(World News Trust) -- Yes. I heard it. But Hillary Clinton's only one of the most recent
public figures to bring up that dirty little unmentionable in American
political history. She inferred, more than once, that she, in effect,
might as well stay in because -- well -- something could happen
(presumably to her Democratic competitor, Barack Obama), maybe even
something similar to what befell Robert F. Kennedy 40 years ago. She
brought it up at all in an attempt to name at least two examples of
primary campaigns continuing into June, the other example being her
husband's first presidential run. However, the record now shows that
most of her listeners concluded something completely different.
So Let's Talk About Assassination, Shall We?
The most miserable part of this is the fact, the sad fact, that those
fears and dreads even have to exist, that they're even there, lurking
in the back of our minds, whenever we see some political figure rise
from the herd to offer leadership and inspiration. It's sadder still
that those fears and dreads are based on tragedies that are very real,
very cataclysmic, and very heart-rending. Frankly, I'm sure that a
similar sense of dread has crossed the minds of Clinton's supporters
understandably worried about her safety. In fact, I'd bet on it.
So okay then, let's talk about assassination. It's the crazy uncle we
all try to keep shut away in the attic where nobody really has to deal
with it or face it. But there's talking about it and then there's
talking about it.
I don't find Hillary Clinton's statement nearly as offensive as I do
the callous, cavalier, reckless, at best ill-advised, smart-ass remark
by another woman who should know better, far better than even Clinton
should. Exhibit A: veteran newswoman and Fox News Channel commentator
Liz Trotta, who should be severely reprimanded, or suspended -- or more
-- for the following:
"And now we have what, uh, some are reading as a suggestion that
somebody knock off Osama, um uh, Obama, well both if we could (laughs)."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjYpkvcmog0
Way to go, Liz. Voice that repulsive, thoughtless, criminally-negligent
arrogance on a cable network already distinguished, along with most of
its viewers, for not standing up and saluting Barack Obama. In the
interest of being truly "fair and balanced," I will say she apologized
the next day, at the end of a long segment, but only after prompting
from interviewer Bill Hemmer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B-hRSgPPZc&feature=related
I once admired Liz Trotta for the foundational work she did -- as a
woman covering wars and international news in a time when women seldom
if ever had a chance to prove themselves on such beats. She was a
pioneer for women in broadcast journalism, and cut paths through
uncharted terrain for all the rest of us women who came after her. Many
of us saw her as an inspiration and a role model, in the same pantheon
as Pauline Frederick, Catherine Mackin, and Barbara Walters.
It's with shock and a deep sense of disgust that I say SHAME on you,
Liz Trotta. At age 71, with all those decades of experience in locales
ranging from the nation's capital to the biggest network newsrooms to
any number of overseas war fronts, you should have known better. You're
a battle-tested professional who's been at it WAY long enough not to
make as glaring and stupid a "slip-up" as that regardless your personal
politics, much less to offer an apology that sounded more like a mea
culpa for having thrown the white underwear in with the red bath towels.
Hillary's apology hasn't exactly been hailed by all quarters for its
sincerity, either, but at least she had sense enough not to smirk.
Trotta's contribution -- perhaps because of the sideways smile that
accompanied it -- had all the sensitivity of a Dick Cheney
torture-rationalization meeting. Further, she compounded the unsavory
taste of her statements by referring to this as "a very colorful
political season." Meaning what, Liz? In any other context that might
be a relatively droll line, but you've now established your
"credibility" on this subject. Therefore it will be justifiably
tweezered, scrutinized, and slammed.
Roger Simon of Politico.com, guesting on MSNBC's "Hardball," asserted
"you just don't go there." Unfortunately, some people have done just
that. The visuals alone from a mid-month Georgia weekly magazine (The
Roswell Beacon) cover featuring a picture of Barack Obama in the cross
hairs of a rifle are stomach-turning enough. This whole sordid
sub-chapter in the campaign also got a fairly high-octane boost
recently when Mike Huckabee weighed in with a literally funereal
attempt at a joke. His didn't merely wish, off-handedly, that somebody
would rub Obama out, but instead painted a "hilarious" scene in which
Obama allegedly heard a gunshot and dove under a table in the back of
the room at a big NRA gathering. A real laugh-riot, that one -- NOT. The
former McCain opponent also should have known better. MUCH better.
Huckabee, you slay me.
Roswell Beacon editors -- you damn near horrify me.
Trotta, you deeply disappoint me.
Senator Clinton, please don't go there anymore, especially since the
40th anniversary of RFK's assassination is upon us. And for heaven's
sakes, don't start joking about it.
***
Mary Lyon
is a veteran broadcaster and five-time Golden Mike Award winner, who
has anchored, reported, and written for the Associated Press Radio
Network, NBC Radio "The Source," and many Los Angeles-area stations
including KRTH-FM/AM, KLOS-FM, KFWB-AM, and KTLA-TV, and occasional
media analyst for ABC Radio News. She began her career as a liberal
activist with the Student Coalition for Humphrey/Muskie in 1968, and
helped spearhead a regional campaign, The Power 18," to win the right
to vote for 18-year-olds. She remains an advocate for liberal causes,
responsibility and accountability in media, environmental education and
support of the arts for children, and green living. In addition to
World News Trust, Mary writes for Huffington Post, OpEdNews, Democrats.us, WeDemocrats.org's "We! The People" webzine. Mary is also a parenting
expert, having written and llustrated the book "The Frazzled Working
Woman's Practical Guide to Motherhood.