Hillary in hot water over assassination comment

By Ross von Metzke • May 27, 2008 - 11:02

Hillary Clinton is moving quickly to recant comments made last week

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Facing a firestorm of criticism from the Obama campaign and political pundits right and left, Hillary Clinton is moving quickly to recant comments made last week alluding to the 1968 assassination of senator Robert Kennedy to justify prolonging her White House bid.

The Senator has apologised for referencing the assassination to a South Dakota newspaper, saying the comment was ill timed and she had no intention of offending anyone in the Kennedy family, according to the Associated Press.

Clinton made the comment just says after Senator Edward Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer last week.

“My husband (Bill Clinton) did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary, somewhere in the middle of June, right?" Clinton said in an interview with the Argus Leader newspaper editorial board.

"We all remember, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California, I don't understand it.”

Clinton said the Kennedy’s have been on her mind in recent days and that she certainly didn’t intend to suggest any potential assassination of a man often compared to Kennedy, her rival for the nomination, Senator Barack Obama.

The topic, though, is a sensitive one, considering the Obama campaign worked last year to beef up Secret Service protection long before it’s typically offered to Presidential candidates.

"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," Clinton said.

A spokesperson for the Obama campaign called the comment "unfortunate" and said it "has no place in this campaign."

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