Brother, Daughter of JFK Place Mantle of JFK on Obama

[Ron Lambert]

Today, in a very emotional public event before a boisterous crowd at American University in Washington, D.C., Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy, brother of slain former president John F. Kennedy, conferred the mantle of JFK on Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama. Caroline Kennedy, daughter of JFK, also addressed the crowd and gave Obama her endorsement. The senator's son, Congressman Pat Kennedy, also was present to give his endorsement to Obama as well. This is no ordinary endorsement; the Kennedys still have enormous weight with voters in New England, and are believed to have considerable influence with Hispanic voters, as well, who have come to regard Sen. Kennedy as their champion. Sen. Kennedy's speech was the most animated and enthusiastic he has given in a long time, continually evoking the Democratic icons of John and Robert Kennedy, and applying them unabashedly to Obama.

For many years now, the Kennedy wing and the Clinton Wing have vied for control of the Democratic Party. With this endorsement of Obama against Sen. Hillary Clinton, the conflict has become virtual open war.

From some of Sen. Kennedy's remarks, it is evident he was outraged and disgusted at the recent race-baiting statements of Bill Clinton, in what appears to be a repeat of his tactic when he ran against Jesse Jackson in his own run for president, when he made statements that polarized African-American voters and got them to award the SC primary to Jackson, so that a white backlash would result around the rest of the country that gave the nomination to Bill. This time around, however, it is less likely the tactic will succeed, since Sen. Obama has a wider appeal than Jackson did, and people like Sen. Kennedy are clearly "on" to Bill and are publicly speaking out.

[Woody]

If TK is endorsing Obama ... that is good enough reason for me not to.

[Ron Lambert]

Redwood, I agree, it is a toss-up who is the most liberal senator, Ted Kennedy or John Kerry. But the political influence of Kennedy is undeniably enornous. Both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have tried to liken themselves somewhat to John Kennedy, evoking his name in their speeches. But who more than the brother and daughter of the slain president could "officially" confer that mantle upon Obama? I don't think we will hear Sen. Clinton mentioning JFK any more.

[Woody]

If Obama become president we can expect a few changes ...

Since he is Muslim ... he will not use the Bible to swear in ... He will use the Koran.

At least when he was sworn into office as Senator he

DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

[olger]

If TK is endorsing Obama ... that is good enough reason for me not to.

Lord have mercy! Red & I agree (sign of the times, brethren).

oG

[olger]

Hillbillary's reaction to the news:

[Bravus]

Redwood, that is nonsense. Obama did *not* swear in on the Koran, and he is a church-attending Christian, not a Muslim. Please check your facts and don't spread malicious lies.

[olger]

Redwood, that is nonsense. Obama did *not* swear in on the Koran, and he is a church-attending Christian, not a Muslim. Please check your facts and don't spread malicious lies.

Caught that too.

[Amelia]

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/church.asp

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/ellison.asp

[Woody]

Redwood, that is nonsense. Obama did *not* swear in on the Koran, and he is a church-attending Christian, not a Muslim. Please check your facts and don't spread malicious lies.

WOW boy. Cool down. I had both read a report and heard it on the news. News reports can be wrong. I can be wrong. You can be wrong. If you believe everything you read on this forum ... you would be Schizo. But what church a candidate belongs to does not qualify as malicious lies.

May be right depending upon which report you want to believe. It may be wrong depending upon which report you want to believe. But either way ... give me a break ... I think the description of malicious lies goes somewhat over board. To some ... being a Muslim would be a good thing. To some ... maybe not. But honestly ... a bit of an over reaction I think my friend.

Only time will tell. I am sure the facts will be straightened out as to which news reports are true. If the news reports that you trust are wrong ... will you apologize? If the news reports that I saw were wrong ... then I will apologize.

Hey Stan ... I propose a disclaimer. Just because a person reports what they have heard on the news ... does not mean that there are any guarantees implied. And no monetary rewards are due if it turns out wrong. News is frequently wrong.

I would hope Bravus that you don't carry this to religious extremes. I've already given folks a religious disclaimer.

[Dr. Shane]

Hillbillary's reaction to the news:

A little photo shop going in that picture.

[Ron Lambert]

I suspect that some Clintonistas are behind that false information about Obama that keeps being sent out on the Internet, usually by e-mail.

Congressman Keith Ellison is the one who was sworn into office using a Koran. Sen. Obama is a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Please check the links from Snopes listed by Amelia, anyone who still may have any doubts.

Just to be clear, I am not a supporter of Sen. Obama. I voted for Sen. John McCain in the primary in Michigan. But if you are politically astute enough to see what is going on beneath the surface appearances, politics can be really fascinating. I just had to comment on the significant endorsement Obama received today, and on the truly false and vicious misinformation being circulated anonymously on the Internet via e-mail.

[Neil D]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Edward Kennedy may have thrown his political weight behind Democrat Barack Obama in the White House race, but he says that doesn't mean he harbors ill feelings toward his old friends, Hillary and Bill Clinton.

"Absolutely not. I'm not against the Clintons. I'm for Barack Obama," the Massachusetts senator and brother of the late President John F. Kennedy said on Tuesday.

"I've said I'm for Barack Obama. But I'm going to support Sen. Clinton or Sen. Edwards should they gain the nomination. It's imperative that the Democrats be successful," he said in an interview with NBC's "Today Show."

Kennedy, patriarch of one of the leading political dynasties in the United States, endorsed Obama at a raucous rally in Washington on Monday.

He was joined by his niece Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president, and his own son U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy in backing Obama, a first-term Illinois senator who would be the country's first black president.

The endorsement was widely seen as a blow to Hillary Clinton, a New York senator who is Obama's chief rival for the Democratic Party nomination ahead of November's presidential election. Clinton would be the first female U.S. president.

Some analysts saw Kennedy's endorsement -- which cast Obama as an heir to the idealism of John Kennedy -- partly as a response to critical comments about Obama by Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Not true, Kennedy said.

"This race really isn't about President Clinton. It's a race of enormous consequence for our country. The stakes are extremely high when we look at the challenges that we're facing here at home and abroad," Kennedy told NBC

Source-reuters

[Dr. Shane]

Senator Edward Kennedy is worshiped like a god by many of the Hispanic Democrats here in Texas. So his endorsement means something here.

[Ron Lambert]

Neil, don't be deceived by political speak. Ted Kennedy has led the Kennedy wing of the Democratic party into a direct conflict with the Clinton wing, and there is no downplaying of that. Kennedy also said some very caustic things about the negative comments that have been made, and everyone recognizes that those things he was criticizing were said by the ex-president.

Now, politicians are politicians. On the senate floor, after all the rhetoric and voting, and delegates are beginning to dismiss, you will see political foes, Republicans and Democrats, greeting and talking with each other in very friendly fashion. They are, after all, fellow members of the most exclusive club on earth. But their political oppositions and rivalries remain real. For Sen. Kennedy to endorse the guy running against Sen. Hillary Clinton, amounts to open war in the most fundamental political sense.

You have to look beneath the surface to appreciate what is really going on with politics. The surface of the ocean may seem to be very placid at times. But down in the depths, predator and prey are in competition with their usual frienzy.