# Does anybody care who Ted Kennedy endorses for President? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 28, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379 "2008-01-28T23:17:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/1 "2008-01-28T23:17:29Z")
Ted Kennedy is going to endorse Barack Obama for President. AFAIK, so what? Do you care? Or more generally, is there anyone you respect so much that you would consider changing your vote for president because of their endorsement of someone else? When I think about this, I wonder if it’s the underlying reason for negative campaign tactics – it’s hard for me to imagine changing my vote after hearing more superlatives thrown out about someone, but it’s not at all hard for me to imagine I could learn some ugly fact that might turn me off to a candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/2 "2008-01-28T23:25:53Z")
Well, the [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/28/AR2008012801482.html) certainly seems to think so: > [@](#): > > The endorsement by the senior senator from Massachusetts was widely seen as important for Obama because it gives him the imprimatur of a major leader of the Democratic establishment. Personally, Ted Kennedy doesn’t sway me much, but a lot of people within the party still respect the name. There are congress critters and organizations whose endorsements will make me at least look further into the candidate they endorse, but I pretty much make up my own mind. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/3 "2008-01-28T23:27:20Z")
I certainly care. All other factors being equal, I’ll vote for someone else. I like Obama. Although I disagree with many of his positions I thought he’d be a good president, but now I’m reconsidering. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/4 "2008-01-28T23:56:33Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] I certainly care. All other factors being equal, I’ll vote for someone else. [/QUOTE] This was my first thought too. I don’t vote based on who Ted Kennedy likes, who Oprah likes, who Judge Judy likes or who the Dalai Lama likes. I vote based on who I like. That’s why _I’m_ voting. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/5 "2008-01-29T00:03:52Z")
I don’t personally, but since Clinton seems to appeal to the older demographic, Kennedy’s endorsement could be a boost for Obama among the older hardcore democratic set. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/6 "2008-01-29T00:06:50Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] I certainly care. All other factors being equal, I’ll vote for someone else. I like Obama. Although I disagree with many of his positions I thought he’d be a good president, but now I’m reconsidering. [/QUOTE] Out of.. spite? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/7 "2008-01-29T00:17:42Z")
Old Ted Kennedy would endorse anybody who buys him a drink! I thought his endorsement speech was hilarious-here we have somebody whose devoted his life to destroying this country (Ted) , endorsing somebody who claims to be an agent of change! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anomalous\_Reading](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Anomalous\_Reading](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomalous_Reading)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/8 "2008-01-29T00:51:10Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] I certainly care. All other factors being equal, I’ll vote for someone else. I like Obama. Although I disagree with many of his positions I thought he’d be a good president, but now I’m reconsidering. [/QUOTE] I respect ANY considered vote. If it helps, I think the main reason Teddy Kennedy endorsed Obama was because he wasn’t being divisive and is trying to inspire instead of divide. There seems to be a general consensus that we need that. That alone wouldn’t be enough to sway me, but over all, I see a person I can trust - and whose policies seem common sense and centrist (hence the reach of respect to all peoples - regardless of party). I try to guard my thinking from confirmation bias or unintended blind spots. Even so, right now… that’s what I see in Obama. And I like what I see. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/9 "2008-01-29T00:55:47Z")
OP: may I ask who your preferred candidate is? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/10 "2008-01-29T02:24:38Z")
Hell, I wouldn’t take Ted Kennedy’s recommendation on which beer to buy, let alone who I should vote for. Still, it’s surprising that he didn’t endorse Hillary, and lots of people thinks his endorsement of Obama was a big ol’ slap in the face for the Clintons. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/11 "2008-01-29T02:39:10Z")
Does Ted Kennedy sway my vote for this presidential election? Hell no, I wouldn’t cast a vote for Hillary if you paid me. My vote is solidly with Obama plain and simple - it was before the Kennedys and will be after…I don’t care who the Kennedys pissed off or made rich or whatever, I care that Obama represents to me someone that will bring good things to our old, smelly cellar in Washington. Out with the old and in with the new, if ya don’t step out on that branch you’ll never know what may happen… ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/12 "2008-01-29T14:39:25Z")
[QUOTE=Diceman] Hell, I wouldn’t take Ted Kennedy’s recommendation on which beer to buy, let alone who I should vote for. Still, it’s surprising that he didn’t endorse Hillary, and lots of people thinks his endorsement of Obama was a big ol’ slap in the face for the Clintons. [/QUOTE] I beg to differ, I would certainly take his advice on alcohol, he’s consumed more of it than I ever will. I don’t know that I would take his advice on who to vote for. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/13 "2008-01-29T14:48:08Z")
[QUOTE=Lord Il Palazzo] I don’t vote based on who Ted Kennedy likes, who Oprah likes, who Judge Judy likes or who the Dalai Lama likes. I vote based on who I like. That’s why _I’m_ voting. [/QUOTE] Too bad not everybody thinks like that. It frightens me when a book skyrockets to #1 just becasue “OPRAH SAYS SO”. Scary just how many sheep there are out there. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/14 "2008-01-29T14:48:51Z")
When they ask who a longtime politician is endorsing, its maybe kind of relevant as they supposedly know more about politics than the average Joe and maybe their endorsement is supposed to carry weight for that reason. I don’t get why they tell you who a regular famous person is endorsing though- iwon had a headline yesterday about who Toni Morrison is endorsing 😕 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/15 "2008-01-29T14:58:00Z")
I like Obama and I don’t hate Ted Kennedy, but this endorsement is bulletin board material for the opposing locker room; maybe that’s why he’s getting it over with early. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/16 "2008-01-29T15:18:50Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Old Ted Kennedy would endorse anybody who buys him a drink! I thought his endorsement speech was hilarious-here we have somebody whose devoted his life to destroying this country (Ted) , endorsing somebody who claims to be an agent of change! [/QUOTE] Assuming that this is in any way intended as a serious statement of Kennedy’s record of public service, did you have some cite that Ted Kennedy has spent the last 45 years in the Senate engaged in a mission to destroy the United States? I don’t care if any particular person endorses a candidate, but sort of like what other people have said, if a broad swath of people with a range of political opinions and viewpoints all endorse the same person it may spark me to look more closely into why s/he is attracting the broad support base. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/17 "2008-01-29T15:25:13Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] When they ask who a longtime politician is endorsing, its maybe kind of relevant as they supposedly know more about politics than the average Joe and maybe their endorsement is supposed to carry weight for that reason. I don’t get why they tell you who a regular famous person is endorsing though- iwon had a headline yesterday about who Toni Morrison is endorsing 😕 [/QUOTE] This is what I was thinking, too. Personally, TK’s endorsement would make me less likely to vote for someone. Not because of my feelings toward him as a person, but because as a politician he is WAY too far left for my taste, and I would assume that anyone he endorses would have similar political leanings to his. Even though I think TK is a bit of a slime ball, God knows he has enough experience in the Senate to know who stands for what and who he most agrees with politically. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/18 "2008-01-29T15:32:12Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] I like Obama and I don’t hate Ted Kennedy, but this endorsement is bulletin board material for the opposing locker room; maybe that’s why he’s getting it over with early. [/QUOTE] Apparently not. NOW-NY had a screaming fit about it. Several pundits actually contacted them before commenting, because they thought it might be a right-wing hoax. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/19 "2008-01-29T16:10:41Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] I certainly care. All other factors being equal, I’ll vote for someone else. I like Obama. Although I disagree with many of his positions I thought he’d be a good president, but now I’m reconsidering. [/QUOTE] Another request for “explain this, please.” Why would his getting endorsed by Ted Kennedy cause you to vote _against_ him? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379/20 "2008-01-29T16:17:50Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Another request for “explain this, please.” Why would his getting endorsed by Ted Kennedy cause you to vote _against_ him? [/QUOTE] I’d like to hear why as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-care-who-ted-kennedy-endorses-for-president/435379.md?page=2)