The Kennedy Endorsement Really Helps Turn the Page on All The Race Talk

[DrFunkenstein]

There were probably very few things that could change the media cycle so quickly as this uber-important endorsement. I've already noticed that the media coverage is switching from talking about the South Carolina as a racially charged event towards signifying a hellacious ass-handing to the Clinton campaign.

Not only does Kennedy have a tremendous political organization behind him as the liberal shieldbearer, as a media narrative it seems like a certain sense of closure for the candidate with so many Kennedy comparisons to get the nod from the man's own closely related brother.

He reminds people that Obama won in lily white Iowa and that you don't have to be a Southern black woman to vote for him (the media coverage almost made it seem that way for awhile).

Although endorsement don't sway me much personally, that doesn't mean I can' recognize their power. And there are few names - Gore included - that have as much power among the American people as the Liberal Lion from Massachusetts.

[journalist3072]

1. Answer me this: If Obama and his minions really wanted to turn the page

Why the hell are THEY the ones who keep interjecting race?

I thought Obama said in his speech Saturday that this wasn't about race? Then yesterday he basically said the results showed a Black person could get White votes too in the South.

If you're really interested in turning thr page, shut the hell up and do it already. Don't talk about it---be about it.

[Perry Logan]

2. Excellent point. It's ALWAYS the Obama people who are talking about race. Classic dirty politics.

[earthlover]

4. Dirty politics is what the Hillary camp has done....

Smears about middle names. kindergarden. Muslim. Deceptions about Obama's position on choice. Deceptions about Obama's statement at the 04 convention about Iraq. plants. and being the first to inject race into the fray (backfired).

Obama pointing out that people of all races support him is not exactly making race an issue....quite the opposite. The Hillary Herd want to make it sound like Obama's appeal is for blacks. In reality, his appeal is for Americans.

[pampango]

6. I'm not sure that Kennedy would agree with you that it's Obama injecting race

into the campaign. Stick to blaming Obama for it, if you wish. I assume that it does not matter to you what anyone else thinks including Kennedy.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

18. Official Bullshit call on your sorry ass for that comment

I'm an Edwards supporter but I cannot stand this crap. It is NEVER THE OBAMA PEOPLE who are talking about race-- the central point of Obama's campaign is that it transcends race entirely. It was the Clintons who started the race-baiting in the first place by hinting that Obama would be mistaken for a drug-dealer, or an Islamic terrorist sympathizer, or a "shucker and jiver." And yet even then Obama's stayed out of the fray. The race card has been all from the Clinton camp, and they're the ones who think the public is too stupid to see what they're doing. And they're wrong about it.

[wake.up.america]

3. I like Obama, but I would rather have Edwards - NOTHING to do with race.

[DrFunkenstein]

5. Edwards is a Good Man and I Hope He Remains a Presence in National Politics

And I hope Elizabeth Edwards remains a strong voice in the Party, as well.

[Maribelle]

7. Yes, I've noticed Obama and Kennedy have turned the page to the Latino race.

In every single puff piece on Kennedy's endorsement of Obama, there is the talk of Kennedy's influence over Latino's.

[beachmom]

8. Great post, DrFunkenstein!

Yeah, I also liked the first Kennedy endorsement this weekend being from Caroline Kennedy, and her poignant op-ed piece in the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kennedy.html?hp

It was like a one two punch that indeed did change the narrative of the race.

[alteredstate]

9. Great post

and great photo.

[Saturday]

10. Kennedy endorsement important?

Out side the state of Massachusetts Kennedy is hated not loved. The importance of it is in his own mind.

[pampango]

11. Republicans hate Kennedy. He's kind of the quintessential "big spending liberal"

to them. I would have see some evidence that Kennedy is hated by Democrats outside of Massachusetts.

[RFKJrNews]

13. It's not exactly hate but...

Down here, Texas Democrats are not especially fond of Senator Kennedy - for a litany of reasons, some dating back more than 40 years, but none more important to Texans than the illegal immigration crisis at our border and how it is impacting our state.

Kennedy's Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill last year was viewed as all-out amnesty by many Texans, both Republican and Democrat, as a tremendous error on Kennedy's part and has not (nor soon will be) forgotten.

also, if Obama is looking to sway Republicans to his side in the general, associating his name with a liberal lion like Kennedy unfortunately will not help him much in the South and Southwest.

[Tarheel_Dem]

14. when was the last time a Democrat won Texas? (eom)

[RFKJrNews]

19. They'd better win TX in `08

After George Bush, the Dems could run Rin Tin-tin the dog and win TX, unless they somehow manage to bumble that up.

We're sick of Republican rule...and never believe the hype that TX is a red state. We voted Democratic for much of the 20th century, have a tremendously powerful Democratic party statewide, and a boatload of delegates. Lot of Dems down here who are ready to paint the map blue again.

The party would be foolish to discount TX in this election. or any election, for that matter.

This sure as hell ain't a McCain state.

[pampango]

16. Sure, Kennedy is not universally loved by Democrats (can't think of anyone that is).

I just wanted to point out that he isn't universally hated outside of Massachusetts either.

I agree that Kennedy's endorsement will not help Obama win over Republicans in the GE, but it may help him in the primaries. That said I guess it would be hard for him to tell Kennedy "Thanks, but no thanks".

I am sure that Kennedy's did not decide whom to endorse based on any one issue, but it seems to me that Hillary's immigration stance is closer to Kennedy's. She seems to have a fairly moderate position on the illegal immigration issue and seems likely to me to work out some kind of compromise on the issue, if she is elected.

[ErnestoG]

20. Looks like some DUers hate Kennedy now, too.

Looks like the Republicans have a few friends in here.

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. Nice post!

While listening to The Tom Joyner Show this morning, Jackie Reed interviewed Rep. Clyburn, (S.C.) who still chooses to remain undeclared. Having spoken with Bill Clinton after his offhand remarks about Jesse Jackson, intended to marginalize Obama's support as merely black support, Rep. Clyburn said that the Kennedy endorsement was a direct response to those remarks. Especially after Sen. Kennedy had asked WJC to tone down the rhetoric.

While I'm not a big fan of the establishment Dems these days, I applaud the Senator & Caroline for refusing to aid the Clintons in trying to pit the races against one another. I still fully expect HRC to win the nomination, by hook or by crook, so the Dems who chose to withhold their endorsements better watch their back, because as we've seen, the Clintons can be very spiteful and vindictive.

[Triana]

15. The lamestream media virtually IGNORED - on MLK Day no less....

...MLK III's endorsement and praise of John Edwards though. Of course there was no 'race baiting' coming from Edwards and no race card being played by him so no controversy there - and the M$M hates Edwards and loves juicy controversy and a schoolyard fight so they ignored Edwards and the MLK III thing.

Just an intereSTINK comparison for you.

Congrats to Obama on his endorsements.

Too bad no one offered such voluminous praise to Edwards when the son of a historic civil rights movement's icon endorsed and praised Edwards - even when it happened on the day dedicated to MLK and that whole movement.

As interesting as who we choose to deify in his country, is who we also choose to marginalize and ignore.

Both are significant, though you'll never hear anyone admit it.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

17. Yeah, Ted's active campaigning on Obama's behalf also

surprised me quite a bit. Ted's really becoming actively involved here.