A Kennedy Moment

This morning it was announced that Ted Kennedy, despite his brain cancer, would be coming to the Democratic National Convention after all, and a short film will be shown in his honor.

Yesterday, the powers that be leaked the fact that for better or worse (see Katrina vanden Heuvel's important post on Biden's misguided contribution to US-Russian relations), Caroline Kennedy had been influential in the selection of Biden as Veep. On Wednesday, Ethel Kennedy is hosting a benefit for the Robert F Kennedy Memorial, "A reception celebrating 40 years of making a difference."

It would not, of course, be a Democratic convention without its Kennedy moment. It all started way back in 1956, you may recall, when Adlai Stevenson enlivened what might have been a dull convention by subcontracting the selection of Vice President to the delegates, whom he instructed to choose between Senator Estes Kefauver, and JFK.

My first experience with the Kennedys came in 1960, when I was working as a speechwriter for Governor G. Mennen ("Soapy") Williams, who had thrown his and most of the Michigan delegation's support to JFK at a strategic post-primary moment. As a result, in this pre-cell phone era, the Michigan delegation was given its own phone on the convention floor, connected by a special link to the high-tech Kennedy command headquarters. Then came Kennedy's selection of LBJ as his VP, from which Soapy, who had met with Kennedy privately and told him that Michigan would support "anybody but LBJ," (whom they wrongly, as it turned out, regarded as soft on civil rights, loudly and publicly dissented.) The next day, when the roll call vote on the vice presidential nomination commenced, the head of the Michigan delegation picked up the phone, only to discover that it had been disconnected.

Anyway, at a time when the tension between some of Hillary's most ardent supporters and the Obama campaign still runs high, despite HRC's own get-on--board-for-Obama message, the short Kennedy film should provide a happy unity moment, for those inside the Convention Hall. But the real video to watch will not be shown until tomorrow night. That's the one that Hillary's own production team of her friends Linda Bloodworth Thomason and Harry Thomason (best known as the creators of "Designing Woman") have put together, which will serve as the introduction to her remarks. In theory, a video paying tribute to Hillary, no matter how well-deserved and how well-produced, does not seem designed to preserve a unity moment. But we shall see.

Comments (11)

1. When Kennedy speaks...wonder how slimy the Right (especially the Blogosphere Right) will get in mocking him?

   (I exclude the possibility they will ignore or even praise Ted Kennedy, of course...heheh)

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 2:27pm

2. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 08/25/2008 @ 2:49pm

   That's very true. Only once in a while do you see one slip out of line.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/25/2008 @ 3:01pm

3. Posted by Darin_the_Troll at 08/25/2008 @ 2:49pm

   True, they use surrogates. Won't just be "Freepers" though. Even our hard-core Righties, even "Christian" Righties, will take shots at Ted.

   "That would be the lowest of low which is not beyond Limbaugh's reach."----Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 2:51pm

   "Rush Limbaugh says there's nothing to worry about. McCain will be the next President."----Posted by frankgrits at 07/24/2008 @ 11:15pm

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 3:02pm

4. Because I have seen photos of the Kennedy brothers, hanging on the most improbable walls… From California to Australia and from Sweden to Greece…

   Because the expectations and the "innocence" of a whole era, found expression also through the fortunes and the weaknesses of a rich catholic family from Boston…

   Because Jack, Bob and Ted Kennedy, instead of just enjoying their wealth, tried to do something for the rest of America and subsequently the world…

   Because time is a great ferocious beast…

   Because time is usually most unkind to memory, to politicians to symbols…

   I welcome the tribute to Edward Kennedy, all the way from Athens Greece.

   Posted by karamarkos at 08/25/2008 @ 3:18pm

5. Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 3:07pm

   Just pointing out how you and Mr Limbaugh have begun to sound remarkably alike, FRANK.

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 3:24pm

6. Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 3:29pm

   Rush said "McCain will be the next President"...

   you say....what?... in conflict with that?

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 3:52pm

7. There have been Kennedy moments many times, but dont forget that this election will be the first since 1976 that has not had a Clinton or a Bush on one of the tickets

   Posted by Mistral at 08/25/2008 @ 4:17pm

8. Posted by Mistral at 08/25/2008 @ 4:17pm

   Well, we have a "McBush"?

   heheh

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 4:26pm

9. Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/25/2008 @ 4:28pm

   Larry, point to where I mentioned...YOU?

   Are you the ONLY "Christian" Rightie out there?

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 4:38pm

10. "Rush Limbaugh and I couldn't be farthar apart. The only similarity is that we'll be voting for the same candidate." Posted by frankgrits at 08/25/2008 @ 3:29pm

    Actually, you could be farther apart. Why not get EVEN FARTHER from Limbaugh and his idiocy by voting Obama-Biden 2008? Then you could proudly claim zero similarity between yourself and Rush.

    Posted by Be Good at 08/25/2008 @ 5:25pm

11. Posted by Be Good at 08/25/2008 @ 5:25pm

    FG can't do that....must get The Precious (Dem nomination) for Her in 2012!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/25/2008 @ 8:07pm