Must listen: Teddy's 1980 democratic convention speech.

[Aloha Spirit]

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/tedkennedy1980dnc.htm

I'm asking you -- I am asking you to renew the commitment of the Democratic Party to economic justice.

I am asking you to renew our commitment to a fair and lasting prosperity that can put America back to work.

This is the cause that brought me into the campaign and that sustained me for nine months across a 100,000 miles in 40 different states. We had our losses, but the pain of our defeats is far, far less than the pain of the people that I have met.

We have learned that it is important to take issues seriously, but never to take ourselves too seriously.

The serious issue before us tonight is the cause for which the Democratic Party has stood in its finest hours, the cause that keeps our Party young and makes it, in the second century of its age, the largest political Party in this republic and the longest lasting political Party on this planet.

Our cause has been, since the days of Thomas Jefferson, the cause of the common man and the common woman.

Our commitment has been, since the days of Andrew Jackson, to all those he called "the humble members of society -- the farmers, mechanics, and laborers." On this foundation we have defined our values, refined our policies, and refreshed our faith.

.....

[Aloha Spirit]

1. I am listening to this straight through for the first time... I cannot believe how relevant it is 28

years later!

Quote:

Finally, we cannot have a fair prosperity in isolation from a fair society. So I will continue to stand for a national health insurance. We must -- We must not surrender -- We must not surrender to the relentless medical inflation that can bankrupt almost anyone and that may soon break the budgets of government at every level. Let us insist on real controls over what doctors and hospitals can charge, and let us resolve that the state of a family's health shall never depend on the size of a family's wealth.

[tokenlib]

2. Thanks--I was thinking back to 1980.. and "the dream"

People on DU often wonder why so many of us despise and hate the DLC... Why indeed....

It is because of that progressive dream, basically the "New Deal legacy" of which Ted Kennedy spoke in 1980. The attack on Carter came from the LEFT--he wasn't progressive enough. And the DLC is more to the right than Carter ever was...
The cause of the common man--not the cause "sucking up" to corporate America.

The symbolism of the hope of the campaign of Barack Obama--and the symbolic "passing of the torch" from the Kennedy's to the Obama campaign is really on my mind right now. And there are always those who here on DU try to paint Obama as more DLC than Hillary and even a "trojan horse" of the corporatists.. Needless to say I vehemently disagree with those people.

But if the campaign is about us--more than it is about Barack Obama, then we have some input on how this movement continues. And if the dream lives on in the Obama campaign because of all of us--then we will push Barack to be true to the dream and the trust placed in him by much of the Kennedy famaily and so many of us.

Ted Kennedy forged a link between his "dream that will never die" and Obama's movement for change. Movements live, die, and are reborn.. In the past few months, Caroline, Uncle Teddy, and others in the Kennedy family have done their best to keep "the dream alive"--by blowing sparks into the Obama movement. And if Teddy has his way he ain't done breathing sparks yet!!!

The fight goes on...

[Aloha Spirit]

3. "blowing sparks into the Obama movement," exactly!

Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I'm learning about the Democratic Party slowly but surely.
Six months ago, I was a bitter "uncommitted" because of the rancor and silliness of partisan politics.
I can say, thanks to Obama's campaign, that I'm learning to love the word "Democrat" again.

[Skip Intro]

4. That's the convention where Ted tried to get Carter's delegates released from their voting pledge.

That's right, the same convention where Kennedy, behind in delegates, did not drop out, but went to the convention and fought for the pledged delegates to be released from their pledges to vote for Carter so that he, Ted Kennedy, might still win the nomination.

Interesting, eh?

-------------------------------------------
The 1980 convention was notable, as it was the last time in the 20th century that either major party that a candidate tried to get delegates released from their voting commitment. This was done by Massachuetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Carter's chief rival for the nomination in the Democratic primaries, who sought the votes of delegates held by Carter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Democratic_National_Convention

[Aloha Spirit]

5. Hi Skip! It's such a beautiful day. Enjoy the weather!

[Skip Intro]

6. It is gorgeous here, a little warm.

I should be mowing the lawn...I really should...