.jpg)
The Daily Mail
Probably the most important endorsement Obama received during the Democratic primary came from Ted Kennedy. He even evoked the memory of JFK in making his enthusiastic endorsement.
But according to behind the scenes reports at the time the endorsement did not have as much to do with support and confidence in Obama as it did over the fact that Ted Kennedy was fuming over something Hillary Clinton didn't say during the primaries.
In South Carolina, Hillary Clinton, while campaigning during the primary, made the point that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed largely because of LBJ's political know how in getting southern Democratic congressmen who had opposed it, to vote for it, something just about everyone including Martin Luther King and John Lewis who was standing with King and next to LBJ when he signed the bill, acknowledges.
Clinton's point at the time was that it takes both experience and know how on many levels to be president and that LBJ knew whose arm to twist, who to slap on the back, who to offer favors and who to threaten to get a very contentious bill passed, and that Obama had shown no experience, accomplishment or skills on any level in his 12 years as an elected official that would indicate he had any of those abilities( something that has become all too apparent during the health care debate)
At the time, Obama used that statement to play the race card and accused Clinton of diminishing Martin Luther King's legacy by crediting Johnson with getting the bill passed, ( although when Tom Brokaw said exactly the same thing in his book and documentary there were no accusations from Obama or anyone else).
But what wasn't widely reported was that Ted Kennedy, behind the scenes was furious with Clinton for not giving JFK the credit Ted Kennedy felt JFK deserved for the civil rights act.
Its true that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 began with JFK. Johnson used both his legendary political skills and the memory of the assassinated JFK in getting what was a JFK initiative that had previously stalled in congress, passed. And Ted Kennedy was furious that Clinton didn't give JFK enough credit for initiating the Civil Rights Act.
According to reports, that led directly to Kennedy's decision to endorse Barrack Obama, the single most important and most coveted political endorsement any of the candidates could have gotten, an endorsement that can be largely credited with securing the nomination for Obama even if Kennedy's endorsement didnt help Obama in the Massachusetts primary which Clinton won handlily.
It is curious that on the day of Kennedy's death, Obama's official statement relates to the "wisdom" Obama says he received from Kennedy while he was a member of the US Senate and says nothing about the endorsement and support that probably had more to do with his nomination leading to his ultimate election as president, than any other.
Obama will give the eulogy at Kennedy's funeral. My guess is the eulogy will be written by people close to the Kennedy family and not by Obama's speechwriters.Tne occassion will call for a lot more than trite cliches.
Comments
Clearly you've made no research before writing this article. Here is an excerpt from the statement of the President following Ted Kennedy's death:
"I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency". That sounds like a reference to an endorsement to me.... wise up.
It was obvious at the time that Kennedy's reasons to endrose Obama were personally motivated. Clinton's point was absolutely accurate, and as with Bill Clinton's fairy tale comment referring to Obama's fabrication of his opposition to the war, the Obama campaign knew they had to separate the AA community from the Clintons in order to win, so they did the fundamentally anti-democratic thing: accused two of the most consistent advocates for the AA community of racism. For that, I will never trust or support Obama. He's a devious, self-serving hypocrite with his "new politics."
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!