GOP defections buffet McCain as end draws near

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 10/25/8 | Carolyn Lochhead

[SmithL]

Republican nominee John McCain heads into the final week of a historic presidential election beset by a wave of high-profile GOP defections and the second-guessing and recriminations from ostensibly friendly quarters that losing campaigns attract like flies.

McCain still could pull out an upset on a last-minute wave of voter hesitation about Obama, much like Hillary Rodham Clinton came back in New Hampshire after the polls counted her out, but political professionals are putting their bets on McCain going back to Phoenix, not rising like one.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell's broadside on Sunday was only the first of the recent GOP defections. The latest arrived Friday from former Republican Gov. William Weld of Massachusetts, who had endorsed former Gov. Mitt Romney over McCain in the GOP primary. Now Weld endorses Obama, calling the Democrat "a once-in-a-lifetime candidate who will transform our politics and restore America's standing in the world."

On Thursday, former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson of Minnesota endorsed Obama and ripped McCain in an essay for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Carlson said he saw in the Democrat "a remarkably disciplined and focused leader who has the potential to become a truly great president."

Just as striking as the tone of the GOP endorsements for Obama was the noticeable chill coming from the state parties in such McCain must-win states as Virginia and Florida.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, whom McCain considered and rejected as his running mate, said he had not appeared in any McCain ads because he wasn't asked. Reports aired that the state GOP is saving some of its war chest for the next election cycle. Similar tensions between the McCain campaign and the state party have surfaced in Virginia.

[Fred Nerks]

P.U.M.A.

click on it.

[latina4dubya]

One has to wonder how these defectors will try to reestablish themselves after they find themselves out in the cold when McCain Palin win.

we better find them out in the cold... i'll be beyond irked if McCain brings them back in...

[FreeReign]

I am just an observer of the scene up here in Canada. I have to say that in over fifty years of watching and listening to elections in England, Canada and America, I have seen nothing like this one....

...The only consolation appears to be the old adage. Be careful what you wish for- you may get it. This as far as the MSM is concerned. George Orwell was right.

It must be strange to look south and to see George Orwell where there was once George Washington.

[Peter Libra]

I hear you.

Just one last great hope though. They have not yet got Winston Smith. I think he or someone like him will come on the radio Monday at 1206pm EST. Not to forget Billy Cunningham Sunday night at 10pm EST.

[RockinRight]

Somebody, please, summon Reagan’s soul or something!!

[fightinJAG]

Oh, blah blah blah.

[happydogx2]

Breaking on Drudge, Zogby says O:49 M:46

[george76]

Native American’s Against Obama-Where?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCeImyvNnZ0

[Candor7]

Now if we only could get Obama to hold a rally at Litttle Big Horn, Montana.

[cherry]

its interesting that I believe it was Weld as the "pub" on a panel last week, and he did sound very weak IMO...now I know why....

NO MATTER...

MCCAIN AND PALIN WIN AND I HOPE THEY STICK IT TO THE BETRAYERS...

[cherry]

the Republicans are going to have to grow up....

its more than ideology...the two parties in NORMAL times represent the bloated govt in one way or another.....

what it is is LOYALTY....

why we have so many "republicans" that can quickly backstab other Republicans is beyond me....

we don't need their ilk....

and again as we have all said, this is the exact reason why most of us do little if anyting to support the national party....we just don't know if our money is going to the feeble friends or real Republicans...

[Candor7]

Great Link Fred. Thanks. I see our PUMA allies are staunchly decrying Obama and giving cogent reasons for doing so.

That has got to "sting!"

No wonder the Obama Campaign and the media are going into a rabid frenzy of saying" We Won!"

The truth is that Obama hasn't got a hope of winning this election. I do not think that it will even be close.

The KOLL AID has worn off. Millions of Obamsters have decided to switch to the Pubbie ticket.

McCAin and Palin have GOT to keep pounding them!

[george76]

The eighteenth-century Scottish historian Alexander Tytler said:

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury.

http://www.lorencollins.net/tytler.html

[BradyLS]

Folks! All ya gotta do is VOTE!!!

[BradyLS]

I wish I could believe it, but I can’t help but think that while we can use all the help we can get (and glad to have it if it comes), we need to turn out the vote and win it “ourselves.”

It CAN be done if folks will VOTE!!!

[singfreedom]

Same here. I, too, never planned to vote for Obama, but all ambivalence died when I heard the YouTube clips of his racist hate filled spews.

[Fred Nerks]

..and that’s not the only Dem website that’s FOR McCain/Palin:

http://texasdarlin.wordpress.com/

“We are Clinton Dems for McCain Palin”

They HATE obama with passion! Read the comments, not just the articles.

http://www.democrats-against-obama.org/

There are MORE!

[Fred Nerks]

http://www.democrats-against-obama.org/

Obama avoids association with military or police
Jason Kern, Michigan State Police

I have read all of the emails from not only some of the MTOA board members, but from other Law Enforcement & Military personnel about Barack Obama’s rudeness and what seems to be disgust for basically anyone in uniform. Well, it’s my turn to add to the list of emailers and here it is:

So members of the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, (me included) and other local agencies inside Calhoun County are working with Secret Service in the security of Mr. Obama. Mr. Obama’s bus arrives in Battle Creek and pulls into the stadium area. Before Mr. Obama exits the bus, he has the Secret Service get off and tell all Law Enforcement personnel in uniform that they now have to stand behind the bus so Mr. Obama is not seen with anyone in a Law Enforcement uniform before he gets off or while in the public view. So, everyone from Michigan State Police, Sheriff’s Deptments and other agencies look at each other for a brief second, go and stand behind the bus out of sight so Mr. Obama does not have to see, or been seen with, what to him is ‘undesirables’ since he refuses to been seen or even acknowledge Military or Law Enforcement personnel in uniform. And he wants to be our commander-in-chief!

At a time of war and terrorism in our world, this presidental candidate who is being protected by various branches of the military & law enforcement at the tax payers expense, refuses to acknowledge, be seen with, have in his photographed background, any type of Military or Law Enforcement in uniform.

But this is not in the headlines or in the news or on TV. The TV news doesn’t show us marching around behind the bus. In the future, look and see if you can see a single soldier or police officer in uniform when you see Obama. Why? I wonder what the story or media frenzy would be if it was Muslims, blacks, whites, Jews, or any other race, gender, religon, and/or occupation, that Mr. Obama refused to be seen with or have around him.

Why would I make this up? Everyone in Law Enforcement knows we have traditionally had more funding under Democrats.

Just food for thought leading up to November 4th.

Jason Kern
Michigan Tactical Officer’s Association
Michigan State Police
Executive Board Member

[singfreedom]

You are absolutely right. People here are angry too. All the folks I know have figured out that it is not a good idea to put one of the perpetrators of our financial meltdown in charge of the solution. I haven't spoken to anyone who is planning to vote for Obama. I have seen exactly two yard signs for him in my abnormally politically active little town. WHERE are all these Obama supporters?

[Fred Nerks]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2115388/posts?page=78#78

http://www.democrats-against-obama.org/

Obama avoids association with military or police
Jason Kern, Michigan State Police