Perspectives

With the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy, we'll be hearing hours of coverage about the thousand days of Camelot and the assassination of his brothers, John and Robert. The state-run, mainstream media will be declaring this as the end of the Kennedy dynasty, which it surely is, but they will likely contrast the quiet passing of Ted with the violent end of his brothers. The opportunity to turn this week of mourning into a political statement may be overpowering among some circles. Should this occur, readers need to be alert to the following:

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by an avowed communist, Lee Harvey Oswald;

Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian immigrant, because he supported Israeli interests in the Middle East;

Senator Ted Kennedy's early support for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election derailed Hillary Clinton's campaign during a series of critical primary elections. Kennedy's endorsement at a time when the general electorate sought new leadership very likely sealed the party nomination and the presidency for Obama.

I will be watching how the old media and blogosphere treat these three historical events. I'll rest happy if they're played straight.