Ted Who?
Jeffrey Toobin makes my point on CNN tonight, so I can forego any originality with this point.
So Ted Kennedy and a few Kennedy offspring endorse Obama. Fair enough. Who are the biggest pool of voters that Obama's allegedly firing up? Young voters. People who weren't around when a Kennedy last ran for President (and a younger, more innocent, but still dashing blogger-to-be was forced to adorn windshield in Tarrant County with pro-Kennedy literature ... a move I would later compared to child abuse).
And once more, the media swoons over the endorsment: It's the seminal moment of the entire Obama campaign already. Kennedy's now comic speechifying is played up as - somehow - dramatic. Nevermind that the change-agent-formerly-known-as-Obama is now embracing a legacy that's approaching it's golden anniversary. How new! How hip! How inspiring!
Throughout most of the leadup to the campaign, I kept telling myself and others that, while I supported Hillary, I was comfortable enough with Obama as the nominee. And there are moments - like the heat of the health care debate - where I maintain that optimism. Then there are others where the special interest talking points just grate the nerves enough to wonder how serious those third & fourth party folk might be about running. Add in the occasional buzz-word driven, post-modern speech meant to imply Obama's inspiration by including the phrase "inspiration" that just flat-out send me off the ledge. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for inspiring oratory ... just that I'm sick of manipulative oratory. If we're to swoon over every utterance and hiccup that Obama emits, can we not just limit our "Best. Obama. Speech. EVER." moment to at least once a month?
UPDATE: Rod Dreher reminds us all that Obama-swooning isn't something limited to the evil, nefarious "liberal" media. His own version should make Andrew Sullivan look like a skeptic by comparison.
UPDATE 2.0: Apparently, not every Kennedy thinks alike. Kathleen; RFK, Jr; and Kerry all come out for Hillary.
UPDATE 3.0: Todd Beeton @ MyDD hits on another topic of interest in the Obama v Hillary disparity.
Greg, that is exactly how I feel, too. There has been so little substance in his campaign it's ridiculous. Also, I, along with 90% of Democratic activists, am troubled by his failure to support a mandate for health care coverage. I hear you are in the 10% as well. Why is that?