]

46. Throw in the word, "ghoulish". n/t

Duke

[Kool Kitty]

35. I don't think it was racist, either.

But it was a monumentally stupid thing to say-using a catastrophy as a reason for staying in the race. I thought she was smarter than that.

[ecstatic]

3. This is her THIRD time bringing up that painful day. If she can't take the heat

she should GET THE F*CK out the kitchen. If she can't think before opening her vile mouth then this job is not for her!

:nopity:

[Occam Bandage]

4. And this is the first time she's being called on it, is it not?

[ecstatic]

10. by the MSM, yes... but others had already noticed. Don't be fooled nt

[jsmirman]

22. What were the other circumstances under which she referenced this?

nm

[still_one]

7. To me it reflects her poor judgement, again /nt

[KittyWampus]

9. She OUTRIGHT SAID ASSASSINATION > either you didn't watch the video or you are an asshole.

Fuck ANY DU'er who gives HIllary a pass.

[Occam Bandage]

13. She did. It was dumb as hell.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

12. That's pretty much my read on it.

I think Hillary said it to imply that she might be the "safer" choice, but not because she wished harm on Obama.

[EFerrari]

14. What incredible insensitivy. And I mean you.

[Occam Bandage]

17. The statement is outrageous. I'm not for giving her a free pass.

[jsmirman]

23. What exactly do you feel is the appropriate level of outrage?

I'm kind of right where Occam is on this one.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

45. 9+

[bunkerbuster1]

16. I'm calm. I pretty much agree with all this.

I'm not even sure it was all that stupid and foolish of her to say. It was a pretty minor mis-step.

Now, if it works against her, and makes her a little less likely to exercise the nuclear option and try to take this bloody thing to the convention, fine. But I'm not going to be among those calling for her head over this gaffe.

[Adelante]

18. I defended her the first time she said it

A clumsy statement, tired, etc. But at some point, I have to recognize it's been deliberate or why say it again and again?

[Occam Bandage]

20. I don't know. I think in politics, you tend to remember the lines you think worked well,

and so you repeat them when you get the chance. I think it was just in her arsenal of Things I Can Bring Up When Mentioning Extending This Into June.

[krawhitham]

19. GUYS? what are you sexist?

[jsmirman]

21. I do think it may be a sign that she's losing control of herself

This is the first piece of evidence that has really made me feel like she may not be working a calculated plan of ego and evil, but that she truly can't even control herself. This almost makes me feel like she's cracking.

[ClassWarrior]

26. What it was was irresponsible and dangerous, and I'm surprised to find myself...

...physically sick to my stomach over this.

NGU.

[Barack_America]

39. I felt the same way at first.

Prepare for deep sadness. That's next.

What a classless remark. This on the week Teddy got his diagnosis. It's just too much.

[onenote]

32. Thanks for attempting to bring some sanity back to this board

not that it will work

[populistdriven]

34. Hardball question for Hillary

Can anyone tell us reasons why a political candidate would invoke assassination as a reason to continue running in a race which there is no mathematical way of winning possible?

[PBS Poll-435]

36. Please stop spamming.

Thanks

[Occam Bandage]

37. Perhaps you should ask her rather than spamming DU.

[populistdriven]

51. She wouldn't dare face me or any other progressive, she'd rather go on Fox News

[Barack_America]

38. It's not that she's said it once that makes her evil...

It's that she's mentioned RFK's assassination THREE TIMES.

Why? What does his assassination have to do with the fact the primaries went until June in '68? Did the cosmos align to drag on the primary season just so he could be assassinated in June?

Why never mention the long '84 or '80 primary seasons? They went until June.

Why even THINK to mention anything about Kennedy assassinations the week that the last brother was diagnosed with inoperable cancer?

Why?

Unless she's blowing an evil, evil dogwhistle here.

[NatBurner]

40. i understand all that, but what if the phone rings at 3 am?

she's 60, she's sleep deprived, yah, yah-

but damn, man?

can we have a prez that doesn't consistently say stupid shit?

at least junior was funny-

this is dangerous

[Doityourself]

41. I don't think it was racist, but it was irresponsible, offensive..and not real classy

[cui bono]

43. You give her way too much benefit of the doubt.

If she wants to be president she should know that she needs to weigh her words carefully. She does know that, and yet she chose to use the word assassination - more than once.

[Tatiana]

47. Do you really believe someone as smart as Clinton would make such a STUPID statement?

Seriously?

[Occam Bandage]

53. Yes. She's human. She's said stupid things many times on this campaign.

[CaptJasHook]

48. Maybe not Racist... but Race ignorant.

But if you add it all up, I still see the Clinton's as playing every card they have. Even pulling them from their sleeve.

[janx]

49. Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6095859

[graycem]

50. I agree..

it was just dumb and really really tacky, and it flew out of the mouth of a person filled with desperation.

It only damages her anyway, so, carry on Hillary. Talk millions of more words a day, they're really helping you. :)

[suston96]

52. Dumb as hell? Uh, she was talking to an editorial board who understand precisely what she said.

Great post, BTW.

[JerseygirlCT]

54. You're probably right.

It's so shocking, though. And so stupid.

[slinkerwink]

55. Citing an assassination is no justification for remarking on the primary race

[Occam Bandage]

56. It isn't. It was a shocking, offensive statement.

[Califooyah Operative]

57. 'dumb as hell' is an understatement.

What she said was disgusting.

[apocalypsehow]

58. I respect your posts here a lot, so I'm going to try like hell to calm down a bit. But I'll admit to

being pissed, and to posting like it for the last six hours or so.

[jbm]

59. good try, but I claim it doesn't sound like she meant it....n/t

.

[TheZug]

60. Sorry, but there's a pattern here.

Repeatedly bringing up RFK. Her surrogates repeatedly saying "anything could happen." This is being done on purpose. Why? I hesitate to say. But it's being done on purpose.

[ShortnFiery]

61. Correction: It was VILE. I'll *calm down* when HRC is FORCED OUT of the race. eom