Obama... Robert Kennedy's Hope

Barack Obama's nomination as the first African-American presidential candidate was foretold....

Tim Russert said on his Sunday political discussion show this morning that Robert Kennedy presciently and hopefully proposed during his 1968 campaign that it was conceivable that in 40 years in America we might have a "Negro president."

It's forty years later.... 2008.... and we have an African-American candidate for the presidency, and ironically it's also forty years since the assassination of this champion of equality, Robert Kennedy.

Hillary Clinton did her best to forestall this monumental accomplishment of an African-American questing for the Oval Office, hoping instead to make history herself as the first woman president. She failed partly because she failed to appreciate the Titanic proportions of this clash of destinies, unable to see past her own feelings of entitlement and inevitability.

This myopic predestinationism cost her Iowa, it cost her disorganization after Super Tuesday, it cost her for-granted black voters, .... and in the end, it cost her credibility as it fell to her dodging-sniper-fire truth-twisting, reminding voters of the excruciating "what 'is' is" Clinton White House years.

As Hillary disparagingly said of Obama's oratorical skills.... she gave a nice speech Saturday in finally acknowledging Obama as the choice of the Democratic party. She said all of the right things, in the right way. But we all know, this was just the latest Hillary makeover in order to get what she wants, undoubtedly the president-in-waiting second slot on the ticket.

But it's Obama's destiny that will shape the country now.... and the country will move past the Clintons and their it's-all-about-us theater. What Robert Kennedy hoped for is now the nation's best hope.

Biden Rues "Beneath Us" Politics

It's clear from the tone of his remarks the last few days about Sen. Barack Obama.... John McCain is shifting into low and driving his Straight Talk Express down the muddy back-alleys of gratuitous political attack.

In "Roads, High and Low" (WaPo) Bob Herbert explores McCain's latest foray into the political lowlands.

When Obama criticized McCain over his unwillingness to support an increase in college tuition for returning vets, Herbert noted how "McCain responded angrily and gratuitously mentioned that Mr. Obama had not served in the military. (This is especially weird when you consider that Senator McCain is a fierce supporter of the war in Iraq, which was fanatically promoted by an entire barnyard of chicken hawks.)"

Defending Obama against the searing attacks by the Bush administration, McSame and Joe Lieberman.... Sen. Joe Biden said Friday on MSNBC, "I refuse to sit back like we did in 2000 and 2004. This administration is the worst administration in American foreign policy in modern history - maybe ever. The idea that they are competent to continue to conduct our foreign policy, to make us more secure and make Israel secure, is preposterous... Every single thing they've touched has been a near-disaster."

Becoming emotional, Senator Biden said it was tough for him because "John's been my friend for 35 years, and I'm disappointed. Because, as you all know, there is a difference between an ad hominem argument and a logical response....." and McCain's kind of behavior should be "beneath us."

Later that same day, Hillary Clinton made her reference to Robert Kennedy's assassination, as a rationale for staying in the race, swerving not only onto the political back roads, but down onerous byways that could involve harm to Obama.

"Comments that bring that fear to the forefront are incredibly cold-blooded and hurtful, more brutal even than Senator Clinton's comment about 'hard working, Americans, white Americans," Herbert lamented.

But, it seems nothing is beneath either McSame or Hillary. They have determined to take the low road.... decent Americans should refuse to follow.

Hillary Invokes the "A" Word

How low will Hillary go in pursuit of her lost campaign for the White House?

We found out yesterday.

In an interview with the editorial board of The Sioux Falls Argus Leader she opined... "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right?" Adding "We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California."

Hillary enablers were quick to point out that she was just talking about the timeline.... June.... as a month where things could happen.... as if that justified uttering the "A" word in this highly-charged contest.

Assassination. How could she? But, evidently this has been one of her long-standing rationales for staying in the race after there was no mathematical way she could succeed.

According to "Clinton Remark on Robert Kennedy's Killing Stirs Uproar" in the New York Times, criticism of this oft-made argument caught Hillary off guard, "campaign aides were taken aback by the quick reaction to her remarks, but then quickly realized that Mrs. Clinton had to backpedal."

And, what was Hillary's backpedal..."I was discussing the Democratic primary history.... campaigns that both my husband and Senator Kennedy waged in California in June, in 1992 and 1968 .... to make the point that we have had nomination primary contests that go into June. That's a historical fact."

Facts are funny things, Hillary.

Because you can check them. On page 407 of your husband's autobiography, "My Life" he said about the New York primary on April 7, 1992 and the other primaries that day.... "we also won in Kansas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. On April 9, Paul Tsongas announced that he would not reenter the race. The fight for the nomination was effectively over. I had more than half the 2,145 delegates I needed to be nominated....."

Funny, Bill thought the 1992 primary fight was over on April 7.... not June. And, his benchmark.... he had over half of the delegates, just as Barack Obama has over half of the pledged delegates.

The New York Times thought Bill had wrapped up the nomination even earlier, in March of 1992.... "he was viewed as having secured it in March, when his last serious opponent dropped out."

Can anyone really believe that Hillary was the only one who didn't know Bill's campaign was "wrapped up" months before June of 1992. Can anyone seriously think that mentioning the tragic Kennedy assassination wasn't one of the "catastrophes" she had in mind as being a reason to stay in the race.

Even Bobby Kennedy's son, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said yesterday.... "I've heard her make that argument before, it sounds like she was invoking a familiar historical circumstance in support of her argument for continuing her campaign."

No need to point out the great risks Barack Obama is facing as the first viable African-American presidential candidate. Even giving voice to thoughts of assassination could unleash the action.

Ignoring Hillary's divisive race and class baiting comments such as "hardworking whites," her linking of the continuation of her presidential campaign with the assassination of a rival candidate in June is.... really, there are no words for the disgrace of such low behavior.

If there is a silver lining to this dark incident, it would be that it should remove the unsavory possibility that Hillary would be Obama's vice president.... and just a heartbeat away from her fanatical ambition.