What the hell was "RFK assassination" doing in her library of talking points to begin with?

[DanTex]

That's the real question. We know it wasn't some offhand remark; she's used it before in a similar context. If there was a "gaffe", it was in her delivery, but the reference to the "RFK assassination" was both intentional and premeditated.

I would think that when you're brainstorming talking points, anything with "assassination" in it would immediately throw up all kinds of red flags. Half the room must have said forget it, that's horrible and inappropriate. These guys are pros. They comb every single line for the slightest hint of potential controversy. The words "RFK assassination" aren't just going to slip by unnoticed.

So, there must have been some compelling reason to SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE the reference to "RFK assassination" in the context of "reasons I'm staying in the race". They thought about it, talked it over, and decided, yes, that's a good thing to say. You know it will be controversial; you know that if you happen to phrase it poorly just once, there's gonna to be hell to pay. Nevertheless, the perceived benefits to Hillary's campaign must have been enough to outweigh all that.

I don't know what she was thinking. The most sinister interpretation is unfathomable -- there's no way she meant "let's wait and see if Obama gets shot". On the other hand, it's also kind of hard to believe the most benign explanation: that bringing up the assassination was just an "effective reminder" that RFK's campaign went into June.

It's just too much fire to be playing with -- and it's not even a good talking point. I mean, 1968 isn't exactly a shining example of the great things that come out of a long and bitter primary battle: "there's plenty of historical precedent ... first a candidate gets shot ... then we have riots at the convention ... and finally Nixon becomes president ... so stop asking me to drop out for the sake of 'unity'".

Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of this. "Strange and tasteless" is probably the best description I've heard. So I guess I'm confused and disgusted.

:wtf:

[cliffordu]

1. SO in that whole scenario, is she nixon??

[Pirate Smile]

9. She's Hubert Humphrey .

[dflprincess]

26. Hubert was better than that

n/t

[sandnsea]

2. There were only 15 primaries in 1968

We elected our nominee through the party machinery at the convention. The supers are a hold-over from that time. There isn't any reason to mention 1968 at all, because every state has a primary now. There is no comparison.

[FogerRox]

19. And New Hampshire was March 12th. This makes the June reference even more weird to me

Wiki says 13 primaries. I didn't know that though, thanks for pointing that out.

[sandnsea]

22. Here's an article

article

Lots of details about various past primaries.

[Radical Activist]

3. She's exploiting fears, as usual.

Exploiting fear and crisis is one of her central campaign themes. She knows many people are afraid that Obama will be assassinated and by simply mentioning that she stokes those fears. Its very deliberate. Hillary is the new Lieberman.

[marylanddem]

4. You raise a terrific question.

The grim, the awful, the painful & abhorrent truth is staring us in the face: she DID mean "let's wait and see if Obama gets shot" -
I just don't see any other interpretation. THAT is why now, for the third & -God help us - final time, she has raised that spectre.
It is sickening to admit that this is what she meant but that IS what she meant & it just fucking came front and center.

And this awful comment will be her legacy.

[Yael]

5. It was a dog whistle to the insane (yet unidentified) future 'fiancee' of Jodie Foster

Do not underestimate her. NOTHING comes out of her mouth that hasn't been approved and poll tested.

Some inane idiot is out there thinking she was sending him/her subliminal messages.

Never underestimate crazy.

[scarletwoman]

12. Well, they HAVE amply demonstrated that dog-whistling is an intregral part of

their campaign strategy over the past many months.

sw

[scarletwoman]

6. Well said! That's where I'm at, too. Why would it have ever been in her mind in the first place?

You know, when people kinda blurt something out like that, it's usually because it's something that's been in their mind, probably churning around for awhile. Maybe it's just been there sort of unconsciously, but it's been there.

Then comes the "gaffe" -- is it in reality more of a "Freudian Slip"?

You've asked the best question yet: Why would the Clinton camp even consider a reference to the RFK assassination to be a good way to make a political point in the first place? What kind of judgement does that demonstrate?

sw

[FogerRox]

23. Lemme ask you....When you and your friends might have talked about it

how have they handled it ?

I was explaining super delegates to someone, I told them, "they are like insurance, if Obama is caught in a scandal before the convention, the SD's can go for Clinton". The point is, there are many polite ways of broaching the subject.

[WeDidIt]

7. IT's there for the Super Delegates to hear

She wants them to be so afraid of Barack being assassinated they go with her.

[K Gardner]

16. I think that's it.. that would be my guess after mulling it over for 24+ hours.

[chill_wind]

8. She reportedly used it, moved away from it- probably on strong advice. Then returned to it.

I call that preoccupation.

[K Gardner]

10. That was the point I was trying to make all day, LOL.. you did it so much better, Kudos !!

[Swamp Rat]

11. It entered the script during Mark Penn's tenure.

Later it was edited and used twice (without the word "assassination"). Then the most recent utterance reverted back to the original version.

It was a huge mistake, no matter her motivation to use it.

[autorank]

13. The program had a glitch

She wasn't very turned in when she made that statement, spaced out, tired, weary, thinking
of how this all complicates her future. It's not "their" money, the $30 million or so, it's
"her" money. She'll take the bath and he'll do the cake walk to buy another bag of fries.

[zeemike]

14. Perhaps Karl Rove suggested it to her n/t

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

15. Eugene Robinson "I think the meaning is pretty clear!"

it IS what it IS.

And her so called apology: "adding insult to injury"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Z-C-okb68

[Patsy Stone]

17. Which brings me to another point:

If I'm expected to believe it wasn't intentional, the alternative would be be a president who meant to say one thing, but the word "assassinated" popped out instead. This would add a whole new perspective to summit meetings. "For heaven sakes, Hillary... this time try not to say 'assassinated' when you mean to say 'good morning'."

[FogerRox]

21. Yes, thank you, I agree whole heartedly. Poor decision making, like the sniper story.

[Celebration]

18. wish I could save all my recommendations

Just for this thread. People here are really trying to figure this out in a rational way. I've mulled this over as well. She meant to say it. It was meant to be a subliminal message that he is vulnerable, I think. Or, alternatively, she is waiting for something bad to happen......... I am so glad she got called out on this. To let her get away with it would have been just awful.

She is a piece of work--seriously weird, semi psycho. It is a true eye opener. If I was in the same room with her, I think I would have to leave.

[DanTex]

20. "If I was in the same room with her, I think I would have to leave."

Yeah, we're definitely getting into some bizarre territory. The "hardworking white Americans" may be despicable, but it's still kinda politics as usual. This "RFK assassination" thing, especially the way she said it, is moving in the Stephen King direction.

The thing is, I'm sure that when she first came up with this talking point it had nothing to do with the possibility that something would happen to Obama. I think what happened is that while she said it this last time, that thought went through her mind, and that's why it came out so weird and sinister. Pure speculation, mind you. Like I said, I have no clue. We're in the Bermuda Triangle.

Part of me can't wait until the "tell-all" insiders books about the Clinton campaign come out (by Wolfson, and all the other people who don't make $10M a year on the speaking circuit). I bet we don't know 10% of what actually happened behind closed doors.

[Mimosa]

24. No decent person even would give voice to that

But Hillary -as desperate as she is- was calling to the crazies, doing the dog whistle.

Remember Terry McAuliffe and Joe Trippi:

"Anything can happen."

[TwilightGardener]

25. I agree with you--when was the last time a major Presidential candidate

uttered the word "assassination" when talking about the campaign season? It's just not done. You would have to override your inner squeamishness over a topic so unpleasant (if you had a normal sense of tact and propriety, that is) and MAKE yourself say it, knowing that at least some will take offense or at least cringe.