A Change We Can Look Forward To

Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy is a man who knows. He's lived through countless presidencies, both Democratic and Republican. He's served in the Senate since 1962 – that's 46 years – making him second only to Robert Byrd in seniority. He's part of the Kennedy family, being a younger brother to both John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated in their presidential bids. He's headed many, many bills and legislature that has changed the very nature of the country. He is a symbol for the Democratic Party itself. Ted Kennedy has brain cancer, and had surgery to help impede the spread of it on June 2^nd, 2008. So when, on August 25^th, 2008, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, he appeared and gave a speech, is it any wonder that people listened? By doing this, Kennedy took the risk that it might effect his already poor health due to his brain tumor. How many politicians go that far? Was his health the only reason why his speech was called “historic” by various news outlets? Wasn't there any more to it? In short, yes, and no.

Kennedy's message was hope. Throughout the duration, his words are charged with that message; he says that “nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight”. He claims he will be on the floor of the Senate next January, he talks of justice and breaking gridlock and change. He uses the word “hope” five different times. His overall point was clear and not veiled in the usual haze of political vagueness; Barack Obama is the candidate that can bring these things to America. The underlying message, of course, is that John McCain cannot.

His words are incredibly effective as a campaign to ally America's gut feeling with Obama – something that is often lacking in the Democratic campaign. Republicans are usually better well known for this, whereas Democrats usually go for the intellectual and logical arguments; Kennedy is a balancing factor here. And yet, he manages to do this without slinging mud or making unverifiable jabs at the opposition. He merely sticks to his main topic of hope. It's a genius move, because it manages to elevate Obama and deflate McCain, while making it seem as though that's only an inadvertent move instead of a carefully crafted one.

The speech also acts as a call to arms to the Democratic Party, but one without the hate or anger usually associated with partisan politics and presidential races. This is especially powerful when compared to the Republican National Convention where at least half of the speech time was devoted to Obama-bashing. Kennedy didn't make a single negative comment about McCain - or anyone, for that matter. The message was clear: the Democrats are change, and the Republicans are the same old, same old.

However, it's not all good. The downside to all of this is that, like any political move, it is to dismiss it as mere pandering or playing on peoples' emotions – in this case, the Senator's health. In a case like this, as with any similar to it, there is the very real possibility that it could harm the Senator's position as an authority and his speech's strength in general.

Also, much like the lack of hatred in his speech, it also lacked many other things – mainly, facts. It was beautifully written and was designed to make people feel good, and it achieved that, clearly. Yet it was missing any kind of comparison between Obama and McCain's policies. It was missing mention of any policies, for that matter. In short, it lacked actual reasons for why anyone should vote for Obama. It's very vague, very general. In that regard, it's incredibly weak.

However, I think that works for him, in this particular episode. Kennedy acts very level headed, he doesn't sling any mud, and he doesn't make any comments that are too “out there”, or difficult to back up. He's just pointing out what he believes in, and that comes through, if for no other reason that by being at the DNC, it could have cost him his life.

His speech's message is best encapsulated in his closing statement: “Yes, we are all Americans. This is what we do. We reach the moon. We scale the heights. I know it. I've seen it. I've lived it. And we can do it again. There is a new wave of change all around us, and if we set our compass true, we will reach our destination -- not merely victory for our Party, but renewal for our nation. And this November the torch will be passed again to a new generation of Americans, so with Barack Obama and for you and for me, our country will be committed to his cause. The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on.”

Why Kennedy's Speech Sucked

The media is calling Ted Kennedy's speech historic. Thousands of Democrats gave him a standing ovation. His address is most definitely astounding, though not because it was good. It is astounding because it's unbelievable that so many people are falling for what amounts to ten minutes of nothing. In short, Teddy's speech is bullshit with sprinkles on top.

Who is Ted Kennedy? He's the little brother of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy - some would say the runt of the litter. The Democrats would like to portray him as a guardian of freedom and all things American who has stood the test of time and never erred. It is never a good idea to make such big claims that are so easily refuted. They certainly seem to forget less flattering parts of his past, such as the Chappaquiddick incident, or that he was kicked out of Harvard University for cheating. This isn't very different from your standard politician, of course – everyone knows they're crooks and liars. It's just that it is simply not an effective tactic to have an old, white murderer and cheat give a speech about how he's all for change and hope in America. Next, the Republicans will revive Richard Nixon and have him give a speech on how corruption in politics is wrong.

Kennedy has brain cancer. Yes, that is unfortunate. It does not, however, allow him to walk up on to a stage and make ten minutes of unverifiable claims that have no grounding in reality. If it's because of his brain cancer that he's being excused from using facts, wouldn't that imply that he is probably not the best judge of who should be elected to the most powerful position on the planet? You cannot waive his poor rhetoric by saying that he cannot be expected to be at the top of his game, so to speak, and then go on to say, “He sure knows what he is talking about. What a historic speech!”

Teddy was also incredibly vague. Though it was obvious he was talking about and supporting Barack Obama, if he hadn't mentioned that name, he could have just as easily been giving a speech about Hitler or Stalin for all the specifics he mentioned. He says that with Barack Obama we can “meet these [challenges of gridlock and health care]”. What does that mean? Nowhere does he make mention of how Barack Obama's health care plan, or his economic plan, or, for that matter, his war plan, or his environmental plan will help solve any problems facing America today. Who is Senator Kennedy talking about, again?

Perhaps the biggest contradiction of Teddy's speech is that his central message is change. He claims that “there is a new wave of change all around us” and that “Barack Obama will close the book on the old politics of race and gender and group against group and straight against gay.” Yet Kennedy's speech is inherently against that message. What is one of the biggest problems most people have with politics? They're tired of politicians trying to dodge questions and not giving straight answers. Perhaps it is because Senator Kennedy wasn't asked something directly that no one is calling him on any of this. However, in reality, the only reason Ted Kennedy is giving a speech at all is because there is the unspoken question from voters of why they should vote for Obama. If Kennedy was in a debate, and was asked why Obama would make a good leader, and he gave a response similar to his address at the Democratic National Convention, he would immediately be nailed for all of the previously mentioned reasons and no one would take his message seriously.

There must be something to be said, however, for someone who can, despite all these massive flaws, rouse the masses with such a speech. It's incredibly effective for him to do this when he was so soon out of surgery for brain cancer – no one will talk critically of him, lest they be destroyed by the media for being insensitive bigots or some such. He is, in effect, untouchable and could have said nearly anything without it damaging his reputation. For at worst – even though this should negate anything he says, if true – in the event that anything he says offends anyone, it can be blamed on his condition.

People also always like to root for those with diseases, so there is an (illogical) feeling of inspiration one feels when they see someone with such a serious problem talking of hope.

Despite his troubled past, Kennedy has also served America well over the years, and that does add some amount of weight to his words. However, the fact that he is absolutely forgiven for committing murder, when some politicians have to resign because they cheat on their spouses, marks a clear double standard that negates any benefit his history in the Senate gives him. This, coupled with the complete and utter lack of content in his speech and its inherently contradictory nature can only bring about one product: bullshit with sprinkles on top.