I often thought myself how in early June the Democratic Primary in my home State of California used to still be in play, and the event that seared that in my memory was the tragic murder of Robert Kennedy, who would have gone on to win the nomination and changed history.
Hillary has just finished her third year at college. June 5th was a date inscribed in all of our memories in the midst of very tumultuous times. I was in Washington, D.C. and leaving for my first trip abroad on the morning of June 6th. Awakening to hear that Bobby Kennedy had been shot in Los Angeles forever changed my memory of that day. Instead of being excited about my trip, I had a sense of dread. One part of me didn't want to leave my country when it was being further torn apart and another wanted to stay gone forever.
(This is in no way to personally identify myself with the Kennedys in any way. It was an historic event shared by all Americans, just as the month of November reminds me of President Kennedy's glowing promise and his tragic death.)
I thought of Robert Kennedy and the June date in the context of our moved-up primaries many times during this campaign, most recently this week. We have a budget crisis that will affect many needy people, and now we have our typical June voting ballots on hand. It must have cost the state of California a lot of money we don't have to hold two separate elections.
The rigged recall for Gov. Arnold costs taxpayers a pretty penny. Arnold met with the Enron guys to pay games with our electricity so that our recently elected Democratic Gov. Gray Davis would be a target, and we the taxpayers had to pay for his election.
This historical fact in no way diminishes the immense regard I will forever have for Bobby Kennedy. He was one of the greatest Americans. In fact, the only candidate for whom the thought of assassination has passed through my head was Hillary Clinton. There are sites on the internet that foster intense hatred of an American who has spent a lifetime in public service. A woman we spouts the right-wing talking points of Newt Gingrinch about Hillary said, "You know she's had lots of death threats." Newt was Arianna Huffington's guru before she caught on that being Republican wasn't that hip (or profitable) in her new Southern California circles. The attacks on Hillary that have been co-opted by many non-Republicans were part of a plan to stop health care for Americans at all costs. If the Clinton administration brought health care to Americans, the Democratic Party would be known as the party of the middle class and would be in power for a long time.