On the January 28 edition of his CNN Headline News program, while discussing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's (D-MA) endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), Glenn Beck asked Republican strategist Amy Holmes, "[Y]ou ever just pictured Ted Kennedy naked?" Holmes responded, “Is that when you're supposed to be talking to a crowd? I thought you were supposed to picture yourself naked.” Beck continued: “I don't know when but sometimes, you know, that picture with him with his shirt off just kind of pops into your head. And you're like, 'OK, I won't have children now.' ”
Beck began their discussion of Kennedy's endorsement by asking, “How much weight does an endorsement from Ted Kennedy carry? Wow, that was a cheap joke.” Holmes later referenced this comment, stating: “And so throwing his weighty support, as you put it, behind Barack Obama is actually meaningful in a practical sense.”
Beck introduced Holmes as “CNN's contributor,” but she is also a Republican strategist and former speechwriter for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN).
BECK: Well, in the history of American politics, there is nothing quite like the Kennedy mystique. JFK made such a large impression on many people, especially young women, that even his relatives, as unimpressive as they may be, still -- still wield a certain amount of power, surprisingly enough.
So it was big news today when Ted Kennedy, heir to the liberal monarchy, threw his full support behind Barack Obama, even though Hillary apparently practically begged him not to. But exactly how much weight does an endorsement from Ted Kennedy carry? Wow, that was a cheap joke.
For answers now, let's check in with CNN's contributor Amy Holmes. Amy.
HOLMES: Hello.
BECK: How are you?
HOLMES: Good. How are you doing?
BECK: Good.
HOLMES: Good.
BECK: You ever -- if you're trying just to get through something, you ever just pictured Ted Kennedy naked?
HOLMES: Is that when you're supposed to be talking to a crowd? I thought you were supposed to picture yourself naked. I don't know.
BECK: I don't know when, but sometimes, you know, that picture with him with his shirt off just kind of pops into your head. And you're like, “OK, I won't have children now.”
HOLMES: I try not to think about that.
BECK: OK. Is Ted Kennedy -- I tried to figure this out on Friday with The New York Times. When they endorsed John McCain, was it kind of like an actual endorsement for Mitt Romney? Were they like, “I know this will piss them off, so we're actually wanting Mitt Romney to run”?
HOLMES: Right.
BECK: Same with Ted Kennedy. Is there anyone -- is there anybody that goes, “Oh, Ted Kennedy is for Obama. Sign me up.”
HOLMES: Well sure, in the case of Ted Kennedy, the Democratic primary -- the Democratic Party members who elect him. He's still --
BECK: Come on, the Democrats don't really like him. They just tolerate him.
HOLMES: Oh, no, no, oh --
BECK: He's a Kennedy. He's like, whatever.
HOLMES: Glenn, you have to remember that Ted Kennedy is chairman of the very powerful Health, Education, and Labor -- Labor, underlining that word -- Committee [sic: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee].
BECK: Because he's a Kennedy.
HOLMES: And so throwing his weighty support, as you put it, behind Barack Obama is actually meaningful in a practical sense.
