Off the Bench: Hillary Clinton defends PSU rioters

Hillary Clinton has family ties to Penn State, so of course she has recused herself from commenting on the child abuse scandal that has rocked oh wait, sorry. Actually shes talking about it, and shes sympathizing with the student rioters.

To quote Rick Perry: Oops.

Traveling with President Obama on a tour of the Pacific Rim (shes now in Bali), Clinton, the Secretary of State, was asked about the Penn State situation in an interview with ABCs Jake Tapper. Clinton:

Im also the daughter and the sister of two men who went to Penn State and made the football team, so we have a long tradition of supporting Penn State academically and athletically.

I can understand the passion and emotion of people who were not perhaps as calm or considered in their response, but now it seems across the board everyone is focused on the children who allegedly have been victimized.

Um, denouncing the rioters might have been the way to go here. But after all, Clintons father and brother not only attended Penn State, but both played football there. And Hugh Rodham, her brother, actually played for Paterno. He was a backup quarterback, according to his biography, and graduated in 1972. Which also means he played for Jerry Sandusky. Although Im not seeing Rodham on any of the all-time Penn State rosters Ive found online. By backup quarterback, they must have meant non-traveling scout team or something.

So Hillarys loyalty to the Penn State football program is noted its just too bad that its not reciprocal. You may or may not recall that in 2008, when Bill Clinton visited the Penn State campus on behalf of Hillarys Presidential campaign, Joe Paterno refused to meet him. Paterno, a lifelong and ! staunch Republican, decided that politics trumped school ties, apparently.

Even Jay Paterno, Joes son and an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions, snubbed Hillary in his own way. The younger Paterno is a Democrat, but voted for Obama.

Fun Joe Paterno quote, via ESPN in 2008: The only thing I have for Jay is admiration for him because hes willing to do what he thinks is right. Hes sticking his neck out for Obama.

Ill reserve comment on that for a later time, as perhaps Hillary should have done today.