THE BATTLE LINES ARE BEING DRAWN – AT 9:09 A.M. ET:  Obama is back, and is now honored by the Kennedys.  There is method to the madness.  From the New York Post: 

BOSTON — Former President Barack Obama returned to the spotlight Sunday to accept an award for political courage from the John F. Kennedy family, days after House Republicans won passage of a bill dismantling much of his signature health care law.

The Democrat has made few public appearances since leaving office in January, and has avoided mention of his Republican successor in the White House, even as President Donald Trump has criticized the previous administration numerous times while moving to undo many of Obama’s initiatives.

Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama arrived at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum for a dinner and ceremony to accept the annual Profile in Courage award, named for a 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Kennedy that profiled eight U.S. senators who risked their careers by taking principled though unpopular positions.

Among the long line of guests who made their way down the red carpet into the library for the event Sunday night were members of the Kennedy family, members of Congress, former Obama staffers and celebrities including former late-night talk show host David Letterman.

COMMENT:  Oh, another one who's back, and already planning political activities, is Hillary Clinton.  There is no love lost between the Clintons and the Obamas, or between the Clintons and the Kennedys.  Recall that it was Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama in the 2008 presidential primaries that put Obama firmly on the road to defeating Clinton for the nomination.  It was a deep wound, for President Clinton tried to pattern himself after Jack Kennedy. 

There are rumors that Caroline Kennedy, just back from an Obama-appointed stint as ambassador to Japan, might try to run for office in New York.  There are rumors that Hillary will make another White House run, and that daughter Chelsea might try to find a receptive congressional district, also in New York.  The Kennedys have unveiled Caroline's son, Jack, President Kennedy's non-look-alike grandson, presumably also headed for politics.  The legend of the Hatfields and the McCoys comes to mind.   The Kennedys vs. the Clintons, with Obama giving weight to the former.

A good novel, soon to be a Ken Burns documentary.

May 8,  2017