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Why Kennedys Tapped Obama

Massachusetts senator points to Barack's 'inevitability'

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 29, 2008 11:46 AM CST
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(Newser) – Why did three members of the Kennedy clan anoint Barack Obama as the heir to Camelot and Democratic standard-bearer? In interviews with Time, Ted and Caroline Kennedy both point to the Illinois senator as uniquely capable of overcoming factionalism and uniting the country. As for the timing—before Super Tuesday—Ted Kennedy said, "It was sort of a growing process about the inevitability of Barack Obama."

"Each of these candidates have virtually similar positions on the great issues," he said. "So the issue and the question is, who is going to be able to achieve this and get this done?" And the timing was propitious: Caroline's New York Times op-ed overshadowed the paper's backing of Hillary Clinton, and Ted rode the wave of Obama's South Carolina victory.

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, talks with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. as fellow presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., shakes hands upon their arrival for President Bush's State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress, Monday Jan. 28, 2008, on Capitol Hill...
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, talks with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. as fellow presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., shakes hands upon their arrival...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, laughs with Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., during a rally for Obama at American University on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, laughs with Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., during a rally for Obama at American University on Monday, Jan. 28, 2008, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., left, walk under security tape as they visit an outside overflow crowd on the campus of American University in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., left, walk under security tape as they visit an outside overflow crowd on the campus of American University...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is flanked by from left, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president John F. Kennedy, and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., right, during a rally on the campus of American University in Washington, Monday, Jan. 28, 2008. The three...
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is flanked by from left, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president John F. Kennedy, and Sen. Ted Kennedy,...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., followed by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., arrive for President Bush's State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress, Monday Jan., 28, 2008, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., followed by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., arrive for President Bush's State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress, Monday...   (Associated Press)
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