What got me in this quote was the poignant part I've emphasized. It sums something up about current political discourse that I think is important: a lack of connection to real and immediate problems. That may be an overgeneralized statement but it's still how I feel about the climate. From AlterNet: Real Moral Values:

The Democrats need to realize that the values debate is not about triangulating on gay marriage -- it's about passion and principles. And that's what distinguishes an inspiring political vision from a laundry list of policies and four-point plans.

Take Bobby Kennedy's passionate devotion to finding solutions to the problems of 'the excluded.' In 1963, when he was attorney general, he called the entire cabinet into his office at the Justice Department, locked the door, and made them stay there for four hours discussing how to best address the crisis of poverty in America. And, during his run for the White House, he embarked on a tour of this country's most impoverished areas. The resulting television pictures of hungry children in his arms shocked the conscience of the nation.

When was the last time a politician shocked us for reasons other than being caught with his pants down or his hand in the public cookie jar?

By bringing soul into American politics, Kennedy was able to galvanize voters in Kansas no less than in California. He didn't retreat from a values-based campaign; he seized it.