Unspinning the News: What Kennedy's Endorsement of Obama Means

By Jacqueline Cogel. This piece is an editorial directed toward the general public, about Ted Kennedy’s support for Barack Obama, and how the media tried to spin what he said. [Pol 301D-Spring 2008].

This race to win the Democratic primaries and become the presidential candidate for the party has been a tennis match going back and forth all campaign. The big story is two unlikely candidates who one will get the chance to run for president, a black man or a woman. Both have the potential to make their mark in history when Election Day comes, and when something this dramatic happens in the political world here in America, the media is bound to add a little spice here and there to spark the drama.

Ted Kennedy, as well as many others in the Democratic Party, decided to endorse Barack Obama instead of family friend Hillary Clinton. Kennedy says he is drawn to his commanding presence and admires the way Obama motivates a new generation of Democrats. Kennedy has done nothing wrong but simply support a very qualified and powerful candidate in the Democratic Party. Well, even someone as smart as Kennedy could not have seen this coming his way.

Various media sources began attacking Kennedy claiming that his support of Obama over Clinton is a clear sign that he is against women’s rights. Their rationale was; well why else would he go against a family friend and support her competitor. Since they could not be happy with maybe Kennedy is just doing the right thing and supporting who he thinks is best qualified in his political party, the media had to try and find a way to attack him and see if any drama could start. These races in our society can never be just about the two candidates and who is more qualified than the other. But instead we take everything and anything that is said, and the media spins it to portray the person to however they feel they can. And if there is ever anything that can be made to look detrimental to their character, the media swoops in and attacks full force upon the candidate.

In essence, I feel that Obama is a better candidate than Clinton, and I am a woman myself saying that! He has a better stand on his issues, and I agree with Kennedy that he does motivate a new generation of democrats and I think he does this better than Clinton. If the media would spend more time researching other issues in the political world and stop trying to twist and turn words said, the American people would be more informed on more important issues rather than the he said she said garbage we are told about today.

BOTTOM LINE: Kennedy is not against women and their rights, but he does support Obama over Clinton!