By Pamela Gentry, Senior Poltical Producer

Posted May 23, 2008 — Sen. Hillary Clinton makes an assassination gaffe while defending why she’s still in the race.  The New York senator said the following;

Clinton: … You know, I have been willing to do all of that during the entire process, and people have been trying to push me out of this ever since –

Q: Why?

Clinton:  I don’t know, I don’t know.  I find it curious, because it is unheard of in history.  I don’t understand it.  And you know, 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.

Q: 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 in the middle of June.  Right?  We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.  You know, I just - I don’t understand it, and, you know, there’s a lot of speculation about why it is.  But –

Q: What’s your speculation?

Clinton:  You know, I don’t know.  I find it curious.  And I don’t want to attribute motives or strategies to people who I don’t really know …

After press reports of her comments she told reporters;

“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 in 1992 and 1968. And I was referencing those to make the  point that we have had nominating primary contests that go into June.  That’s an historic fact. The Kennedys have been much on my mind in the last days, because of Sen.  [Ted]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 Sen. [Robert] Kennedy’s seat in the United States Senate from the state of New York, and have the highest regard for the entire Kennedy family.   Thanks”