Patrick Healy has written a wise and provocative New York Times piece
about the "the three Democratic clans" whose fates met in Denver
last night.
With his dignity and his idealism, with his wistful eyes and clear
vision, Ted Kennedy reclaimed the history of the Democratic Party and,
ignoring Bill and Hillary Clinton, passed its torch to Barack Obama.
Although wan in voice and shaky in body, Teddy did it so effortlessly
and purposefully that he seemed to be asserting his moral authority as
a penultimate and maybe ultimate testament.
Michelle Obama tempted and taunted Hillary in her ten second
genuflection to the suffragette movement by way of her reference to
the 18 million votes cast in the primaries for the senator from New
York. But Michelle did not linger. Had she lingered a moment longer
Hillary would only have been encouraged to persist in the campaign of
blackmail she and her husband have been waging against the democratic
process. But, then, I wouldn't be astonished if the rejected couple
were to pursue their obsession whatever happened.
All but the true believers are now in the Hillary camp, and it must
have occurred to many of the others that she may not have exhausted
herself yet. But she has surely exhausted many of her supporters. I have a
replacement in mind for her successor as United States senator. She
is Caroline Kennedy, who spoke with such quiet authority at the
convention that many must have mused that here would be a candidate
who would not appeal to the darker side of the electorate. She would
appeal to the real glory of our past and the difficult possibilities
of our future. Without rancor, without jealousy, without self-
righteousness.