Obama Abandons 'Presumption of Good Faith'

May 23, 2008— -- Ending the "smallness of our politics" is the stated mission of Barack Obama's White House run.

In "The Audacity of Hope," Obama recalls how he softened his website's harsh rhetoric on abortion in 2004 after he received an email from a pro-life doctor.

"[T]hat night, before I went to bed," wrote Obama, "I said a prayer of my own -- that I might extend the same presumption of good faith to others that the doctor had extended to me."

No such "presumption of good faith" was extended to Hillary Clinton on Friday.

When Clinton referenced RFK's assassination while discussing previous Democratic nomination fights which stretched into June, she was quickly scolded by the Obama campaign.

"Senator Clinton's statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign," wrote Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton in a missive to reporters.

Burton's e-mail included a link to a New York Post story which noted that Obama, who received a Secret Service detail early in the campaign, has been the subject of threats.

The Obama campaign's decision to target Clinton's RFK reference forced the former first lady to express regret for her remarks.

It also ensured that the dust-up would be covered on all three network newscasts.

"I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation, particularly for that family, was in any way offensive," said Clinton.

Shortly after Clinton's comments drew negative coverage on the network newscasts, the Argus Leader came to the former first lady's defense.

"The context of the question and answer with Sen. Clinton was whether her continued candidacy jeopardized party unity this close to the Democratic convention," wrote the Argus Leader editorial board. "Her reference to Mr. Kennedy's assassination appeared to focus on the timeline of his primary candidacy and not the assassination itself."

The kicker:

"How's it going Sunshine? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you everybody. It's good to be in Sunshine!"

--Barack Obama in Sunrise, Florida.

TiVo alert

1. Obama strategist David Axelrod and former Bush adviser Karl Rove appear Sunday morning on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

2. DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen and NRCC Chair Tom Cole square off Sunday morning on "Fox News Sunday." National Journal's cover story looks at how the DCCC is "rolling" and the NRCC is "reeling."

Clinton says she didn't mean to offend anyone with her invocation of RFK's assassination. LINK

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