Chris Stirewalt
The reviews are in, and Ted Kennedy’s speech of Monday night is being treated by Democrats here in Denver as a major historic moment.
And while Michelle Obama’s speech was nice, for a party that’s been trying to recapture Camelot since 1963, Kennedy’s remarks and the consummation of his passing of the torch to Barack Obama was pure gold.
So the question for Hillary Clinton’s supporters is whether to use as a model the Ted Kennedy of 1980 — unbowed even in the face of certain defeat — or the Ted Kennedy of 2008 — deferential to the next generation of Democrats.
Senator Clinton’s remarks tonight will go a long way towards determining how this plays out. The suspicion among Obama supporters here is that no matter what she says, Clinton’s heart won’t be in it. It’s a difficult position for a public speaker, especially one with a delivery as forced as Clinton’s.
As a side note, on an evening that was all about recapturing the Kennedy vibe, Michelle Obama did not look like a remade Jackie.
Mrs. Obama has often conspicuously tried to replicate the look and style of the Democrats’ favorite first lady. But on Monday, her style was all modern — and maybe a little Western — in a close-fitting turquoise dress with a big turquoise pin.
