A Day in the Life

What a day. The primary’s in Kentucky and Oregon alone were historic. And then there were two other events that made May 20 one of the most significant days in the democratic party in many years. It was truly "the best of times, the worst of times."

{1} Senator Hillary Clinton won an important primary in Kentucky, that provided yet more evidence that she represents a significant portion of the democratic party. As spring turns to summer, and we approach the Democratic National Convention, it is clear that Senator Clinton will be in a position to exercise great influence on the party’s platform. What she has accomplished will be remembered as helping to redefine the options for deciding who can be considered as serious candidates for the party’s presidential nominee.

{2} Senator Barack Obama not only won the Oregon primary, but also made a significant gain in delegates. His speech last night defined the issues that will decide the November election. He has an amazing ability to communicate not only the differences between the failed republican policies and the strength of the democratic vision, but also the skill to translate the promise of the future into an organized program that the party can deliver.

{3} It was reported that Senator Ted Kennedy has a brain tumor. Elected to the Senate in 1962, Kennedy has had one of the most outstanding careers in American political history. After events in 1980 convinced him that he would never become President, Kennedy advanced the issues which are of importance to this country in a way that has had more of a long-lasting impact than the majority chief executives.

{4} Hamilton Jordan died of cancer. He is best known for coming up with the strategy that resulted in Jimmy Carter’s election in 1976, and then serving as President Carter’s Chief of Staff. He also ran in the Georgia democratic primary for a Senate seat in 1986, and worked for Ross Perot in 1992. Jordan was a sometimes controversial figure in democratic politics, who transformed that reputation to become a unifying figure in his work on issues relating to cancer. With his wife, he founded the Camp Sunshine Retreat for children with cancer.

As a democrat, I thank Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Ted Kennedy, and Hamilton Jordan for their service to our country.