Barack Obama usually gets a reaction. Critics say he’s inexperienced (although he spent years in state government in Illinois.) Supporters liken his campaign as ultimately positive in a world where the last eight years have been mired in toxicity and corporate greed. And, long before the events of this past weekend, he was compared to the man who led Camelot.
And, there are certain people that do make a difference when the come out in the public eye to endorse someone for president. When Caroline Kennedy wrote an Op/Ed over the weekend comparing Obama to her late father, a ripple amongst the politically minded resonated across the blogosphere. Those from the right collectively wrote it off as meaningless, but those from the left of the political radar saw something important in the endorsement.
There is no doubt that it was more of a slam dunk for the Obama campaign than the New York Times endorsement of Clinton was. Mainly because, in this country, the Kennedy family’s opinion has weight when it comes to the politics of the Democratic Party. In part because it was John F. Kennedy who created the modern version of the platform that is still, in part, used today. Not all of the Kennedys are supporting Obama including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Robert Jr and Kerry who are Bobby Kennedy’s children put their two cents in for Clinton. (Ethel, ironically, has declared for Obama as well.)
This is a historic time for a couple of reasons and Caroline’s endorsement has more weight than even her uncle Teddy. She said this:
I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.
She has NEVER had a president that made her feel what her father did. That’s important on many different levels. It’s also important to know that Caroline Kennedy has never publicly endorsed a presidential candidate in her life.
This is minor historical event in a major historical time in American politics.
