Troubling Juxtaposition

In my strong support of Barack Obama, I've made a real effort not to speak unkindly about Hillary Clinton. And I'm not going to start now.

Instead, I'll let her and her handlers speak to what's on my mind:

First, from Ms. Clinton herself:

May 23, 2008 --

Hillary Clinton today brought up the assassination of Sen. Robert Kennedy while defending her decision to stay in the race against Barack Obama.

"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. I don't understand it," she said, dismissing calls to drop out.

Next, from "sources":

June 3, 2008 --

Rangel -- who was the first to suggest that Clinton run for the Senate in 2000 -- confirmed to NBC News that Clinton did tell the participants on the conference call that she would be interested in running for vice president.

On the subject of Clinton and the vice presidency, Rangel told NBC that "certainly to the extent that she will do anything to win ... she'll be available"

"She'll do whatever is needed -- if people think it would help she'd do it," he added.


And, again, from Ms. Clinton:

June 3, 2008 --

(CNN) – Hillary Clinton herself directly raised the issue of serving as Barack Obama's running mate in a conference call with New York lawmakers earlier Tuesday, a source who was on the call tells CNN's Candy Crowley.

According to the source, Clinton told those on the call that if asked by Obama, she would be interested in serving as his running mate. That comment was not in response to a particular question.


These comments came a little too close together for my comfort level.