Forget “Bittergate” - Hillary Clinton’s RFK comment Friday is perhaps the biggest blunder of the campaign so far.

When I first heard what she said, I - like Laura - didn’t understand why the comment was so offensive. In an attempt to illustrate that primary seasons have run long before, she simply mentioned that Bobby Kennedy was assassinated during his presidential campaign in June. If you watch the video that Laura posted here, it is clear that she emphasized the word “June” to make her point:

“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.”

The controversy focuses not on Clinton’s intent, but the implication of what she said. Her comment could be interpreted as, “Barack Obama could be assassinated, so I should stay in the race just in case.” Oops.

I don’t believe for a second that she meant that. But the damage has been done. She has awakened memories of revolutionary leaders who have been tragically assassinated in their prime. RFK. JFK. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fearing for Obama’s safety is not a new concept, but she has pushed it to the forefront of everyone’s minds. Click here to read the story of one Daily Kos diarist who was deeply offended by Clinton’s words.

For a few weeks now, Clinton has been considered to be out of this race. The math just doesn’t add up in her favor. But, as Obama himself has acknowledged, she has put up a good fight and run an impressive campaign. Unfortunately, her RFK comment has irreversibly marred the end of her campaign. Is it possible to bow out gracefully now?

Keith Olbermann says “no.” Actually, he said a lot more than that:

Those words, Senator?
You actually invoked the nightmare of political assassination.
You actually invoked the spectre of an inspirational leader, at the seeming moment of triumph, for himself and a battered nation yearning to breathe free, silenced forever.
You actually used the word “assassination” in the middle of a campaign with a loud undertone of racial hatred — and gender hatred — and political hatred.
You actually used the word “assassination” in a time when there is a fear, unspoken but vivid and terrible, that our again-troubled land and fractured political landscape might target a black man running for president.
Or a white man.
Or a white woman!
You actually used those words, in this America, Senator while running against an African-American against whom the death threats started the moment he declared his campaign?
You actually used those words, in this America, Senator, while running to break your “greatest glass ceiling” and claiming there are people who would do anything to stop you?
You!
Senator — never mind the implications of using the word “assassination” in any connection to Senator Obama…
What about you?
You cannot say this!

Clinton is probably bewildered by the vehemently negative reactions to her comment - after all, this is not the first time she’s brought up RFK’s assassination:

Clinton made a similar reference to Robert Kennedy in a March interview with Time magazine Managing Editor Richard Stengel, saying she could not envision a scenario in which party leaders would step in and call for the race to end.

“I think people have short memories,” she said then. “Primary contests used to last a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn’t wrap up the nomination in 1992 until June. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing particularly unusual.”

I wonder why nobody made a big deal about this before? It probably comes down to who in the media will pick up on a sound bite and make it into a headline.

Expect Clinton to stay in the headlines for a while with this one.