Yeah, they are probably about as "Republican" as this guy. Who was later discovered to be a long time Democratic Party operative.
Posted on 02/10/2007 4:27:18 PM PST by SJackson
She not only is a lifelong Republican, but an anti-big government conservative Republican who campaigned for Robert Dole in 1996. Oh, and one other thing. The mere thought of Hillary Clinton becoming president makes her stomach churn.
As her husband, Robert Stross - also a conservative Republican - puts it, "We don't believe anything Hillary says, and we think she'll do whatever it takes to get elected."
All of which makes the Madison couple's recent decision all the more intriguing: They've joined the Wisconsin chapter of DraftObama.org, a grassroots movement to help the progressive Democratic senator from Illinois win the presidency in 2008. Wann says she even hopes to campaign for Obama after he officially becomes a candidate today.
Why Obama?
All sorts of reasons, said Wann, 40, and Stross, 38, in a recent interview at a Monroe Street coffee shop, just a few blocks from their home.
Foremost, they've heard him speak a number of times and think he's "an incredible orator," Stross says. "And if he does half the things he talks about doing, it will be a wonderful thing."
Adds Wann, "We feel Obama's more in touch with what the true American is really about. As opposed to a president who came from a very rich family and went to Yale and was always kind of sheltered and given everything he wanted.
"I also feel Obama is more patient, and that he really listens to what people say. And I think he'd inspire people, much like (John) Kennedy did."
Most important of all, Wann says, Obama seems sincere about wanting to unite the country. As opposed to Hillary, "who would polarize us even more."
Stross and Wann, who met in Chicago in 1999 and have lived in Madison since their marriage in August 2001, emphasize that they don't agree with all of Obama's positions. For instance, they still have misgivings about his universal health care proposal.
"Having grown up in England, I think universal health care gets a little George Orwellian," Stross says. "It's like, 'Oh, I'm sorry Robert. You're a little too old for a kidney, so we're going to put you on the never-get-one waiting list.' In other words, there are pros and cons to it."
That said, Stross and Wann agree that something must be done to fix the U.S. health care system. They find it disgraceful that there are 46 million Americans without insurance and outlandish that many small businesses can no longer afford to provide health care coverage for their employees.
Stross, who until recently was an independent businessman (he's about to start a management job with a company in the energy field), notes that he and Wann currently have just catastrophic coverage, which costs $400 a month. That means that none of the maternity costs from the recent birth of their son, James, was covered.
"So we're looking at a bill of $12,000," he says.
To be sure, those aren't the only reasons the couple's decided to switch their support to a Democrat.
They believe the Republican Party's been hijacked by the Religious Right and say it's become obsessed with hot button issues like abortion and gay marriage. (The couple are pro-choice and support gay marriage.)
"A true Christian doesn't wear their religion on their sleeve or try to force their views on somebody else. They go about their business quietly," Stross says.
They're outraged by all the lies and distortions the Bush administration used to manipulate public opinion and justify its invasion of Iraq.
And even though there are more women in Congress than ever before, the couple believe the country is still run by an "old boys club" that's been around forever and gets its marching orders from big-money corporate interests.
"It kind of scares me when I look at old pictures of Nixon and there's Cheney sitting right next to him," Wann says. "It's like, whoa! Seems almost incestuous."
Her husband nods.
"I don't know who this Karl Rove guy is - he's not elected to anything, is he?" Stross says with a wry smile. "But apparently he's got his fingers in everything. And, frankly, it's very annoying because this is what all our liberal friends have been saying."
It's true, Stross and Wann acknowledge, that the 45-year-old Obama lacks experience, having served just seven years in the Illinois Senate and two years in Congress. But, they point out, Kennedy lacked experience when he ran for president in 1960 and was even younger (43) than Obama.
Besides, lacking experience today is almost a plus, Wann says. "It means he hasn't been in Congress long enough to be corrupted."
But, realistically, can Obama actually win in 2008?
Yes, Stross and Wann say - especially if blacks embrace his candidacy and vote in large numbers.
The bigger question, they suggest, is whether the Democratic power brokers will allow a free thinker like Obama to get the party's endorsement.
"I really feel like Hillary will get the nomination," Wann says. "And if that happens, it will be truly frightening."
And Stross?
"If Obama wins the nomination, I predict he'll become president."
Pause.
"But it's an awfully big if."
Hey, I'm the cynic, here!! And this...
"lifelong ... anti-big government conservative Republican who campaigned for Robert Dole in 1996"
...says Republican to me! But then, I believe people can change their minds without being somehow defective.
Lovely (and most irrelevant) cheap shot there.
Perhaps you haven't been paying attention. As someone put it upthread, the fastest way to get media attention in theis country right now is to say "I've been a Republican for a very long time, but now the party's been hijacked by the Religious right and I'm going to vote Dem..." It's the mark of seminar callers to radio shows as well, and a number of these "life-long Republicans" have been busted by bloggers as actually being long-tme Dem operatives.
And most importantly...You're someone who is concerned by the Religious Right's influence in politics. Are you planning on voting for Obama? That's the leap these two are making.
Sorry, but if you think these dips are the real deal then you're blinded by your libertinism. They're either fakes or so stupid they might as well be fakes, but they sure aren't real conservatives who suddenly want to vote for Dick Durbin's mini-me.
"blinded by your libertinism"
You have misspelled libertarianism. And I'm considering breaking from the past in 2008. The republicans no longer have a lock on my state and national vote. If we're going to have democrats running against democrats, I might as well vote for the real thing.
Yeah, they are probably about as "Republican" as this guy. Who was later discovered to be a long time Democratic Party operative.
Hey, they're from Madison where everything to the right of chairman mao is conservative.
LOL! That's what I say about DU.
Part of the country-club mink coat and polyester Dole crowd from 1996. I'm sure they're tired of "all these pro-lifers", too.
Get a broom, I call shenanigans.
an anti-big government conservative Republican who campaigned for Robert Dole in 1996.LOL. There's an oxymoron there somewhere.
That was my thoughts, exactly.
I don't know what is being done now with the Obamarama by the press....I have a feeling they are feeling their oats, since they think they defeated the republicans in November all by themselves...kinda looks like the have decided to pick the next president too.
There is talk of Hillary making a deal for Obama to be VP running mate, and in that case, Richardson is toast before the primary.
If the republicans nominate Romney, we are toast...the evangelicals won't vote for him...and I fear unless a new face pops up soon for the republicans, they will sit on their hands for Guliani and McCain too.
Well, you have to lie better than this.
I don't know about that, but in a world where we are fighting Islamic Fascism, without questions of his Muslim upbrigning answered, he is essentially the modern-day Manchurian Candidate.
No there are a few of you running around here saying this. Kind of curious how you all come to this conclusion? I hate to tell you this but most Democrats Women activists vote for the one they most want to have sex with. (Which really makes their fixation on John Kerry and Bill Clinton gross.) Richardson has a serious arousal gap problem.
You will not see this in any of your old Pol Sci texts on American Elections but Democrat candidates usually are nominated on the bases of their ability to be emotionally attractive. Leftists do everything wholly on feeling. There is NO thinking involved. So a Conservative THINKING about the Democrats field thinks Richardson should be the guy but the Democrats don't THINK, they FEEL their candidates.
Hilly gets it cause she is a fellow girl and this IS the party of the Modern Feminists (and the Feminised man) and Obama will get it cause he is a smooth talking con man from the wrong side of the tracks. Richardson cannot out arouse either. He is just too bland, too porky, too dorky.
No he is right. You have confused your Libertine-ism for Libertarianism. The two are not the same thing at all.
Another Manchurian Candidate is what I'm frightened of.
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