Comments on: Ted Kennedy at the Donkey Convention http://newcombat.net/Conversation/2008/08/25/ted-kennedy-at-the-donkey-convention/ Life during wartime Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:15:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: ed http://newcombat.net/Conversation/2008/08/25/ted-kennedy-at-the-donkey-convention/comment-page-1/#comment-4122 ed Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:23:33 +0000 http://newcombat.net/Conversation/2008/08/25/ted-kennedy-at-the-donkey-convention/#comment-4122 Ah, yes. I agree that I probably misinterpreted Ted's comments. Ah, yes. I agree that I probably misinterpreted Ted’s comments.

]]> By: Ilidas http://newcombat.net/Conversation/2008/08/25/ted-kennedy-at-the-donkey-convention/comment-page-1/#comment-4067 Ilidas Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:18:00 +0000 http://newcombat.net/Conversation/2008/08/25/ted-kennedy-at-the-donkey-convention/#comment-4067 Barbara Jordan's cry against "separatism" seems more clearly directed reflexively, i.e., at the Dem camp, than Ted Kennedy's statement. For all we know he/his speechwriter had social conservatives in mind. But it's good to be hopeful and, in any case, your broader point regarding the role of identity politickers is well taken. Whatever the merits of identity politics vis-a-vis various groups and grievances, such politics are politically disastrous and have for decades confounded what should have been a no-brainer: uniting the majority of Americans against the depredations of unregulated big capital. I'm reminded of the huge distraction generated by the same-sex marriage debate in 2004 -- when the priority in that year should have been the November presidential election. Barbara Jordan’s cry against “separatism” seems more clearly directed reflexively, i.e., at the Dem camp, than Ted Kennedy’s statement. For all we know he/his speechwriter had social conservatives in mind. But it’s good to be hopeful and, in any case, your broader point regarding the role of identity politickers is well taken. Whatever the merits of identity politics vis-a-vis various groups and grievances, such politics are politically disastrous and have for decades confounded what should have been a no-brainer: uniting the majority of Americans against the depredations of unregulated big capital.

I’m reminded of the huge distraction generated by the same-sex marriage debate in 2004 — when the priority in that year should have been the November presidential election.

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