Senator Ted Kennedy To Endorse Obama

[zioxide]

WASHINGTON -- Senator Edward M. Kennedy will endorse Barack Obama for president tomorrow, breaking his year-long neutrality to send a powerful signal of where the legendary Massachusetts Democrat sees the party going -- and who he thinks is best to lead it.

Kennedy confidantes told the Globe today that the Bay State's senior senator will appear with Obama and Kennedy's niece, Caroline Kennedy, at a morning rally at American University in Washington tomorrow to announce his support.

That will be a potentially significant boost for Obama as he heads into a series of critical primaries on Super Tuesday, Feb. 5.

Kennedy believes Obama can ``transcend race'' and bring unity to the country, a Kennedy associate told the Globe. Kennedy was also impressed by Obama's deep involvement last year in the bipartisan effort to craft legislation on immigration reform, a politically touchy subject the other presidential candidates avoided, the associate said.

The coveted endorsement is a huge blow to New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who is both a senatorial colleague and a friend of the Kennedy family. In a campaign where Clinton has trumpeted her experience over Obama's call for hope and change, the endorsement by one of the most experienced and respected Democrats in the Senate is a particularly dramatic coup for Obama.

Boston Globe (http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/ted_kennedy_end.html)

This is a HUGE endorsement for Obama, and it comes just a day after Caroline Kennedy (JFK's daughter) endorsed him (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kennedy.html) too.

[IJ Reilly]

I wonder if Ted Kennedy still packs much wallop in the party anymore. I suppose we'll find out.

[themadchemist]

This is a veritable coup. For the longest time, he was expected to be in the Clinton camp. It's less about how many votes he will actually move than it is about the way it changes the media narrative about the campaign.

[IJ Reilly]

This is a veritable coup. For the longest time, he was expected to be in the Clinton camp. It's less about how many votes he will actually move as it is about the way it changes the media narrative about the campaign.

I think you're right. It's probably going to be read as a repudiation of the Clintons by at least one part of the Democratic Party establishment.

[halfprep455]

I don't think Kennedy's endorsement will sway any voters to Obama but it is certainly a blow to the Clintons when it comes down to super delegates. His endorsement means that the current leadership of the Democratic Party is willing to back an Obama presidency. The DNC is also beggining to show signs that they are tired of the Clinton's BS and that the Clintons are ultimately not electable in a national election especially against McCain. It is starting to become clear that McCain will probably win the Republican nomination. Many people in the DNC know that Hillary does not stand a chance against McCain. Hillary has no independent appeal what so ever while Obama does.

[zioxide]

Now we just need Al Gore to endorse Obama.

[themadchemist]

Now we just need Al Gore to endorse Obama.

No, no, consensus candidate when it comes to a floor fight at the convention! ;)

[MacNut]

Maybe Kennedy should step down from his seat and give someone else a chance. I doubt he has much clout anymore.

[halfprep455]

Watch Al Gore endorse Obama Feb 4th! That would definitively help the undecided voters who to vote for!!!! Keep the endorsements coming!

[leekohler]

Maybe Kennedy should step down from his seat and give someone else a chance. I doubt he has much clout anymore.

Not to be nasty- but is Ted Kennedy much more than the butt of a lot of jokes these days? I just don't see his endorsement meaning too much.

[zioxide]

Maybe Kennedy should step down from his seat and give someone else a chance. I doubt he has much clout anymore.

No thanks. He can stay. I'll keep voting for him, along with the rest of Massachusetts.

[Blue Velvet]

I just don't see his endorsement meaning too much.

Even with my slim grasp of American politics, I would have thought that it's for an internal and select party audience, rather than the public at large...

This whole election process is turning out out to be fascinating, have you guys got the stamina to last all the way until November?

[Macky-Mac]

....This whole election process is turning out out to be fascinating, have you guys got the stamina to last all the way until November?

don't worry, we'll take a long break for the baseball season

[leekohler]

Even with my slim grasp of American politics, I would have thought that it's for an internal and select party audience, rather than the public at large...

While I think you're right in a way- I just always thought he was joke in DC too. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

This whole election process is turning out out to be fascinating, have you guys got the stamina to last all the way until November?

It's gotten to be even more intense since Bush got in office. Politicians are in constant campaign mode now. I can't wait til he's gone.

[ReanimationLP]

http://homepage.mac.com/mr_bingley/.Pictures/tedvwsmall.jpg


I think this says it all about ol' Ted. :D

[Macky-Mac]

No thanks. He can stay. I'll keep voting for him, along with the rest of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts has its primary on "Super Tuesday" on Feb 5 and Kennedy's endorsement will certainly offer some help to Obama who is currently way behind in the polls in Mass. and is no doubt delighted to get the endorsement

[MacNut]

Isn't it time the Kennedys get out of politics. Maybe if old Gas Bag Ted left we could get some stuff done in this country. Get rid of all the old coots and lets start over. I thought the only thing he was good for now was old drunk jokes.

In all seriousness, when was the last time Teddy did something useful. I don't hear his name much unless it is for a photo op.This whole election process is turning out out to be fascinating, have you guys got the stamina to last all the way until November?Don't forget that this is the first time in over 25 years that there hasn't been a sitting President or VP in office running. The field is so wide open and we haven't seen anything like this in a long time.

[zioxide]

Massachusetts has its primary on "Super Tuesday" on Feb 5 and Kennedy's endorsement will certainly offer some help to Obama who is currently way behind in the polls in Mass. and is no doubt delighted to get the endorsement

I hope so. Both of our senators (Kennedy and Kerry) and Governor Patrick have endorsed Obama, along with at least 1 representative.

[themadchemist]

I think this says it all about ol' Ted. :D

Oh wow. Who made that? That's hilarious--awful, awful, awful, but hilarious.

[hulugu]

Oh wow. Who made that? That's hilarious--awful, awful, awful, but hilarious.

It reminds me of a bumper-sticker I saw a few months ago:

"I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney than driving with Ted Kennedy."

Of course, my reaction was, those are my choices?

[zioxide]

There was another time, when another young candidate was running for President and challenging America to cross a New Frontier. He faced public criticism from the preceding Democratic President, who was widely respected in the party. Harry Truman said we needed “someone with greater experience”—and added: “May I urge you to be patient.” And John Kennedy replied: “The world is changing. The old ways will not do…It is time for a new generation of leadership.”

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/CGVRs

Ted's speech was pretty good, but Obama's was awesome.

[Unspeaked]

Maybe I'm crazy, but to me the Kennedy endorsement seems like the kiss of death.

All the media is focusing on is that the Clintons got blind-sided by Kennedy's endorsement of their chief rival, but this is only focusing on one aspect of the endorsement and not - in my opinion - the most important.

What the endorsement really says to me, and how I think it will be played out in the polls (and not the nightly news) is that it officially turns Obama - the outsider, the candidate of change - into the establishment's choice.

The Kerry nod opened the doors, and now the Kennedy endorsement seals the deal: all the political has-beens in the Democratic party that couldn't win two elections that were practically handed to them are behind Obama. That's just great, isn't it?

For the Democrats sake, I hope Hilary can manage to win the nomination, as these recent events have solidified Obama's position as same old same old and not a candidate of change.

If Edwards (probably the truest candidate of change the Democrats offered up in this year's primaries) gets behind Clinton, then I think they stand a chance.

[IJ Reilly]

Maybe I'm crazy, but to me the Kennedy endorsement seems like the kiss of death.

That's interesting, but I think you might be overanalyzing. Clinton was the obvious institutional favorite within the party, the known quantity with close ties to previous successes. Any time you see party stalwarts like Kennedy break with the predictable, it suggests a split at the core of the party. Clinton still has plenty of support within the apparatus, but what is emerging is that it's not as unanimous as we might have expected.

[MacNut]

So what party is more united, the Republicans will all back McCain if he gets the nom, what will the Dems do. The longer Hillary and Obama fight it out I see it helping the Republicans chances down the road.

[Naimfan]

Even with my slim grasp of American politics, I would have thought that it's for an internal and select party audience, rather than the public at large...

This whole election process is turning out out to be fascinating, have you guys got the stamina to last all the way until November?

Heh. Well, we've made it through fifty-four (IIRC) elections so far, so this will be another.

And besides--Macky-mac got it exactly right--we'll take a long summer off for baseball, which will be temporarily interrupted by the snooze-fests we call conventions. Can't WAIT to see the traffic disaster here in August! :rolleyes:

[Unspeaked]

That's interesting, but I think you might be overanalyzing. Clinton was the obvious institutional favorite within the party, the known quantity with close ties to previous successes. Any time you see party stalwarts like Kennedy break with the predictable, it suggests a split at the core of the party. Clinton still has plenty of support within the apparatus, but what is emerging is that it's not as unanimous as we might have expected.

Yeah, I probably am overanalyzing a little. I just think it's odd that everyone's talking about how the Kennedy endorsement damages Clinton, but few people (outside of Massachusetts) are talking about what it actually means to Obama.


So what party is more united, the Republicans will all back McCain if he gets the nom, what will the Dems do. The longer Hillary and Obama fight it out I see it helping the Republicans chances down the road.

I don't know if Romney would really back McCain. Those two have a lot of animosity between them.

Still, I think you're onto something with the Republicans actually being more united than the Democrats. It makes sense in a way, since they feel like the underdogs going into this and have a chance to offer up a fresh candidate after two terms of Bush.

The in-fighting amongst the Democrats isn't going to help in the long run...

[MacNut]

I don't even think his own party likes Romney, I don't think his voice matters much.

[themadchemist]

I don't even think his own party likes Romney, I don't think his voice matters much.

But he's got so much bling-bling!

[IJ Reilly]

Yeah, I probably am overanalyzing a little. I just think it's odd that everyone's talking about how the Kennedy endorsement damages Clinton, but few people (outside of Massachusetts) are talking about what it actually means to Obama.

Probably because the answer is "not much." I think it's more about intra-party politics. In fact it's known that Ted Kennedy spoke with the Clintons about some of Bill's remarks and urged him to be more careful for the good of the party. Obviously that did not happen. Kennedy's split with the Clintons seems to be more about the Clintons disrespecting his position as a party elder than any other thing.

[themadchemist]

Probably because the answer is "not much." I think it's more about intra-party politics. In fact it's known that Ted Kennedy spoke with the Clintons about some of Bill's remarks and urged him to be more careful for the good of the party. Obviously that did not happen. Kennedy's split with the Clintons seems to be more about the Clintons disrespecting his position as a party elder than any other thing.

I do wonder, as halfprep455 mentioned, whether it will change the dynamics of the super-delegate race. Perhaps Kennedy will pull a number of them with him. That could have a material effect beyond the soft power of media spotlight.

[IJ Reilly]

I do wonder, as halfprep455 mentioned, whether it will change the dynamics of the super-delegate race. Perhaps Kennedy will pull a number of them with him. That could have a material effect beyond the soft power of media spotlight.

Could be, but I don't know how that process works.

[QuantumLo0p]

I just hope he doesn't accept any offers to get a ride from Ted.

You know, Chappaquiddick and all.

[Unspeaked]

So I like how the Kennedys are now the laughing stocks of Massachusetts.

They don't even have enough pull to sway their home state. In fact, I think Clinton had better numbers after Ted's endorsment of Obama than before.

[IJ Reilly]

So I like how the Kennedys are now the laughing stocks of Massachusetts.

They don't even have enough pull to sway their home state. In fact, I think Clinton had better numbers after Ted's endorsment of Obama than before.

The endorsement wasn't intended to deliver Massachusetts. It wasn't even made in the state. The next day Kennedy was making appearances in California.

[Unspeaked]

The endorsement wasn't intended to deliver Massachusetts. It wasn't even made in the state. The next day Kennedy was making appearances in California.

I don't entirely agree with this. Though surely not the sole reason for the endorsement, swinging the votes in Obama's favor in what had been a very tight race must have been on the mind of Kennedy (and the rest of his family) when they unilaterally backed him.

Perhaps you didn't hear, but there were several advertisements made specifically for the Massachusetts market featuring Caroline Kennedy endorsing the senator.

Also, you've clearly missed the post-Super Tuesday articles in several Massachusetts papers calling Kennedy a (I quote) a loser. The Obama loss in the state seems to have tarnished him more than it did the person running...!

[IJ Reilly]

I don't entirely agree with this. Though surely not the sole reason for the endorsement, swinging the votes in Obama's favor in what had been a very tight race must have been on the mind of Kennedy (and the rest of his family) when they unilaterally backed him.

Perhaps you didn't hear, but there were several advertisements made specifically for the Massachusetts market featuring Caroline Kennedy endorsing the senator.

Also, you've clearly missed the post-Super Tuesday articles in several Massachusetts papers calling Kennedy a (I quote) a loser. The Obama loss in the state seems to have tarnished him more than it did the person running...!

Nobody outside of Massachusetts is talking about this so far as I have heard, so I suspect this is a local story which you are assuming is also national.

I think the main impact of the Kennedy endorsement was that immediately afterwards, Bill Clinton pretty much zipped his lip. I believe that was the message, and I believe it was received.

[Unspeaked]

Nobody outside of Massachusetts is talking about this so far as I have heard, so I suspect this is a local story which you are assuming is also national.

I wasn't implying it was in any way a national story, simply that Kennedy was being laughed at in Massachusetts, which he is.


I think the main impact of the Kennedy endorsement was that immediately afterwards, Bill Clinton pretty much zipped his lip. I believe that was the message, and I believe it was received.

So the Kennedy endorsement was a means to push Hilary Clinton ahead in the polls? Because Bill keeping quiet is what most folks are speculating is one of the key reasons she's been able to bounce back.

I suppose it could just be Kennedy's plan backfiring?