Sen. Emanuel Rebukes Ted Kennedy For "Gratuitous Attack" Against Clinton

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - After calling Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) the presumptive Democratic nominee, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) defended Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) over the weekend against what he said were negative attacks by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA).

"I have a lot of respect for Ted Kennedy, but I don't know how the hell he comes off saying that," Emanuel told the New York Times on Sunday. "The gratuitous attack on her is uncalled for and wrong. He is a better senator than that comment reveals."

Speaking about the prospect of Clinton becoming Obama's Vice Presidential running mate in an interview with Blooomberg Television, Kennedy, a surrogate for the Illinois senator, had said that he was looking for "somebody that is in tune with [Obama's] appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people."

Almost the same time Kennedy was making his comments last week, Emanuel called Obama the "presumptive nominee" during a conference organized by The New Yorker magazine. Emanuel, who has not endorsed anyone in the race, also said there is still the possibility of Obama losing the nomination.