Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation of what HRC said, and that's fine. That's also why this is so toxic for her - it feeds into the worst stereotypes of the Clintons that are out there.
I think she just has a tin ear, can't comprehend the immediate impact of her words, and doesn't quite yet realize that she just touched a third rail.
Here are the problems:
-The Obamas. Barack has been receiving death threats from the beginning of his campaign. The danger to him and his family is very real, and he's had to have a heavy Secret Service detail around him all along. They live with this every day.
It doesn't matter what she meant. It's what it sounded like. It sounds like she's sticking around, circling like a vulture, waiting for something to happen that causes Obama's political (or physical) death. That's gotta feel like a kick in the gut (especially to Michelle and the kids) not to mention supporters who genuinely worry about his safety from day to day.
-The Kennedys. They've released a statement that downplays this event, but the timing is just godawful - she's invoking the memory of Dead Kennedys (no, not those Dead Kennedys) just as one of them has been diagnosed with a likely terminal illness. She's invoked the specter of RFK's assassination before, but right now it just sounded that much more crass.
-Older Obama supporters. People who were there in '68 and supported RFK, and were heartbroken when he was assassinated. Way to tear the scab off of that wound, Hillary. You just lost their potential support today - probably every single one of them.
Again. Doesn't matter how you personally feel about what she said - she invoked something that stabbed a lot of Dems right in the heart today, in myriad ways, and yes - made herself look like that vulture, circling, circling, waiting for her opponent to fall, so she can have a tasty political meal off of his corpse. Like I said, she provided fodder for the very worst of the negative stereotypes of the Clintons that are out there.
This is Bittergate on Crack. The blogs are completely on fire, and it's going to be the #1 political story heading into Tuesday. This is political self-immolation. She's done; she is toast. She's jumped the shark, flamed out, whatever catchy metaphor you want to attach to it. And she did it to herself 100%.
Wake up and smell the ashes, Senator.