Caroline Kennedy links Obama to her father

(CBS News) CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F. Kennedy and an early endorser of then-candidate Barack Obama in 2008, took the stage at the Democratic National Convention tonight to say that she has gone from being inspired by Mr. Obama's promise to being inspired by his record.

"Over the past four years, we have had a president who has committed himself and his administration to the values that made America great -- economic fairness, equal opportunity, and the belief that if each of us gives back to this country we love, and all of us work together, there is no challenge we cannot overcome," Kennedy said before adding: "Those are the ideals my father and my uncles fought for. Those are the ideals I believe in."

Kennedy's uncle Edward Kennedy was honored in a tribute video earlier in the convention. The video was introduced by Joseph P. Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy. 

"Like my father's election in 1960, this is one of those elections where the future of our country is at stake," Caroline Kennedy said Thursday night, two hours before Mr. Obama was scheduled to speak. She called Mr. Obama a champion for women's rights on health care and equal pay and said Mr. Obama is the only candidate who is "on our side."

"Now isn't the time to roll back the rights we were winning when my father was president," Kennedy said. "Now is the time to move this country forward." She called the president a fighter for children, pointing to his advocacy for early child education and college affordability.

Kennedy lauded Mr. Obama for having "listened to my Uncle Teddy" and taking a political risk to push health care reform, back the auto bailout and bring troops home from Iraq. After describing the president as someone who does what's hard but right, she appealed to young voters.

"Young people have always led America towards a brighter future," Kennedy said. "It happened in 1960. It happened in 2008. And if you show the same spirit in this election as you did in the last, I know that we'll make history again on November 6th."

[isabella_W]

Am I missing something here. I thought your father was Catholic therefore against abortion. Also, the most famous quote I remember by your father was "Ask not what your country can do for you but what can you do for your country. It deeply saddens me, if true, that your father would have admired President Obama because now I question did we really know President Kennedy.
Please give all the talks you want for Obama but let the people remember President Kennedy as we knew him.

[fitstshu]

Romney turned his back on us when it came to what you can do for your country, while he was in France.

[signseeker1717]

FYI: The "Ask not..." speech was a call for young people to join the newly-formed Peace Corps, administered by his brother-in-law Sargeant Shriver.

There are many pro-choice Catholics; the key word there is CHOICE. You can be against something for yourself, but respect the right of others to make their OWN choices. President Kennedy lived pre-Roe v Wade, so this wasn't an issue at the time, but based on his civil rights stance, it's doubtful he would have shared the extremism of right wing Republicans on government control of WOMEN's reproductive rights.

There's also the possibility Caroline Kennedy is a greater authority on her father than ANY of us.

And she certainly has the right to talk about him wherever and whenever she chooses, whatever "memory" you are trying to preserve.

[alanrobisch]

She is a quote catholic but stated she was against any means of controlling abortions. What faith what hypocrisy. What has she done? Nothing except be a Kennedy including being sexually immoral. She has no standing outside her name

[kk41192]

amen

[signseeker1717]

Caroline Kennedy "sexually immoral"?! She's been married to the same man for decades. Are you aware of some scandal the rest of us don't know?

What is it about "pro-choice" that is so hard for some to grasp?

It means letting a woman decide for HERSELF.

NOT letting the GOVERNMENT interfere in the doctor-patient relationship, NOT force doctors to perform unnecessary medical procedures, NOT letting the GOVERNMENT make MEDICAL DECISIONS for women.

[Niles_Akbar]

A total 1% percent airhead and people still think she understand the problems of the middle class? Please! The Kennedys are the poster children for inherited wealth and establishment, insider pols. I sorta liked Jack Kennedy but he's been dead since November 22, 1963. This child of immense privilege is incapable of putting two words together in public without a prompter - much like Obama himself.

[kk41192]

talk about the one percent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[signseeker1717]

Once again - ALL political public speakers use teleprompters. That includes Obama, Biden, Romney, Ryan, all their wives, colleagues, surrogates - ALL of them.

Get it? ALL of them use teleprompters. They all use MICROPHONES too. Big deal.

Get OVER it - it is NOT an issue.

[pokey5735]

How could she insult her father with the comparison to Obama. Makes me sick to the stomach!
Obama is no JFK!

[Jlisting]

Thank God obama is not like JFK. After all all jfk did was sleep around, hang out with the mafia, odering a massive amountof cigars from cuba before turnign on the embargo , and really doinglittle else. He was the worst president ever. Oly reason he was able to get aawat with it that he died, and he had an attractive wife who also was not a nice person we finnd out after she has been dead se veral years. Kennedys have NOTHING. To be proud of, and thepublic need to stop putting them on a pedestal.

[signseeker1717]

And you, sir, are no Caroline Kennedy.

I think she knows more about her own father than ANY of us.

[tsigili]

Total nonsense.

[signseeker1717]

You're an expert in the field, as we all know.

[saturn05]

Caroline is a great speaker. She is wise person who should run for office herself.

[justamaz]

If only she knew what she was talking about. I guess she will fit in with so many of the misfits we already have.

[alanrobisch]

note she was going to run for senator from NYC and the NYT shot her down. Wow the liberal NYT shooting down a liberal Kennedy. She must have worse baggage than most kennedy's. I thought being a Kennedy was enough to be a senator or governor

[Niles_Akbar]

Enough of the bloody Kennedy family. If I head another batch of slobbering praise I may get ill. No more political dynasties, we are a Republic, not a Kingdom! Same goes for the Bushies!

[American72]

Joe Kennedy, Sr. was a womanizer, had a mistress, was a illegal alcohol runner, was pro-Hitler, got all his money illegally. His oldest son gave his life for his country; may he rest in peace. JFK has numerous mistresses, even in the White House, as did Ted. Ted's children had so many problems, with drugs, alcohol, divorces, etc. The Kennedy name is one not to be proud of. Why is Caroline even speaking at the Dem Convention? She should leave politics alone as all her ancestors were disasters.

[signseeker1717]

Your blithe dismissal of three generations of a family who have had a largely positive impact on their country is entirely due to partisanship, and certainly not based on reality. Let's just look at one example - Ted Kennedy, "the Lion of the Senate":

Ted Kennedy had a lifetime of public service. You can disagree with his politics, but his legislative record is profound and lengthy, included bipartisanship on many issues. He was widely respected by his colleagues on BOTH sides of the aisle. There's too much to list here, but try reading a list of his accomplishments as a Senator, and it's pretty amazing.

And try getting off the "moral" crap - it has nothing to do with ACHIEVEMENT.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/08/26/kennedys-legacy-long-list-legislative-achievements/

(I thought you'd appreciate the SOURCE, if nothing else).

[7180peta]

He is no Kennedy...How dare she compare him to a Democrat..

[Joejr15]

Couldn't stand that speech.