Illinois Senator Barack Obama received his most important endorsement for the Democratic Presidential nomination today. Yes, even more important than Oprah.
WASHINGTON, DC
This afternoon, Barack Obama was nominated to be the Democratic candidate for President in this year's November election.
Really.
In a speech by Sen. Edward Kennedy before a loud, proud crowd at American University, Kennedy told the audience, "I feel change in the air... I'll support the candidate who inspires me, who inspires all of us... I've found that candidate. And it looks to me like you have too... I am proud to stand here today and offer my help, my voice, my energy and my commitment to make Barack Obama the next President of the United States."
Loud cheering... Roll credits... The End.
And in a general election where the only opposition appears to be a issue-waffling centrist (Mitt Romney), a former Governor/future Baptist minister (Mike Huckabee), and a western wild-card few Republicans endorse on every issue (John McCain), the sequel to today's show looks like
America will have itself its third black President in the last 5 years.
Oh, wait. David and Wayne Palmer were only black Presidents in Jack Bauer's world.
Personally, I would've voted for David Palmer in a heartbeat. Maybe even Wayne. But who will vote for Barack Obama? A list of well known endorsement was printed in an article in today's Times Online of London (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/) that goes beyond Oprah, and into mainline Democratic political clout. Besides Ted Kennedy, the growing list now includes Massachusetts's other Senator, John Kerry and McCain's own Arizona Governor Janet Napolatino, as well as old guard Democratic intelligentsia like Carter National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, plus a short list of celebs that include documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, actors Matt Damon and Robert DeNiro, and the future Governor of the state of California, George Clooney.
But really, who will vote for Barack Obama?
After soundly defeating Hillary Clinton in yesterday's South Carolina primary, apparently the deep south will. In a campaign where the issue of race is becoming an issue of renewed divisiveness, race seems to be a secondary issue with voters. And in a state that has an historic animosity toward blacks, Northerners, and lately Democrats, Barack Obama is gaining allies in some most unexpected places.
"Super Tuesday", and with it a winner-take-all California, is only 8 days away. Will the sequel to today's episode already be written by the following Wednesday?
Maybe Obama can even settle the writer's strike while he's here in L.A. If he does, can a November sequel be too far away?
Copyright © 2008 Bill Friday
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