A President Like Caroline Kennedy's Father*
25 Comments Published by Augur on Saturday, January 26 at 8:59 PM.
An op-ed by Caroline Kennedy titled "A President Like My Father" will run in tomorrow's New York Times.
This is important for the following reasons:
First, it reinfuses comparisons between Obama and JFK into the national debate. Perhaps we will even see legendary speech writer Ted Sorenson commenting on his perception of the commonality between the two inspiring leaders. In fact, Obama is the only Presidential candidate Sorenson has ever compared to his old boss. Sorenson has been described as JFK's twin soul.
Second, Bill Clinton has an almost creepy fettish for all things JFK. He wanted to run when he was younger, because Kennedy did. He fostered lore that his handshake with Kennedy was the passing of a magical torch from one leader to the next. His enormously petty behavior in South Carolina will lead some pundits to mention, hopefully repeatedly, that Bill Clinton has tarnished his legacy by engaging in the kind of classless, unpresidential rhetoric that cheapens the American civic faith, and fractures the party. It will become clear that Bill Clinton is purposefully harming the party in a gamble to help Hillary. His already-short-fuse could be further shaved down, leading to even more gaffes/hateful bursts in the coming week.
Third, think of how much it would have done to undermine the comparisons between JFK and Obama had Kennedy's daughter endorsed the Hillary Clinton Industrial Complex.
Fourth, it reminds America that Teddy Kennedy hasn't yet endorsed, and puts greater pressure on him to make his endorsement, which is rumored to favor Obama. The Clinton's worked him hard to at least stay quiet, but perhaps the increased scrutiny and a few glasses of Scotch will serve as a lubricant of sorts for getting Senator Kennedy to make his private preferences public.
Update: Thanks to my friend Nick for directing me to Andrew Sullivan's commentary on Caroline Kennedy's endorsement.
Update 2: Time reports, Teddy is Ready!!
*Disclaimer: Please note that the author is too blinded by his loyalty and devotion to Senator Obama to even be in the neighborhood of the ballpark of being objective or reasonable.
This is important for the following reasons:
First, it reinfuses comparisons between Obama and JFK into the national debate. Perhaps we will even see legendary speech writer Ted Sorenson commenting on his perception of the commonality between the two inspiring leaders. In fact, Obama is the only Presidential candidate Sorenson has ever compared to his old boss. Sorenson has been described as JFK's twin soul.
Second, Bill Clinton has an almost creepy fettish for all things JFK. He wanted to run when he was younger, because Kennedy did. He fostered lore that his handshake with Kennedy was the passing of a magical torch from one leader to the next. His enormously petty behavior in South Carolina will lead some pundits to mention, hopefully repeatedly, that Bill Clinton has tarnished his legacy by engaging in the kind of classless, unpresidential rhetoric that cheapens the American civic faith, and fractures the party. It will become clear that Bill Clinton is purposefully harming the party in a gamble to help Hillary. His already-short-fuse could be further shaved down, leading to even more gaffes/hateful bursts in the coming week.
Third, think of how much it would have done to undermine the comparisons between JFK and Obama had Kennedy's daughter endorsed the Hillary Clinton Industrial Complex.
Fourth, it reminds America that Teddy Kennedy hasn't yet endorsed, and puts greater pressure on him to make his endorsement, which is rumored to favor Obama. The Clinton's worked him hard to at least stay quiet, but perhaps the increased scrutiny and a few glasses of Scotch will serve as a lubricant of sorts for getting Senator Kennedy to make his private preferences public.
Update: Thanks to my friend Nick for directing me to Andrew Sullivan's commentary on Caroline Kennedy's endorsement.
Update 2: Time reports, Teddy is Ready!!
*Disclaimer: Please note that the author is too blinded by his loyalty and devotion to Senator Obama to even be in the neighborhood of the ballpark of being objective or reasonable.
