Posted on 02/03/2008 5:13:20 AM PST by Kaslin
ST. LOUIS - Barack Obama speaks in a clear style that almost always leaves his audience with a sense that he stands for something – which explains those comparisons with the last “Great Communicator,” Ronald Reagan.
Some of the comparisons have been used in opposition research against Obama, though largely in vain. Nothing detrimental stuck because Reagan successfully bridged the divide between Republicans and Democrats by building a remarkable coalition known as Reagan Democrats.
If one great communicator -- the eloquent Ronald Reagan -- could build a coalition of disaffected Democrats that swung both of his presidential elections his way, can an almost-great communicator -- the fiery Barack Obama -- build a coalition of disaffected Republicans to swing the Democrat primary election his way?
It's possible, says Brian F. Schaffner, an assistant professor of political science at American University in Washington, D.C. "Obama definitely has the potential to win over some Republicans in the same way that Reagan won over some Democrats,” says Brian F. Schaffner, an assistant professor of political science at American University in Washington, D.C.
Even though Obama probably takes more liberal positions on many issues than does Hillary Clinton, Schaffner says the perception among Republicans is that he is more moderate.
“This is a matter of style over substance,” Schaffner notes. “Obama speaks so often of bringing the parties together and working with Republicans, he seems less polarizing to Republicans than Clinton, who has long been demonized by that party.”
The Pew Research Center corroborates Schaffner's inkling. It recently produced a report showing that Obama is perceived as more liberal than Clinton among Democrats, yet is seen as more moderate than Clinton among Republicans.
One Republican who isn't afraid of Obama's liberalism is John Martin, who directs the grassroots Web organization “Republicans for Obama.”
A Bronx, N.Y., native who was very active in the Young Republicans in college, Martin, 29, is in law school but serving on active duty in Afghanistan as a U.S. Navy reservist. E-mailing from Afghanistan, Martin said his group has more than 400 members since he last checked and that the Web site’s server received so many clicks the day Obama won Iowa that it crashed.
Lisa Kinzer, 30, is another rock-ribbed Republican who's gone Obama. The Norman, Okla., native has been a registered Republican for 12 years. She has nothing against President Bush. But she does have a problem with the GOP's 2008 candidates.
Their bickering over the morality of using torture while interrogating terrorist suspects in an early debate was her turning point, she says, so she went to shop on the Democrats' side and picked Obama -- who she believes stands the best chance of uniting the nation of bringing the country back together “of by "reminding us of what we all have in common, our love of this country and our hope for its future.”
Towson University science professor Antonio Campbell is a lifelong Republican -- he even ran as one in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District 10 years ago. Yet if Obama wins the Democrats' nomination, Campbell says he will become an “Obama Republican.”
“Obama’s message reads like Reagan’s playbook -- individual strength, faith and behaving in a fiscally competent way,” Campbell says.
Obama is the only Democrat he would vote for, Campbell adds. His second choice is John McCain.
“The opportunity does seem to be out there for Obama to build an 'Obama Republican' coalition,” says Cal Jillson, political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
While Obama clearly will not replicate Reagan’s policies, Jillson says, he might replicate Reagan’s larger theme of America as a land of opportunity. He might even persuade some Republicans “that government can effectively help families meeting their most serious challenges, like steady jobs at good pay, health care and college tuition at affordable prices.
Obama won in the more conservative states of South Carolina and Iowa. Now, heading into Super Tuesday, he is knocking on doors in more-conservative, ruby-red states such as those he's knocking on here in Missouri and Kansas.
His tactics build on Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean’s 50-state strategy that, coupled with promising candidates, won Democrats the 2006 mid-term election.
“Reagan represented a fundamental shift in politics -- he created a majority coalition, and the voting population changed,” says Jillson, as the primaries head into Super Tuesday.
If Obama can do to Republicans what Reagan did to Democrats, then Obama really will be 2008’s “candidate of change.”
He has the potential to win over some RINOs, but not Republicans as I understand the definition.
What a collection of nitwits, from the author right on down to the interviewees.
Obama is the only Democrat he would vote for, Campbell adds. His second choice is John McCain.
And those that are on his side are already RINOs
they just referred to them as ‘Obamacans’ on Fox
“Lisa Kinzer, 30, is another rock-ribbed Republican who’s gone Obama.”
Sure.
I think I called them by the correct name, up in post 3.
This is exceptionally dangerous for the Hildabeast since Ike attracted millions of Democrats with little more than the soothing sound of his voice.
Remember, he was the Supreme Allied Commander.
Ike also attracted millions of Republicans.
--(the last time I saw the most vociferous one of those that I had known, he was looking for the Lawrence County jail in Deadwood, SD so he could go serve time for his traffic offenses)—
Actually, you can’t become a RINO unless you are elected. This guy isn’t elected. That means he has to be nothing more than a countryclubber, and cannot, definitionally speaking, be part of the party base.
No, you can be a RINO and not be elected. There are plenty of RINOs running around, even here on FR, and they are not elected.
Otherwise, said voter is hardly a Republican. (On the other hand, many "Republicans" are voting for McCain, so it's hard to say what Republican means any more.)
I know Salena ias a Freeper, but her go-to guys are despicable leftists, at least in the last two cases I've checked. Schaffner's political contribution history on Newsmeat is short and exclusive : America Coming Together , about which Wikipedia says:
America Coming Together (ACT) was a liberal, political action, 527 group dedicated to get-out-the-vote activities. ACT did not specifically endorse any political party, but mostly worked on behalf of Democratic candidates. They were the largest 527 group in 2004 and were planning on being involved in races in the future. They were primarily funded by Peter Lewis, George Soros, and labor unions, especially the Service Employees International Union, and led by Steve Rosenthal, who is the former political director for the AFL-CIO.
so basically, what you have here is the Soros shaping of public opinion
How ANYONE can vote for this Muzzie I will never understand. I know a retired West Point graduate/career Army guy who is over the moon over him. He and his wife think he is the greatest thing since store bought bread and they are Christians!
O'Barnum's speaking style, which is to accent the end of each phrase is an old carny barker's trick.
Yup, crossing over on Tuesday to stop Billary's assault on the Constitution. However, I must admit that part of my cross over decision was impacted by the fact I don't like any of the GOP candidates.
A few Republicans will be wooed by Obamscam but not many.
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