Ted Kennedy's Finest Speech?

Well, his address to the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York City is probably Kennedy’s most famous speech. It may not have been his finest hour but it was certainly Bob Shrum’s. Indeed, so successful was it that Shrum has subsequently tried to capture its echoes in speeches written for other, invariably lesser, politicians. You need stature to be able to carry this sort of thing off. Which is one reason why other Shrum clients such as John Kerry and Gordon Brown have struggled with the speeches Shrum has written for them.

Nor, it should not need saying, does one need to agree with the argument to appreciate that it’s a great speech. The peroration is, I guess, the most famous part. And fairly so:

And someday, long after this convention, long after the signs come down and the crowds stop cheering, and the bands stop playing, may it be said of our campaign that we kept the faith.