...three of whom are endorsing HRC?

Stephen Schlesinger at HuffPo has a post about that story

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-schlesinger/hillary-and-rfk_b_83856.html

and includes a link to today's LATimes and op-ed they have written. Also very eloquent...

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kennedy29jan29,0,1618955.story

An excerpt:

While talk of unity and compromise are inspiring to a nation wary of divisiveness, America stands at a historic crossroads where real issues divide our political landscapes. Democrats believe that America should not be torturing people, eavesdropping on our citizens or imprisoning them without habeas corpus or other constitutional rights. We should not be an imperial power. We need healthcare for all and a clean, safe environment.

The loftiest poetry will not solve these issues. We need a president willing to engage in a fistfight to safeguard and restore our national virtues.

We have worked with Hillary Clinton for 15 years (and in Kathleen's case, 25 years) and witnessed the power and depth of her convictions firsthand. We've seen her formidable work ethic, courage in the face of adversity and her dignity and clear head in crisis. We've also seen her two-fisted willingness to enter the brawl when America's principles are challenged. Her measured rhetoric, political savvy and pragmatism shield the heart of our nation's most determined and most democratic warrior.

She has been an uncompromising and loyal ally for each of us in our battles to protect the environment and to promote human rights around the world and juvenile justice in America. Hillary is a problem-solver, listening to people and then achieving solutions by changing attitudes.

Her transformational leadership was on display when she ran for the Senate seat in New York that had been held by our father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. She faced rabid, heavily funded attacks from the far right and the challenge of prevailing in traditionally Republican upstate New York. Traveling with her, we watched admiringly as she persuasively articulated an inspiring and unifying vision rooted in American values and history. Then, through patience, hard work, leadership and political acumen, she transformed many of those rock-solid conservative counties into solid Democratic strongholds.

There's more, and it's worth reading, if only because it is such a rare opportunity to read an op-ed by three Kennedy offspring.

What is most interesting to me, though, is that it can no longer be a surprise to anyone that the Democratic primary is such a hot race. Anyone might have predicted a split in the Democratic Party, but who among us could have predicted a split in the Kennedy family?

Not I.

Get thee to FDL and watch this charming video...

"...we're not unreasonable--

no one's going to eat your eyes

but maybe we could compromise..."

http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/29/15-day-extension-on-fisa/

Jane bills it as "Republicans negotiating in good faith with Democrats to give Dick Cheney and the telecoms retroactive immunity."

Heh, heh. (And I never say that.)

I read something by Stephen Schlesinger on Huffington Post tonight. His piece was brief, but worthwhile because it pointed to an op-ed in today's LATimes, written by three of RFK's children.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-schlesinger/hillary-and-rfk_b_83856.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kennedy29jan29,0,1618955.story

A brief excerpt of the op-ed, which I think is remarkable for several reasons: it is eloquent, historical (i.e., rare), and a measure of how easily divided the Democratic Party can be right now, given that the Kennedy family is itself divided, surely a most unlikely event:

While talk of unity and compromise are inspiring to a nation wary of divisiveness, America stands at a historic crossroads where real issues divide our political landscapes. Democrats believe that America should not be torturing people, eavesdropping on our citizens or imprisoning them without habeas corpus or other constitutional rights. We should not be an imperial power. We need healthcare for all and a clean, safe environment.

The loftiest poetry will not solve these issues. We need a president willing to engage in a fistfight to safeguard and restore our national virtues.

We have worked with Hillary Clinton for 15 years (and in Kathleen's case, 25 years) and witnessed the power and depth of her convictions firsthand. We've seen her formidable work ethic, courage in the face of adversity and her dignity and clear head in crisis. We've also seen her two-fisted willingness to enter the brawl when America's principles are challenged. Her measured rhetoric, political savvy and pragmatism shield the heart of our nation's most determined and most democratic warrior.

Interesting that three younger, but adult, Kennedys would endorse HRC, while emphatically emphasizing her fighting ability. Given their own lengthier political history (15-25 years) with Clinton, surely they know their candidate better than Ted and Caroline know theirs?

Reluctantly, I am coming around... and I wonder if the pundits who predict that Edwards' supporters (like me) will transfer their support to Obama will be able to spin an explanation if that doesn't happen. Not all of us have Change at the top of our list, or if we do, we think the change is something other than GWB or another like him. But, more important, perhaps, is finding a candidate who really will fight back, and that does describe both Edwards and Clinton, more than Obama.