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Clinton Invokes RFK's Assassination as Reason to Stay in Race
By
Jen Chung
Published May 23, 2008
Modified May 24, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 23, 2008
Modified May 24, 2008
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Senator Hillary Clinton raised some eyebrows during a conversation with the editorial board of South Dakota newspaper The Argus Leader. She mentioned it's odd that people are trying to push her out of the campaign; video is above, partial transcript below:
Clinton: I don’t know I don’t know I find it curious because it is unprecedented in history. I don’t understand it and between my opponent and his camp and some in the media, there has been this urgency to end this and you know historically that makes no sense, so I find it a bit of a mystery.
EB: You don’t buy the party unity argument?
Clinton: I don’t, because again, I’ve been around long enough. You know my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere around the middle of June
EB: June
Clinton: We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. Um you know I just I don’t understand it. There’s lots of speculation about why it is.
A spokesman for Barack Obama's campaign said, “Senator Clinton’s statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign." A Clinton spokesperson explained, "She was simply referencing her husband in 1992 and Bobby Kennedy in 1968 as historical examples of the nominating process going well into the summer," but Clinton herself had to issue a statement apologizing for the remarks:
“Earlier today I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns that both my husband and Senator Kennedy waged in California in June 1992 and 1968 and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nomination primary contests that go into June. That’s a historic fact. The Kennedys have been much on my mind the last days because of Senator Kennedy and I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation, and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that, whatsoever. My view is that we have to look to the past and to our leaders who have inspired us and give us a lot to live up to, and I’m honored to hold Senator Kennedy’s seat in the United States Senate from the state of New York and have the highest regard for the entire Kennedy family.”
This week, New York magazine had a piece by Pete Hamill about his memory of RFK and his assassination at the Ambassador Hotel.
Tagged
barack obama
Edward Kennedy
election 2008
hillary clinton
Politics
rfk
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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