Teddy’s Endorsement Changes Everything

Speaking of Change…

In an election that is plagued by media and pundit allegations of racism and sexism stemming from Democratic campaign tactics and strategies, Ted Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack Obama this week is a very big deal. It is a much bigger deal than most analysts have given credit for because they seem intent on finding drama where none exists and avoiding interesting political and historical implications in favor of sensational journalism.

If you have yet to see the endorsement speech, please take a look at it (video below) and I’ll explain why Ted Kennedy may have shifted the political landscape and how it’ll affect America moving forward.

2008 U.S. Elections
Ted Kennedy Endorses Senator Barack Obama For President

Leveling the playing field

The Clinton campaign brushed off Ted Kennedy’s endorsement and the spokespersons were quick to note how endorsements never really matter. Pundits called the endorsements nothing more than glamorized television that would yield a “Hollywood effect” but nothing more. In other words, they contend that the endorsements mean little when voters go to the polling booths because they are going to choose the best candidate based on the merits.

The above argument would be true if Americans were interested in thinking for themselves, but that is simply not the case in a polarized political atmosphere. In practice, endorsements serve to give voters that are on-the-fence a reason to vote one way or another. In an era that has embraced punditry and encourages polarization in American politics, we’ve learned that Americans have little respect for independent thinking.

I’d even go so far as to argue that Americans need to be told how to think and vote and that is precisely what endorsements of this magnitude do in a race as close as we’ve seen on the Democratic side. So what exactly does Ted Kennedy’s endorsement mean for Barack Obama if it’s not just a made-for-TV media boost?

Invoking the spirit of Democratic hero, John F. Kennedy, remind you of anything?

Before I discuss the Kennedy legacy, I’ll start by touching on a similar phenomenon happening on the Republican side.

We’ve seen Republicans invoke the spirit of Ronald Reagan to an almost disturbing degree. The Reagan references are entirely self-serving because as we’ve seen, the 21st century Republican Party has no interest in limited government, lowered spending or reaching out to the entire American base as Reagan did. Republicans today gladly deride the “tax and spend” liberals in order to shore up political support. Republican “limited government” views aren’t very limited at all, they are just different. In-fact America has been victimized by Big Brother under President Bush’s leadership and you won’t find a civil libertarian anywhere that wants what the GOP leadership is pushing for.

Enter Barack Obama, the candidate of change

Ted Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack Obama in a way helps to remind Americans of the JFK mystique. John F Kennedy was the ultimate in American idealism and for his family to come out and pass the mantle so-to-speak is a very impressive achievement for Barack Obama.

The endorsement was highly sought by both campaigns and it no-doubt stung Hillary Clinton a bit to lose this endorsement battle. It’s important to take a look at why Ted Kennedy decided to step out from underneath the shadows. Last week, Bill Clinton made a comment that likened Barack Obama to Jesse Jackson and his “success” in South Carolina when he ran for President. The media quickly ran with it and exposed it as race baiting. While it may well have been a calculated comment, it was nowhere near the race bait that the media would have you believe.

Just to be clear, Bill Clinton has a high regard for Jesse Jackson and in any other year the comment may have been ignored altogether. However, the timing was terrible as the comment came in the wake of a South Carolina defeat for Hillary Clinton. Just prior to her defeat, Hillary Clinton apparently agitated African Americans by calling Barack Obama a great young (aka inexperience) orator (aka all talk no action). If you’re wondering how I could make that jump in logic from “great young orator” you only need look at how Hillary Clinton has run her campaign. Furthermore, during the debates, Hillary wasn’t exactly subtle about Barack Obama’s lack of experience. In-fact she harped on the idea that we need a president that could actually make change and lead “from day one” and not just talk about it.

It is widely believed that Ted Kennedy acted on behalf of Barack Obama because of the Clinton politics of old creeping back in. e.g. triangulation

Idealists don’t like playing the game, they like inspirational and positive messages. So it makes sense that Ted Kennedy would jump into Barack Obama’s bandwagon. It also makes sense that Barack Obama should be passed the torch of the Kennedy legacy. Time will tell if Barack Obama can meet the challenge of being the next JFK to reach the White House.

What ever you do, don’t believe analysts who suggest that Ted Kennedy’s endorsement is meaningless or even detrimental to Barack Obama’s campaign. That crop of theories has more to do with a disdain for liberalism and Ted Kennedy than it does for Barack Obama and his message of hope and inclusiveness.

That’s all nice, but race and gender still matter, right?

Of course I’ve resisted the topic of race and gender because I don’t like to feed the noise that the media is making in that regard. The race and gender factors will ultimately decide the Democratic race and it will likely have an effect on the 2008 general election. It’s a fact that America is divided in more ways than we can count. Ted Kennedy is very popular among Mexican Americans and other Latinos (non-cuban) because of his fight for the working man and sensitivity to the plight of immigrants. (yes, even illegals)

So to answer the question of race, yes, Barack Obama might increase his reach with minorities as a result of Ted Kennedy’s. That fact — combined with John Edwards’ announcement this afternoon that he is suspending his campaign — the end result should be interesting. White people, yes, white people, may make up the ultimate swing vote in 2008. Sounds unbelievable, but the way the Democratic race is shaping up, it may come down to the white vote and gender — two areas where Hillary Clinton has a natural advantage.

I bet Barack Obama is thanking God for Ted Kennedy’s endorsement right about now.

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Fred Soto is an Attorney and Entrepreneur from the Silicon Valley.
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