Did Hillary's RFK Remark Doom Her?

By: David Morgan
Topics: Hillary Clinton

Following Sen. Hillary Clinton's statement that presidential nominating contests have historically lasted late into the calendar year, citing the June 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy as one example, an observer said the comment probably dooms any chance that she would be picked for the number two position by frontrunner Sen. Barack Obama.

"This probably means the end of her campaign," said David Mark, senior editor of Politico.com, on The Early Show. "She was already treading on pretty thin ice. To raise the specter of a tragic event like an assassination, this probably ends any vice presidential hopes she had."

Clinton was quick to apologize for the statement, saying Friday, "I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation - and in particular the Kennedy family - was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that whatsoever."

However, Mark doesn't believe the retraction will work.

"She trying to walk this back as furiously, as quickly as she possibly can," he said. "But yes, the damage is essentially done. There's no way of taking it back. It's right there in black and white, on videotape. And whatever she meant, it will be taken a certain way."

What does this mean for talk of the "dream ticket," which has been building in part as a means to allow a graceful and perhaps productive way to end the standoff between the two presidential hopefuls?

Mark believed the chances of an Obama-Clinton pairing were slim before her comments on Friday. "I don't think he particularly gains much from having her on the ticket," he said. "I don't think he particularly needs her. Yes, half the Democratic Party is with her, but most Democrats are not going to go over and vote for John McCain" if their candidate doesn't get the nomination.

David Morgan
David Morgan is a senior editor at CBSNews.com and cbssundaymorning.com.

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by bajaan May 27, 2008 3:09 PM EDT: Why are libra and cryhavoc2 picking on rufisgufis?

He must be telling them some facts they don''t want to hear. Or maybe they are just some Hillary Whackos, can''t tell the difference these days.; Reply to this comment


by starleo146 May 27, 2008 1:29 PM EDT: rufis, I didn''''t post this one. It''''s really WAY past your bedtime. You can''''t even keep your inflammatory attacks straight as to who you''''re picking on. Does it make you tingle to lie and abuse other people whose posts are sincere, intelligent, competent and well-informed? I see you''''re picking on Libra127 too. I''''ve seen you pick on everyone you don''''t agree with, using lies, name calling, foul language, etc. If you are a representative example of an Obama supporter, Obama''''s got REAL PROBLEMS! Poor Obama.

Posted by cryhavoc2 at 03:00 AM : May 27, 2008
+ report abuse

Thank you cryhavoc2 this man did the same to me put other peoples post and put posted by me I know he is either a extreme woman hater or a McBush or Obama supporter he needs to be reported never to be on this forum again.; Reply to this comment


by ericv2644 May 27, 2008 12:52 PM EDT: All Blacks should leave the democratic party and start their own party, so that they may enjoy party unity; Reply to this comment


by ericv2644 May 27, 2008 12:51 PM EDT: If Obama were to suggest that Hilary could be assinated he would have had to leave the race. So Hilary do the right thing for the good of the party. If she steals the nomination I would like for blacks to start their own party.; Reply to this comment


by txgrouch2004 May 27, 2008 9:32 AM EDT: LET''S IMAGINE what would happen if Obama HAPPENED to get assassinated before the DNC.

Wouldn''t Hillary''s RFK comment be suspected as THE FREUDIAN SLIP of the century???

Would our nation allow a SUSPECTED MURDERER to be a candidate for President???; Reply to this comment


by rufisgufis May 27, 2008 5:34 AM EDT: My, your comprehension really IS slow, isn''t it? I said it is your OPINION that what Hillary said was "inappropriate". You claimed it is FACT. It is MY OPINION that there was nothing wrong with what she said. RFK Jr. said there was nothing wrong with it (that''s HIS opinion). Obama said there''s nothing wrong with it (that''s HIS opinion). Your INTERPRETAION is not FACT, it is OPINION.

Posted by libra127 at 02:15 AM : May 27, 2008
_________________

I was under the impression that any reasonably intelligent person would conclude that the USE of the word "assassination" in this particular climate is inappropriate. There is evidence of attacks on Obama''s campaign offices in Indiana, a litany of threats on his life and other possible credible threats. It appears my conclusion that you were a reasonably intelligent person was erroneous. For that, I apologize.; Reply to this comment


by rufisgufis May 27, 2008 5:28 AM EDT: Posted by rufisgufis at 01:10 AM : May 27, 2008

My, your comprehension really IS slow, isn''''t it? I said it is your OPINION that what Hillary said was "inappropriate". You claimed it is FACT. It is MY OPINION that there was nothing wrong with what she said. RFK Jr. said there was nothing wrong with it (that''''s HIS opinion). Obama said there''''s nothing wrong with it (that''''s HIS opinion). Your INTERPRETAION is not FACT, it is OPINION.

Posted by libra127 at 02:15 AM : May 27, 2008
_________________

I was under the impression that any reasonably intelligent person would conclude that the USE of the word "assassination" in this particular climate is inappropriate. There is evidence of attacks on Obama''s campaign offices in Indiana, a litany of threats on his life and other possible credible threats. It appears my conclusion that you were a reasonably intelligent person was erroneous. For that, I apologize.; Reply to this comment


by libra127 May 27, 2008 5:25 AM EDT: The truth of the matter is, what she was saying was that you can never know what can happen, alluding to the fact that something similar to what happened to Bobby Kennedy can happen to Obama and that someone had to remain in the race to pick up the mantle. That is the only TRUTH.

Posted by JISantiago at 09:09 PM : May 26, 2008

No, that is NOT the truth. The proof of my statement is that IF (god forbid) something did happen to Obama, she could still "pick up the mantle" whether or not she had formally stayed in the race.

Therefore, she CANNOT be staying in the race BECAUSE harm might befall Obama. She neither said that nor implied that. The idea is nonsensical.; Reply to this comment


by libra127 May 27, 2008 5:15 AM EDT: Posted by rufisgufis at 01:10 AM : May 27, 2008

My, your comprehension really IS slow, isn''t it? I said it is your OPINION that what Hillary said was "inappropriate". You claimed it is FACT. It is MY OPINION that there was nothing wrong with what she said. RFK Jr. said there was nothing wrong with it (that''s HIS opinion). Obama said there''s nothing wrong with it (that''s HIS opinion). Your INTERPRETAION is not FACT, it is OPINION.; Reply to this comment


by libra127 May 27, 2008 4:02 AM EDT: Posted by rdp842003 at 12:48 AM : May 27, 2008

I said nothing about "reverse racism". If you''ve spent any time at all on these boards, you know that just as many hateful things have been said about Hillary (and even McCain) as about Obama. One of Hillary''s campaign headquarters in the midwest was torched and burned to the ground.; Reply to this comment