A dubious honor

Now that Barack Obama has received an endorsement from Sen. Ted Kennedy and other members of his family for election to the presidency of the US, we are compelled to take a closer look at the reasons. The patriarch of the family, Joseph Kennedy, Sr., involved his family in politics when he was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission in 1933....a reward for Kennedy's poitical support of FDR. The elder Kennedy did not come to prominence with clean hands. He made his forturne in banking and alledgedbootlegging during prohibition. His lust for power thrust his son John F. Kennedy, into the front for a run at the presidency shortly after World War 11, when the young man returned from the war as a hero. John was elected to the highest office in America and his younger brother Bobby was appointed attorney general. Other members of the Kennedy clan lined up for public office in subsequent years.

Despite his favored treatment by the press, President John Kennedy would be considered a failure by today's standards. Although he encouraged war between the US and Fidel Castro's Cuba, he failed to lend the necessary air support in the Bay of Pigs invasion and the effort failed. Castro emerged stronger and began an alliance with Russia which resulted in an effort to establish a missile site on Cuban soil only 90 miles from the US. Kennedy was forced to establish a naval blockade around the island in order to pevent further incursions by the Soviet Union. The two major powers were within a heartbeat of nuclear war. This confrontation could have been avoided if Kennedy had provided the air support needed at a critical time. His timidity at a crucial moment displayed a weakness which led us further into a cold war that cost taxpayers millions in an arms race. His lust for women was a poorly kept secret and a reflection of his true character.

Now we have Sen. Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama to consider. Does his support reflect his true beliefs or it this just another opportunity for the Kennedy clan to jump on the bandwagon of power? We remember when Ted Kennedy crashed his automoble at Chappeqiddick Island bridge in 1969 and left his date, Mary Jo Kopechne to drown alone without help while he ran to seek legal counsel. Although he left the scene of the crime, his sentence was suspended and young Ted remained on the scene. He ran for the presidency in 1980 but was defeated by Jimmy Carter. Is this the man Obama wants for support in the white house? I would consider his support a rather dubious honor.