Monday, January 28, 2008

"Repaid with Abandonment!"

Apparently, a few of the sisters in New York are peeved at Senator Edward Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama. (The national chapter promptly hedged on this harsh statement, by the way.)

From CNN:

"Sen. Kennedy’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton’s opponent in the Democratic presidential primary campaign has really hit women hard," said the statement. "Women have forgiven Kennedy, stuck up for him, stood by him, hushed the fact that he was late in his support of Title IX, the ERA, the Family Leave and Medical Act to name a few."

"And now the greatest betrayal! We are repaid with his abandonment!" the statement continues. "He’s picked the new guy over us. He’s joined the list of progressive white men who can’t or won’t handle the prospect of a woman president who is Hillary Clinton."

Repaid? This is quid pro quo? That sounds like the Old Boy Network they're always railing about. Ah, but the real issue is buried inside that rant: someone who can't or won't handle the prospect of a woman president who is Hillary Clinton. My guess is that Kennedy could give a damn if the next prez wears a skirt or not. It's Hillary that bugs him.

HRC falls firmly into the "business as usual" camp. She part of the Old Boy Network despite her sex. Bill also is an issue for me. What is he going to do for four or eight years while his wife runs the country? He's not going to play lots of golf and keep his mouth shut, that's for sure. During that entire time the Repubs are going to spend every waking minute trying to scuttle the boat. The truth is, it'd be a lot harder with Obama.

The endorsement I found more compelling was Carolyn Kennedy's Op Ed piece in the NYT yesterday. I can't remember her endorsing a candidate before. Her elegant article lays out its case simply -- to her Obama is the man who offers a new vision for those of us tired of the politics of the Washington elite, the man whose vision most reminds her of her father's.

If elected, would he be able to fight the good fight? I'm not sure. But at best he offers a glimpse of someone before DC ruins them.

1 comment:

steve on the slow train said...

Jana,

Thanks for the Caroline Kennedy link. I'm for Obama. My son is for Obama. I think both of my daughters are for Obama. But my wife's for Clinton. Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with her. She's better than anything the R's have to offer. But I think we need someone who could inspire us the way John and Robert Kennedy did.