PrintMay 24, 2008
Clinton's 'Assassination' Remark Will Bury her Campaign
Not that her quest for the presidency wasn't technically over already. But Hillary Clinton using the "A" word in any context whatsoever relating to Obama has most observers in agreement that any chance she would have had with Superdelegates vanished the second the words came out of her mouth.
In case you missed it here's what she told the editorial board of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader responding to calls for her to exit the race:
"My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right?" she said. "We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California."
She issued an apology later but it was too late. And the fact is, even if Obama's numbers were to go south before the convention, it is very unlikely that the party will turn to her for salvation.
There are some - Ed Morrissey for one - who thinks this gaffe may have destroyed the entire Clinton "brand" in Democratic politics. That is certainly possible. If so, it would be the cumulative effect of all the race cards and gender cards she has played this campaign along with her insistence on staying in the race despite only a miniscule chance of overtaking Obama in the delegate count.
But my guess is she will go back to the Senate and make another try in 2012 or 2016 depending on whether Obama wins or loses. The Clinton's are tone deaf when it comes to criticism of this nature and will probably still be able to count on their money raising machine to make her once again, competitive for the nomination.
