By Michael H. Cottman

For many voters, and African Americans in particular, Hillary Clinton's shocking mention of the 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, was viewed by some as a veiled reference to Barack Obama at a time when Obama could become America's first black president and his safety is on the minds of many.

Clinton's comments, many say, were unthinkable and indefensible. One pundit called it "ghoulish." Yet Clinton did defend herself - and then blamed Obama.

"Almost immediately, some took my comments entirely out of context and interpreted them to mean something completely different -- and completely unthinkable," Clinton wrote in an article published in The New York Daily News last week.

For all the rhetoric from Clinton about her service to black Americans over the years, how she and her husband, Bill, have been staunch advocates for civil rights, how they have championed social justice causes for African Americans and list such political pioneers as Rep. Charles Rangel of New York as supporters, why did she fail to understand -- or at least acknowledge -- the depth of her statement?

Known as one of the most politically astute, savvy, and calculated politicians of her time, it's hard to imagine how Clinton, a skilled laywer, could have been so oblivious to feelings from the black electorate after raising such powerful images of assassination.

Clinton's surrogates said emphatically that her comments were not about Obama. But in politics, as Clinton knows all too well, perception is everything.

In an ABC News-Washington Post poll in March, more than eight in 10 African Americans said they would be worried about Obama's safety, including 55 percent who said they would be "very concerned." Except for Clinton, Obama was the first presidential candidate to receive Secret Service protection in the 2008 race after he received threats to his life.

Not long after Clinton's comments, irresponsible pundits followed her lead. On Fox News, for example, Liz Trotta, a Fox contributor, used the words "knock off" while joking about the assassination of "Osama, uh, Obama."    

In a campaign where race has often overshadowed real issues, it is indeed puzzling why Clinton would not acknowledge that her comments were at best insensitive and were not only offensive to the Kennedy's but also to Obama. (She apologized to the Kennedy's but aides said an apology to Obama was not necessary.)

For many black voters who already view Clinton as someone who will say anything to get elected, last week's "assassination" reference did nothing to ease that perception. In fact, Clinton's most vocal black supporters including, Rangel, and U.S. congressional leaders Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) who usually jump to Clinton's defense, have been absolutely silent. Rangel has refused to comment.

Most people would prefer to think that Clinton's bizarre comments were nothing more than a gaffe.  

"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," Clinton said last week. "You know I just, I don't understand it."

And right now, millions of voters -- both black and white -- don't understand Clinton.