Clinton apologizes for reference to RFK slaying
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized Friday for remarks she made to a South Dakota newspaper in which she appeared to cite Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in 1968 as an example of why she should stay in the Democratic presidential race.
In response to questions from the editorial board of the Sioux Falls, S.D. Argus Leader about the pressure she faced to end her Democratic presidential bid, Clinton responded, "You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere around the middle of June. ...We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California."
Kennedy was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was assassinated June 5, 1968 in Los Angeles. The Argus Leader is owned by Gannett, parent company of USA TODAY.
Barack Obama's Democratic presidential campaign soon responded. Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement that "Senator Clinton's statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign."
Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee subsequently said the senator was only referring to her husband and Kennedy "as historical examples of the nominating process going well into the summer, and any reading into it beyond that would be inaccurate and outrageous."
Also at the editorial board meeting, Clinton said reports that her campaign is attempting to reach a deal with Obama's campaign that would allow her to exit the race are "flatly untrue."
"It is not anything I'm entertaining. It is nothing I have planned, she said. Clinton said she intends to continue "vigorously campaigning" in the days leading up to South Dakota's June 3 primary.
Clinton spent the day campaigning in South Dakota, which holds one of two June 3 primaries. At stake are 15 delegates.
Meanwhile, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a staunch Clinton supporter, said Friday that she believes that if Obama becomes the nominee he should select Clinton as his running mate.
"I think as this race has emerged each one of them has garnered a different constituency and different states, and therefore when you put the two of them together it forms, I believe, the strongest ticket," she told the Associated Press in a phone interview.
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