Caroline Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy, and Sen. Theodore Kennedy all endorsed Barack Obama. Sen. Kennedy endows Sen. Obama with a certain gravitas and experience that even John Kerry failed to give him. It also shows a failure on the part of the Clintons’ politics of division. Ted Kennedy said he endorsed Obama because of the old politics of divisiveness. The Clinton supporters deny that Kennedy was referring to her and her husband, but he clearly was referring to the race-based politics that have been practiced by the Clintons. All of the Kennedys linked Senator Obama to Jack Kennedy. Ted said:
“We want a president 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,”
Caroline said that there was:
“one candidate who offers the same sense of hope and inspiration as my father.”
And Patrick said:
“we now find ourselves standing on a precipice of crisis . . . We need a leader who can galvanize a new generation of citizens.”
As you would expect, Senator Obama found himself feeling humbled by the endorsement:
“I know what your support means. I know the cherished place the Kennedy family holds in the hearts of the American people. And that is as it should be, because the Kennedy family, more than any other, has always stood for what is best about the Democratic party and what is best about America.”
This endorsement is a huge embarrassment for the Clintons given that someone who works with her and knows her as well as Ted Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama instead of her. He also received the endorsement of the last living member of “Camelot” in the form of Caroline Kennedy.
It also reveals a failure on the part of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s divisive and raced based politicking as Ted Kennedy was driven into the endorsement in part due to the divisiveness and negative politics of destruction which have been practiced by the Clintons. The Clintons also have Kathleen Kennedy Townsend serving as a surrogate to attempt to diminish the significance of Ted and Caroline’s endorsement because the Clintons’ know just how big a threat Obama will be if people see him as the heir to the legacy of Jack Kennedy.
