Edward M. Kennedy: The Original Agent of Change

Edward Kennedy via last.fm

It would be quite unfair to compare the careers of Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy, who died of brain cancer at age 77, with his brothers Joe, John and Robert, whose lives were cut short by war and assassins' bullets.  But over a 47-year career in the Senate as a Democrat who represented Massachusetts--and the country, he did the most to live up to the family name.

Among the many pieces of legislation Kennedy helped to get passed:  Title IX for women's athletics, No Child Left Behind, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and health care for children.  He did it by convincing some of his Republican colleagues that these were important-enough bills that should be passed.  It was known as bipartisanship, considered an endangered species in Washington today.

Before his death, Kennedy's last great crusade was to ensure that every American has access to affordable health care coverage.  Part of the reason legislation for it is floundering in Congress--besides the organized rabble rousing and the co-opting by Big Medicine--was Kennedy's limited involvement due to his illness.

So what's going to happen now?  Will Congress pass some kind of bill in Kennedy's honor, just like they did with the Civil Rights Act after JFK was assassinated, and with gun control legislation after RFK's murder?

Outside of politics, Kennedy had seen his share of family tragedy, both public and private, including some that were self-inflicted:  surviving a plane crash, a divorce, problems with alcohol and alleged extramarital affairs.

Few will forgive Kennedy for what happened at Chappaquiddick that night in 1969, when he drove his car off a bridge with a woman passenger who later died.  He never really explained what happened.  That should have been the end of his political career, but it wasn't.

Kennedy did run for President in 1980, but doing battle with incumbent Jimmy Carter and being vague about why he wanted the job in a TV interview certainly didn't help his chances.

Ted Kennedy was a hero not just to Democrats, but to ordinary people of all walks of life who needed a helping hand.  To Republicans, he was the symbol of everything that was wrong with Big Government, the classic Tax-and-Spend Liberal.  But there is no question that he was a catalyst for change whose impact has yet to be felt.  It was no accident that he lent his support in the last presidential campaign to another man who ran on the promise of change, Barack Obama.

The Kennedy family will be with us in public life for a long time to come, though not necessarily in politics.  It remains to be seen whether the following generations will have as much influence on American history as the first generation did.

The last words should go to Kennedy himself, speaking at the 1980 Democratic National Convention at  New York's Madison Square Garden after having lost the nomination to Carter:  "For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end.  For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die".

Don Hewitt: TV Innovator, For Better Or Worse

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Don Hewitt,who died this past week at age 86 of pancreatic cancer, was best known as the creator of 60 Minutes, the TV newsmagazine that's still ticking after 41 years. That part of the story has already been told better by other people, and by the broadcast itself. What we want to do here is to focus on some of the other ways Hewitt impacted television, for better or worse, during his long career at CBS News.

• Hewitt introduced the technique of superimposing words at the bottom of the screen during early TV newscasts. That is, when a picture of a news figure appears on screen, you see the words "Senator Miles Smith, (R) Minnesota". Or when the reporter appears, it's usually "Mary Jones, Channel 6 News". How ironic, then, that 60 Minutes has never used graphics to identify people or places.
• The first televised presidential debate in 1960 between Democrat John Kennedy and Republican Richard Nixon was produced and directed by Hewitt. The nature of politics is changed forever as Kennedy's youthful and confident appearance clashed with Nixon looking like he had just come in off the street, and was cited as the deciding factor in JFK's victory.
• The use of hidden cameras and ambush interviews to ferret out information from small-time con artists and other reluctant participants was a one-time staple of 60 Minutes, and was soon copied by every other news magazine and local newscast. Hewitt dropped them when he figured out that (A) the tactic was being overused, and (B) people were getting wise to them anyhow.
• Hewitt inflicted commentator Andy Rooney on an unsuspecting world.

But most of all, Don Hewitt was a man who cared about television journalism, what he and his team put together on the air every week, and in the way you saw the news at home. We don't know what TV journalism will look like in the future, but Hewitt left behind a blueprint for others to follow.

It's Hard Out There For a Role Model

Michael Vick has found gainful employment, weeks after being released from federal prison on dogfighting charges, and days after confessing his sins on CBS' "60 Minutes". He'll be playing quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, pending reinstatement from the National Football League. If he gets it, he could be backing up Donovan McNabb come October. And PETA could be holding protests outside the Eagles' home stadium.

Donte Stallworth of the Cleveland Browns has pleaded guilty to charges of drunken driving, which came about after he killed a Miami pedestrian with his vehicle. The one year suspension Stallworth got from the NFL is harsher than the time he served in prison, which was less than a month.

Plaxico Burress, who used to play for the New York Giants, shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed gun at a Manhattan nightclub. He has pleaded guilty to weapons charges, and will be serving two years in prison.

Those three, and others like them, are examples of why the NFL has an image problem these days. They're not the only ones, of course: Steroid use in Major League Baseball, cheating scandals in college sports, etc. It's just that commissioner Roger Goodell has been more proactive in disciplining the bad apples before they spoil the whole bunch.

Being an athlete has its privileges. The more proficient you are on the field, the court or the ice, the more money and endorsements leagues and corporations throw at you. You can move from that humble shack you call home into a glittering palace in a gated community. You can buy a better ride. You can have any woman in the world, whether they're married or not. Anything you say or do on Facebook or YouTube is magnified a thousand times. And you have every right to thumb your nose at the recession.

But all that money and fame can go down the tubes if you (A) suffer a career-ending injury, (B) get caught with the wrong woman--or man, (C) get charged with a blood-alcohol level past the legal limit, or (D) post racial or sexual slurs on Twitter. If you're not sent to the slammer first, then you have to worry about how you're gonna pay for health care like the rest of us.

We're sure the majority of NFL players are fine, upstanding citizens who have stable families and are active in their communities. But we're not interested in those people. They're too boring. Give us the divas, the malcontents, the ones who emulate Jay-Z or have a rap sheet. This is why we watch the games, right?

Just like fans who no longer care which ballplayer has been juiced up, so long as they help the home team win the pennant, we'll once again be cheering for Vick, Stallworth, Burress, etc. Winning is the name of the game, baby. Don't let dead dogs or dead pedestrians get in the way of a world championship.

Hail The Conquering Hero

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We all thought the on-again, off-again mating dance between Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings ended three weeks ago, with Favre saying he would stay retired. Tuesday, the wedding took place.

Amid news helicopters hovering over SUVs arriving at Winter Park, the Vikings' practice facility in Eden Prairie, Favre signed a two-year, $25 million contract. Then he put on his old number 4 and started practicing with his new teammates.

There are reports that Favre will play in Friday's preseason game at the Metrodome against the Kansas City Chiefs, but we'll believe it when coach Brad Childress sends him in.

The Vikings are betting that Favre, who's nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career, will take them to the promised land of the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl. They think he's the final piece of the puzzle for a team rich in running backs and an improving defense. But the road is littered with aging quarterbacks whose high expectations don't always measure up. They could get injured or start throwing footballs to the other team, leaving them to wonder whether it was worth the trouble.

So where does this leave the remaining QB's? Tarvaris Jackson, who did not play well in last Friday's preseason victory over the Indianapolis Colts, is considered the most vulnerable. Sage Rosenfels did OK but is now injured, and John David Booty is still a work in progress.

Now that Favre's in the fold, who will benefit the most? Certainly Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, who doesn't have to worry about TV blackouts this season, and is hoping that the ongoing quest to get a new stadium leads to success. ESPN, which will televise three Vikings games on Monday nights this season. Also NFL-licensed apparel firms, which couldn't crank out Favre's new jerseys fast enough to meet demand.

About the only ones who aren't happy are Green Bay Packers fans, who'll be booing like hell when Favre and the Vikings visit Lambeau Field November 1.

Now that the Vikings and Brett Favre are together at last, let's see how far they take the relationship.

The Great Tiger Is Tamed at the PGA

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History was made at the 91st PGA Championship, played at Hazeltine near Chaska, Minnesota. It was the type of history nobody expected.

Everyone thought Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer so far in the 21st century, would dominate the field as he has so often done over the last decade. Everyone was wrong. A South Korean with limited pro tour experience named Y.E. Yang defeated Woods by three strokes, becoming the first Asian man to win one of golf's majors.

Usually, when you are paired with Woods (as Yang was on the final day), you bow down to the Great Tiger as your game melts away under the pressure. That's why he has no real competition in his inexorable march towards winning more titles than anybody else.

About the only way Yang could have beaten Tiger is if Tiger beats himself, which is what happened. Woods led for three not-so-stellar rounds before the final round collapsed into a maze of wild shots and poor putting, allowing Yang to take advantage and pass him at the 16th hole.

Woods has yet to win a major tournament since he had knee surgery last year. He's also 0-for-Minnesota, having lost to Rich Beem at the 2002 PGA, also held at Hazeltine.

Yang now joins Masters champion Angel Cabrera, U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover and (British) Open champion Stewart Cink as non-household names who have won this year's majors in golf. Those in the golfers' households must be very happy.

Yang's victory must have also come as a shock to the media covering the event, where for the past few days it was All Tiger All The Time, at the expense of the other worthy golfers participating. There was breathless coverage of who he was paired with, what he thought about the course, the competition and the galleries. Everything, it seemed, except for what he thought of President Obama's health care plan.

It may be tiresome, but Tiger Woods is the straw that stirs golf's drink. TV ratings skyrocket every time he competes in a tournament, especially a major. If Woods misses the cut or skips a tournament, you might as well be watching a test pattern.

Minnesota doesn't have a regular stop on the PGA Tour, but when something like this comes along, people turn out in big numbers despite overpriced tickets, food and drink. And they got to see something that seldom happens--The Great Tiger tamed by a new face who made a little history of his own.

They Called It Woodstock

Image by _Robert C_ via Flickr

This post originally appeared on August 13, 2009.  Some of this has been updated.

Fifty years ago this weekend, almost half a million people descended upon Max Yasgur's dairy farm in upstate New York, whether they had tickets or not. They were there to listen to the music, commune with nature, do drugs and get naked. They also had to deal with stormy weather, lack of food, crowded roads and lack of sanitary facilities. They left with a belief that music could change the world, and a legend was born.

They called it Woodstock.

Some of the biggest acts in rock were there: Janis Joplin. Joan Baez, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Other had their careers made by the festival: Richie Havens, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Carlos Santana and Canned Heat.

Songs were written to capture the vibe: "Woodstock" by Joni Mitchell (who didn't perform there), and "Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)" by Melanie (who did).

There were moments: Country Joe and the Fish's infamous cheer (don't ask me to repeat it), Jimi Hendrix performing "The Star Spangled Banner", two deaths, two births and four miscarriages.

Otherwise, there was little trouble in Woodstock Nation. Despite everything, there was an almost-miraculous spirit of cooperation from all who were there. It was as if war, racism and greed ceased to exist.

In reality, very little was solved by "three days of peace, love and music". The Vietnam War would continue for a few more years, stoking violent protests at home. Racism still exists even though an African-American man had been President of the United States. Greed nearly destroyed the economy and the planet, and still could. Of the thousands who attended Woodstock, most of them became who they didn't want to be when they grew up: their parents.

All this comes from the perspective of someone who was 11 years old at the time and living in Minnesota (that would be me), whose musical tastes were shaped by Top 40 AM radio, and who thought FM meant "forbidden music". Had it not been for the documentary film and the soundtrack album that came out later, Woodstock would have been nothing more than a rumor. And we would never have heard of the little bird with that name in the "Peanuts" comic strip.

In the decades since, there had been attempts to recapture the magic for a new audience.  The most recent was a 50th anniversary concert that never got off the ground because of (A) financial difficulties and (B)too many changes in venues.  Reportedly, the promoters tried to move the new Woodstock to Maryland before they finally pulled the plug.

The original Woodstock Nation had its moment in the sun amid the clouds, but to those who were there, the warmth still lingers.

Prescription for Controversy

A few weeks ago, Minnesota's Seventh District Congressman Collin Peterson told the website Politico that he rarely holds town hall-style meetings to discuss the concerns of his constituents. Because, he said, 25% of those who attended were conspiracy theorists who believed the government was behind the 9/11/01 attacks. The Democrat was forced to backtrack after the Republicans complained.

Given what's been going on recently, with public forums hosted by other Congressional Democrats on President Barack Obama's proposals for health care reform turning into organized shouting matches, maybe Peterson should take back his apology.

People have been crying out for a way to take care of skyrocketing medical bills without going bankrupt or dying needlessly, only to find that insurance and pharmaceutical companies are raking in the big bucks to keep things the way they are.

So when they hear from conservative talkers, bloggers and corporate front groups that the Obama plan would (among other things) take away their doctor, impose government insurance, and legitimize "end-of-life" care (read: Euthanasia)--none of which are true, according to the White House--they get scared. Scared enough to march down to the nearest open forum and express their hostility to their elected representatives, shouting down (and sometimes threaten with violence) anyone who disagrees with them.

(Where was this passion when the United States invaded Iraq and Afghanistan? Were people too busy saluting the flag and glorifying the troops, because to do otherwise was considered unpatriotic?)

Truth is, Obama tried to rush through his health care reform before Congress took its annual August break. The President figured he'd better get this done now while the Democrats still had a majority. But Congressional leaders were so worried about bipartisan support--which they weren't going to get from the Republicans, anyway--that the bill stalled. And no one counted on so-called "Bluedog" Democrats to take a step back and consider what they're voting on. Obama still wants the bill to pass before the end of the year.

What's being lost in the shouting are the millions who don't have health insurance at all, often through no fault of their own. When they get sick, they crowd the emergency rooms of local hospitals at government expense. And they raise rates for everybody, whether you're insured or not. Why aren't we hearing from these people?

In the end, we'll get some kind of health care reform, but it won't be too much different than what we have now. Oh, there'll be some tweaks here and there, but Big Medicine will still be in control. And partisan politics is alive and well, having sent civil discourse into critical condition.

UPDATE: It sounds as if Rep. Peterson has changed his mind about public forums. He's scheduled two--Willmar on Friday and Bemidji on Monday. You've been warned.

"Birthers" of a Nation

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President Barack Obama turned 48 Tuesday. Normally, the occasion calls for birthday greetings from family, friends and colleagues. Cards, cake, ice cream and presents are are also in order.

According to a small but vocal group called the "Birthers", however, the President may not be who he says he is. He might not be 48 years old. He may have been born in Kenya instead of Hawaii. Thus, he might not be qualified to be President. And they believe they have the evidence to back it up, brushing aside actual proof of residence.

"Birthers" are not much different from those who believe Lee Harvey Oswald wasn't the only one who shot JFK, that the events of September 11, 2001 were an inside job, or that Elvis Presley is alive and planning his Grand Comeback. The MSM usually dismisses them as folks who need professional help. (Which reminds us . . . Jesse Ventura has a new TV show coming soon that focuses on conspiracy theories. Just thought you'd like to know.)

The "birthers" best-known spokesperson (besides just about anyone on Fox News) is Lou Dobbs, who has been embarrassing CNN with his nightly harangues on the topic. We've seen his act before. He apparently believes the country would be a lot better off without those damn foreigners screwing things up. Without counting himself, of course.

But there's something disturbing going on here, and it has nothing to do with dredging up old documents. It has everything to do with the color of Barack Obama's skin. You see, the "birthers" don't seem to want a black man as President of the United States. Especially one whose name suggests he might be Muslim and a puppet for Osama bin Laden.

Would these people stand in the way of Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger (Austrian) and Jennifer Granholm (Canadian) if they should ever want to make a run for the White House? Of course not. They'd be so eager to help Congress put together a Constitutional amendment to make it happen. Did we mention that Schwarzenegger and Granholm are white?

Unfortunately for the "Birthers", they can't change the election results. Voters decided that Obama was American enough to be their President, and all the "Birthers" can do is to whine about it. Maybe they need a new hobby, such as presenting a challenger for 2012 who can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he or she is a God-fearing American. We wish them well.

Sticker Shock

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It seemed like a good idea at the time. Take your old, gas-guzzling heap to the nearest auto emporium (you know, the ones that haven't been forced to shut down yet), trade it in for a new, fuel-efficient vehicle, and the U.S. government will take $4,500 off the sticker price in addition to the dealer incentives.

In a classic case of demand exceeding supply, however, the government has suspended its so-called "Cash For Clunkers" program because the funding of one billion dollars ran out in just four days. It was supposed to last until November. (The House approved a bill that would restore two billion dollars to the program. The Senate has yet to weigh in.)

This was an ill-timed, ill-conceived program that should have spent more time on the drawing board. Obviously, nobody anticipated the hordes of customers who couldn't get rid of their clunkers fast enough to take advantage of the offer, and that led to the government's website for the program crashing, which meant that dealers couldn't process the transactions. If that's so, then what happens to those people whose clunkers have turned into junkers, and are currently driving new cars they suddenly might not be able to afford?

And why are we still seeing ads on TV from automakers touting "Cash For Clunkers", including the ones from Ford using Mike Rowe as its pitchman? Talk about dirty jobs . . .

No matter what happens to "Cash For Clunkers", there will still be millions of old cars on the road. Perhaps you've noticed that unemployment is now at double-digit levels, even as we're told the recession might be ending soon? Maybe if more people had jobs with decent wages, they could afford a new car and the cost of fueling it. Also, there's plenty of folks who wouldn't give up their old beaters, not even if you gave them thousands of dollars.

If President Barack Obama is truly serious about pulling this country out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, he ought to take a cue from Ford and come up with a better idea.