"Some people compare one of the other candidates to John F. Kennedy. But he was assassinated."

Says a woman who introduced Hillary Clinton in Dover, New Hampshire yesterday.

The comment, an apparent reference to Senator Barack Obama, is particularly striking given documented fears among blacks that Mr. Obama will be assassinated if elected.

Phil Singer, a Clinton spokesman said: We were not aware that this person was going to make those comments and disapprove of them completely. They were totally inappropriate."

Do you believe Phil Singer?

Remember the recent incidents of remarks meant to damage Obama that the Clinton campaign disowned:

1. Former Senator Bob Kerrey, endorsing Clinton, said, "It’s probably not something that appeals to him, but I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama." This was widely viewed as an attempt to stir up prejudice based on the false belief that Obama is a Muslim. Kerrey subsequently apologized, saying — oddly — "I am sorry for the insult."

2. William Shaheen — one of the Clinton campaign’s co-chairmen — said that if Obama became the candidate: "It’ll be: 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?' There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It’s hard to overcome."

Here's a sentence from the NYT article about the Shaheen incident: "A Clinton spokesman, Phil Singer, said, 'These comments were not authorized or condoned by the campaign in any way.'"

NOTE TO THE NYT BLOGGERS: Add links! People in my comments are dubious about the "documented fears among blacks." I'm almost sure there is an old NYT article about this. Put a link!

ADDED: And then there is the incident of 2 men yelling "Iron my shirt" at Hillary yesterday. Wasn't that a handy way to remind us of the terrible sexism aimed at Hillary? She got to say "Oh, the remnants of sexism, alive and well." Well, who were those guys? I'm sure their chant was not authorized or condoned by the campaign in any way.

The two young men were quickly booed by the audience and escorted outside by the local police, and after repeatedly being asked, finally said they were protesting the notion of having a woman in the White House.

They declined to elaborate. One of the young men, who said he is a 21-year-old student, was told he looked too nice to have that sort of attitude toward women, and replied, "Looks can be deceiving."

Indeed. Looks can be deceiving.