Barack F. Kennedy

In a move that brought joy to the hearts of hack political writers everywhere, Ted Kennedy became the latest member of the Kennedy to clan to endorse Barack Obama. A quick look at some of the press coverage yielded the following drivel.

Kennedys, roaring crowds give Obama rally '60s feel

With Kennedys on the stage and Beatlemania-like screams from the crowd, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign stop on Monday took on the aura of the early 1960s.

Where to begin with this one? First of all, JFK was already dead before the Beatles ever set foot in the United States, so that comparison is murky at best. Also, what exactly was the aura of the early 60's?

Ted Kennedy's endorsement speech was a breathtakingly cloying exercise in hyperbole. With frequent references to his brother and Martin Luther King, Kennedy all but bowed before Obama and his transcendent greatness. A quick count reveals 5 references to "hope", 5 to "change", and 7 to "inspire". I didn't keep track of the many allusions to tides, lifted spirits, and America coming together.

Kennedy also mentions Obama's early stance against the Iraq war, not mentioning that he was in the Illinois State Senate at the time, which had about as much influence against the war that I did. Nor does he mention Obama's votes for 300 billion in funding for the war, I guess that would fall under his "bipartisanship".

I have nothing personally against Obama, I disagree with almost all of his policy ideas, but really do respect his lack of obvious lying and character assassination in this race. However I am a little tired of hearing about him being a candidate of change, anti-establishment, the future. Take a look at who has endorsed him, who his advisers are, who his financial backers are, and you will see some of the most entrenched hacks and retreads in the Democratic establishment. I'm sorry, but being endorsed by Ted Kennedy, someone who has been in the Senate for 45 years, is not a good sign that Obama will actually change anything. But then again he is relatively young and so was John F. Kennedy, so he does have that going for him.