My Conversation with Sen. Edward Kennedy

Shortly after his dramatic endorsement of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, I spoke with Sen. Ted Kennedy about his decision and specifically about some of the interesting ways in which support for Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton was breaking within the Democratic party.

The full conversation airs tonight on PBS stations across the country.

Comments

[SeanGardner]

Hey Tavis.

Great interview with Sen. Kennedy.

At your upcoming "Black State of the Union", please, please discuss the following:

(1) An anonymous Clinton aide said in an article that Obama Is For People Who Want An "Imaginary Hip Black Friend".
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/clinton_aide_obama_is_for_people_who_want_imaginary_hip_black_friend.php

(2) In addition to Hillary sophomorically attacking Obama (on campaign letterhead) for an essay he wrote in Kindergarten, Bill Clinton calling Obama a "kid": http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/01/the-bill-factor.html

(3) Hillary Clinton dismissing Martin Luther King Jr.: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/01/was-hillary-dis.html

(4) Clinton Surrogate Francine Torge, comparing Obama to John F. Kennedy who "was assassinated", and doing it in front of Hillary Clinton, whose "expression did not change noticeably when Ms. Torge made the comment": http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/civilrights/

(5) Clinton friend and supporter Bill Shaheen (who is husband of New Hampshire Govenor Jeanne Shaheen) floated the notion of Obama being a drug dealer and pusher: (http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/video-evidence-that-attack-on-obamas-drug-use-was-deliberate/)

(6) Bob Kerry trying to smear Obama by repeatedly mentioning Obama's middle name: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/kerrey-tries-to-explain-obama-muslim-remarks/

(7) Two high-level Clinton volunteers were vilified in the press for attacking Barack Obama with an "Obama is a radical muslim terrorist" e-mail smear campaign that has been both disproven and discredited, and a third volunteer knew about the e-mail - http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/12/third_clinton_v.html

[Joeseo]

Hey Tavis, I hope you remember how you played the race-card against PBS. You won. You lied too, your shows were so bad you deserved to be cancelled. Just shows how phony racist pleas can lower standards. Barak is a mirror image in so far as he is so damned weak on leadership excepting for playing the game as you did.

I like you show now. Its no longer inept.

My fear is Barak's ineptness will lead to disaster no matter how Oprah and Ted get behind him.

Looks like another race card by Ted. Anita Hill didnt work. Which calls to mind Orrin Hatch...." if you believe the demonstrations in favor of Ms Hill are spontaneous, I will sell you a bridge over the Chappaquiddick".

[itsnotmyfault]

From MSNBC (odd that it wasn't a major feature on the Huffpost?)

" Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton was endorsed for president Thursday by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental activist and scion of one of the nation's most prominent political families.

"Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to bring the war in Iraq to an end and reverse the potentially devastating effects of global warming," Kennedy said in a statement released by Clinton's campaign. "I watched proudly as Hillary won over New Yorkers across the state in her race for the Senate seat my father once held. Since then, she's been re-elected in a landslide victory and proven that she is ready to lead this nation from her first day in office. Hillary will inspire the real change America needs."

Kennedy's father, Robert F. Kennedy, was a New York senator and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination when he was assassinated in 1968."

[MariaHopeful]

Come November, America will vote for Barack HUSSEIN Obama to become the next POTUS and there is nothing the haters can do about. I know his name his Barack HUSSEIN Obama and I will vote for him. And just so you know, I could care less whether he was Christian, or Muslim, or Jew or any other religion. I LOVE me some Barack HUSSEIN Obama!
I think it is time we identify what and who is stale and what and who is refreshing.
Barack HUSSEIN Obama is refreshing. Bill Clinton is stale (or became stale in the last month). Joe Scarborough is refreshing. Pat Buchanan is stale. So stale like, disappear already, vamoos, go away, enough already. Caroline Kennedy is refreshing.

[thedudeabides]

tavis is too cool
HE would make a great candidate for higher office, because he would do what all politicians loathe: he would tell us the truth...

[cindysundancer]

I find some of these personal attacks and Rovian rhetoric disturbing.
I attended the rally at American University yesterday with my 14 year old son. I stood there with tears running down my cheeks at one simple thought; with Barack as President, I might be able to feel proud of my country again.
The torch has passed from the Clintons. Barack Obama is the fresh hope of millions who are sick at heart over the Bush years.

[buddyd]

You were great on the Tom Joyner Show this morning. What I got from your commentary was exactly what need to happen. Everyone, know matter who the Dems winner is must be held accountable for what they do. Also, one of your strongest point was, race does matter. The quicker we all come to that conclusion, the faster we will be able to move toward reconciliation in this country. Thank you Mr Smiley for your insight..

[ghiaurov1]

I agree that Obama wants to unite, and might even be the candidate to do so. Still, does anyone here actually believe the far-right will give up. That it will give up taxs cuts for the rich, deregulation, give up on privitizing social security, fighting in Iraq, just because Obama is in the White House? Yes, the majority of Americans are tired of partisanship, but the far-right that has run this country for 25 years have never represented a majority. I see nothing to indicate that these Republicans are leaving power.

Paul Krugman and Frank Rich wrote on this whole issue earlier this week in the NY Times. (Please read both columns.) Rich argues that Clinton will divide the country. However, Krugman reminds us that this division was created by the far-right, and they'll still be here in 2009.

The next president -- which I pray nightly will be a Democrat -- will be in a dirty trick, sleaze-slinging fight with these same Republicans. I'm not crazy about Clinton, but I think that the argument that she will polarize the nation if elected is a red-herring. The far-right will polarize whether she or Obama are president.

I want an inspired president, someone like Obama. But he's simply not ready to take on the right-wing attack. I know many don't agree with the experience issue, but it counts in Clinton's favor. If you think this is dirty politics, you ain't seen anything yet. And that Obama may be "sqeaky clean" won't prevent the same attacks, however unfair or deceitful.

The next president must fight to get out of Irag, for healthcare, fair taxes, climate change. And the far-right will pull out every stop to prevent it, Obama or Clinton. The question is who can deal with the fight I know will come? Sorry, not Obama. He gets bent out of shape with a few minor (yes, minor) attacks in a primary. I don't want divisiveness, but it's not going away even if Obama is elected.

[todaline]

I'm quite amazed by some of the posts here. As someone who was born overseas, raised and lived on three continents, therefore was exposed to all kinds of cultures, i don't understand the juvenile behavior of most people in this country. Most seem to wait until someone tells them what to do or what to think or say, to go out and express themselves. Amazed I am also in the way everything has to be either white or black. And I am mostly amazed by these people who can't seem to get away from racism, bigotry and pettiness of all kinds.
Lastly, when will Americans GROW UP?

[LaFilleEnRose]

I am struck about one thing about the Clintons. Early in his presidency...I believe also on Tavis Smiley's show, Bill was asked by Tavis S. why the right wing seemed so out to get him. Bill's response (correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Smiley) was that there was this huge sense of entitlement after the long Reagan years. He said there were many people who had been used to driving up the driveway to the West Wing every morning to go to work and expected it to go on forever. They certainly didn't like sharing it with this upstart, Clinton.

Recently with all the mean ways the Clintons have been going after Obama, it struck me. My God, the Clintons have fallen into the same trap as the Republicans. They really believe it's Hillary's turn. They really expected to be driving up ---err---waking up in the WH every morning again for 8 years. And like the nasty Republicans, because they think it's their right, they will do anything, ANYTHING, to get there. And this upstart Barack Obama. I mean. Where does he get the gall to think he can just move his team in there.

Mr. Smiley, I love your show. I love your questions. So often, after one of your guests has said something, I have a follow up question, and that's what you ask. I'm always, WOW! That's just what I wanted to know. And one of your pertinent questions many years ago that Bill Clinton answered may be playing out in front of our eyes right now.

[juangault]

Reading the first 20 or 30 posts here leads to a worry that neither side will support the other candidate against the Republican in November. The Democrats (who I have sometimes voted for) have an ace up their sleeve. If the convention starts with all the candidates short of a committed requirement for the nomination, it could get even stranger. I wonder if for the sake of beating the Republicans, the first woman and first black could agree to allow the first Nobel prize winner to unite everyone. I mean, he won in 2000, he deserves it more than anyone else I can think of. There's room in the cabinet for everyone.

[ProgressiveChange]

It will be interesting to see if neo-cons, fanatic Evangelicals aka The American Taliban, the unabashed greed profiteers from the status quo ... will want to be brought together with more progressive and moderate Americans.

Its a bet that Las Vegas would not entertain.

We'll know soon enough whether Barack can get elected in the face of what will be a base of McCain-Lieberman-GOP loyalists ... and thereafter if he can convince them that their parochial interests must be subordinate to the the nation's interest.

[horseface]

UNION? What UNION? What is it that will unify us? Consumerism? Celebrity worship? Political pap? Guess what? We already have the best guide to a unified society there has ever been - The Constitution, but we ignore it. Following 'the rules' is 'too hard' - we'd rather squabble over who gets to be rich, who gets to screw us.

[modmom]

I was moved by the speeches at the rally in which the 3 members of the Kennedy family endorsed Sen Obama. I have been an Edwards supporter because of his message. I believe corporatism and inequity of wealth are ruining the middle class of this country. This endorsement has made me to relook at Sen Obama. As a social justice activist, I would love to endorse someone other than a white male, but progressive issues are more important to me than a candidate's race/gender. I have hope that Mr Obama will take the opportunity to seize the moment, because the next president can truly reshape our image around the world.

I am appalled at the ugly politics coming out of the Clinton camp. I perceive it as race baiting, and find it truly despicable. It is not only the Clinton's political tactics that turn me off. I believe her preference to corporate interest, especially the disastrous free trade, as well as her votes for IWR and Kyl Lieberman may make her draw in the large contributions from the top 1%, but they are not advantageous to the rest of Americans. The Clinton's past response over the East Liverpool OH Toxic Waste Incinerator (choosing Bush/Clinton financier Jackson Stephens' interest over what was good for the people and environment-HRC was a Rose Law firm lawyer where Jackson Stephens was a client) has also turned me off to them. They appear ready to say/do anything to win. This is NOT leadership!

Sen Kennedy re-assured me about Obama's readiness to take over. I will listen intently over the next couple weeks to make my decision between Sens Obama & Edwards.

[RWB2]

Ted Kennedy has been a disgrace to the planet for years. He and Caroline are pathetic parasites.

They let this Iraqi Billionaire Con Artist be Vice Chair of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard for years, who Rezko had to go to Obama to try to enter the US after he was convicted of fraud in France.

Teddy (what's a dead girl among married men) Kennedy,

Caroline (whatever) Kennedy,

Barack (let 'em freeze I'm gettiing my dream mansion) Obama,

and Rezko (Syrian friend of 22nd richest man in the world all of the sudden?!)

- nothing but big bucks selling everyone else out.

The only decent Kennedys support Hillary - go figure!

It isn't that Obama has chosen to be black according to his own sister - it's that he's a CROOK!

And the Republicans are practically salivating at the thought of the campaign against this do anything to make a buck for himself including letting his constitutents freeze CROOK OBAMA!

Stop the madness! We need to unite behind a different candidate now and Hillary clearly has the best chance since the others got no press because of Obama's SCAM machine. SAD, sad, sad...

What a fool's paradise you're living in -

Do you really want another 8 years of a Bushlike White House?! Can you afford it?

Obama shouldn't be allowed in politics anywhere, always backing the evil Daley machine!