There is something deeply moving about this weekend's news that Caroline Kennedy had endorsed Sen. Obama and that Sen. Edward Kennedy would be endorsing him later today.
After all these years and all the tragedy and all the scandal, the Kennedy's have found their heir and he is an African-American man named Barack Hussein Obama. It is a satisfying, beautiful, appropriate culmination of the Kennedy story. It is, in many ways, the great victory of the Kennedy story... even the Kennedy myth.
It is, after all, an epic story.
The Kennedy brothers were groomed to lead America. But then death happened. The one destined to be the greatest, in their father's eyes, died in World War II. Then the next was assassinated in Dallas. Then the next was assassinated in Los Angeles. And the youngest one, Edward, bounced between greatness and self-destruction.
The beautiful heir, John Jr., was felled too.
Now Edward Kennedy, the patriarch, and Caroline Kennedy, that little girl from Camelot, are handing their mantle to a man who bears little resemblance to the Kennedy clan.
But it is fitting because, ultimately, Sen. Obama is the embodiment of the social justice and civil rights that the Kennedy family fought for. He is an African-American man, raised overseas, who has achieved success based on effort and merit. He is the Kennedy dream and that is what makes the endorsements fitting and not, ultimately, surprising. That his middle name is Hussein is as appropriate for our age as was the fact that John Kennedy's middle name was Fitzgerald.
For all the debate about the reality of the Kennedy myth versus the myth of the Kennedy myth, there is the central truth that their story was about hope and optimism and equality and social justice -- things found in abundance in Sen. Obama's campaign.
Read Caroline Kennedy's endorsement:
I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.
I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president -- not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.
No matter your political affiliation or orientation, it is hard not to love this story.
Democrats need a "change" and a new "identity."
Enough!
to appeal to Latino's in California should
cause a stir: it includes licenses for undocu-
mented workers. This is the campaign's strategy
to differentiate themselves from Clinton where
they have deep roots in the community and hold
a lead in the polls.
The time has come. Will you endorse him too?
I'm old enough to remember. And it's true that Obama has that quality of vision that Jack Kennedy posessed. They both speak to our heads and our hearts.
But Obama, while he shares the ideals of the Kennedys, is not an idealist, he is an inspired realist. Without that, he would not be able to inspire today's generation, who are much more informed and educated than we all were in the 60s.
But, JFK and RFK were tough, rock 'em sock 'em politicians with a heart. The very models of pragmatism modulated by decency. Senator Obama has the heart and the decency certainly, but appears to lack the sometimes brutal toughness the Kennedys could display when the occasion demanded it. FDR, Lincoln and even Washington had loads of decency and heart but could be, and were, shrewd politicians and harsh leaders.
While neither of them has yet to be tested in the crucible of the presidency, Senator Obama appears to be more in the mold of Wilson and Carter, decent but failed presidents, while Senator Clinton, no matter her so-called shortcomings, appears to have the potential of being closer - closer but not identical - to Washington, Lincloln and JFK.
Yet JFK always remains greater than the sum of his flaws. Even Republicans can't bring themselves to criticize him. He had style. Every time they play a speech of his you sit up straight as a chill goes down your spine. He represents the hope of the World War II generation, of an immigrant America. Much like the even more heroic MLK, you *want* to believe in JFK, and that desire to believe is what you guard and cherish.
America doesn't have that anymore. We investigate every corner of a famous person's life. Babe Ruth would be testifying before Congress. FDR would have photos published of him with Lucy Mercer.
No Obama supporter is deluded into thinking he is a saint, or even wants him to be. But Americans want to have a president they admire again. We want him to be smart and decent. And when it comes time for the State of the Union, we want to feel our hearts beat a little stronger, the love for our country and its causes of peace, justice, equality flow faster through our veins with each sentence he (or she) delivers so beautifully.
We haven't had that president since JFK-- maybe never again. But it sure would be great to find out-- could it really be?
I was in high school when JFK was assassinated, on my way to college when RFK was downed. I believe that our government killed them. I believe that our military killed MLK. A president Obama will need lots of security. His rhetoric is beautiful. One of his advisors is Brzezinski. There is so much we don't know about him.
After 8 years of Bush we have, no anti-war candidate. Dennis Kucinich may lose his house seat. We have few courageous progressives in congress.
Let's hear it for the Enrons, the Haliburtons, the Greenspans. Huge transfer of wealth, again and again. It won't matter much who wins, but any democratic will be less worse than any republican.
Lord knows JFK was for more aggressive toward his fellow dems in his 1960 race than even TK. So for people to now equate Obama with those two is rich, and utterly revisionist history. Obama is a far nicer campaigner than the two Kennedy brothers. (RFK played dirty two, so make that the three.) Hell, HILARY plays nicer than the Kennedys did.
http://www.politickernj.com/new-generation-offers-leader-15844
http://thedamedomain.blogspot.com/2008/01/president-like-my-ex-husband.html