Barack Obama, Camelot's New Knight - washingtonpost.com

I know, I know. Late. Worked on this yesterday but just now getting it published. I caught Chris Matthews' show last night and either he or one of his guests made the point that Caroline Kennedy and not Ted was the more important endorsement. That might be.

MSNBC has video of Kennedy's speech here. Ted did a very good job. I read the speech before I saw the video. As the pundits kept saying last night, Ted Kennedy gave a speech obviously critical to the Clintons. The word that came to mind was rebuke. I think that rebuke was even more clear in the video - watch Ted Kennedy's eyes when he makes certain points. I think Ted's Irish temper flares a bit.

The Washington Post published the essay, Barack Obama, Camelot's New Knight:

"The political and social legacy of the late president -- Camelot, the Big Myth, the story of American royalty, a sense of Americans being awestruck by themselves -- was gift-wrapped by the Kennedy family yesterday and given to Sen. Barack Obama, a political gift with remarkable and remarkably strange baggage."

George Will noted the disgust caused by the Clintons amongst Democrats (and then goes off onto an acid attack on the Clintons before an even more interesting dissection of Saint McCain):

The week before South Carolina voted was the week when, at last, even some Democrats noticed. Noticed, that is, the distinctive cloud of coarseness that hovers over the Clintons, seeping acid rain.

I doubt Mr. Will was cheered with McCain winning Florida's primary last night.

I agree with Eugene Robinson's conclusion to Cards From a Worn-Out Deck, but who would have thought Ted Kennedy belongs to the future and not the past? Honestly, not me.

E.J. Dionne seems to make the point that Kennedy has not become anti-Clinton:

In an interview yesterday, Sen. Kennedy resolutely avoided any criticism of the Clintons. Instead, he chose to reinforce the central claim of Obama's candidacy. "People are generally together on the issues," Kennedy said, "so the question comes down to who will be able to inspire" and "galvanize the country to take action."

Kennedy also urged Obama to stand apart from the negative spirit that has recently infected the campaign. "He's wiser to be involved and engaged in talking about things that are on people's minds and are of consequence to them," Kennedy said, "and to stay out of the sticky wickets and the weeds."

I do not think that is probably far off the mark. Regardless of writers like Will, the Clintons have a lot to offer. The line between debate and attack was crossed, though.