Obama finding new allies: Republicans

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 6/19/2007 | Jennifer Hunter

[Mike Bates]

There is an interesting phenomenon that has arisen over the last few months: a trend of moderate Republicans who want to vote for Barack Obama. It may seem counterintuitive, conservatives supporting a candidate who wants to tax the wealthy and embrace the conventions in the Kyoto Accord, but there is something in Obama's message about ridding politics of partisanship that is appealing to these Republicans.

He doesn't carry the baggage of a Hillary Clinton. He is new; he seems authentic -- although his connection to indicted fund-raiser Tony Rezko has made some previous supporters wonder -- and he has more gravitas than pretty boy John Edwards. The Republicans who like him may have supported John McCain in the past, but after eight years of the Bush White House they feel they can no longer support the Republican field. The idea of a congressional glasnost -- a harmonic nonpartisanship in Washington -- is an Obama goal they endorse.

Some of these right-wing Obama supporters are putative country club Republicans, hailing from areas similar to the North Shore of Chicago. Others are professionals who are disillusioned by the Bush administration's failure to develop a sound domestic policy to redress issues of health care and Social Security or to end the relentless war in Iraq.

Add to this the secrecy of the Bush administration, the Scooter Libby affair, the unfortunate choice of Alberto Gonzales as attorney general, the scandals of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, the Tom DeLays and Mark Foleys, and there remains an unsavory stew of problems for those once proud to call themselves Republican.

[Right Cal Gal]

“..a trend of moderate Republicans who want to vote for Barack Obama.”

So who’s putting a gun to their heads and keeping them from registering as Democrats, huh? This is wishful thinking on the Dimmi’s part. They see it as a counter to the Democrats who HAVE said they’d vote for Giuliani.

[VRWCmember]

Why don’t we wait and see what the landscape is, at that time. It may well be that tipping the Dem primary to Osama is the smartest way to get the most conservative candidate elected.

OTOH, by voting in the GOP primary, you can -- if you choose -- get involved in the State GOP Convention activities such as party plank discussions and even serving as a delegate. This is a way to have more of an influence on the party politics in the state -- if you are willing to put in the time and effort to do it -- than by trying to tip the other parties nomination.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Baloney.

[PhilCollins]

I think that conservatives should help Obama win the democratic nomination. He’s the most liberal presidential candidate, and, if he wins their nomination, he can’t win the general election. The republican nominee would easily stress Obama’s liberal senate votes, and the majority of voters would decide that he’s too liberal.

[TLI]

The same folks wrote this nonsense about 2 months ago.

Yep. I remember that. Just lib propaganda.

[wardaddy]

same paper too

[Clock King]

Some of these right-wing Obama supporters are putative country club Republicans,

Elites who think of politics as something for the "little people".

Others are professionals who are disillusioned by the Bush administration's failure to develop a sound domestic policy to redress issues of health care and Social Security,...

True professionals are already taken care of by their health care provided by employers or self-provided. And they aren't depending on SS to retire. So I don't know who this dufus is talking about.

[Mike Bates]

You’re right. Sorry.

[DeweyCA]

You’re right. I’ve met some of these people. This article is true. There are some brainwashed Pubbies out there. We have work to do to educate them, but it will be an uphill battle.

[MEGoody]

There is an interesting phenomenon that has arisen over the last few months: a trend of moderate Republicans who want to vote for Barack Obama.

moderate Republicans. . . yeah, sure.

[kenth]

Geez, next thing you know, they’ll be supporting Giuliani...

[lowbridge]

Chicago Sun-Times Touts "Republicans" for Obama

Posted by Michael M. Bates on June 19, 2007 - 18:44.

In today's Chicago Sun-Times, columnist Jennifer Hunter writes of:

"an interesting phenomenon that has arisen over the last few months: a trend of moderate Republicans who want to vote for Barack Obama. It may seem counterintuitive, conservatives supporting a candidate who wants to tax the wealthy and embrace the conventions in the Kyoto Accord, but there is something in Obama's message about ridding politics of partisanship that is appealing to these Republicans."

In the first sentence, moderate Republicans are backing Obama. By the next, they've become conservatives. You'd think Ms Hunter, who is married to the newspaper's publisher, would know - as most people do - that moderate Republican isn't synonymous with conservative.

Miss Hunter identifies three supposed Republicans now backing Barack Obama. The operative word here is supposed. One of the three voted for John Kerry in the last presidential election. Yet another says she didn't vote for President Bush in 2004. There's no indication as to how the other "Republican" voted in 2004.

Yes, it's apparent those conservative Republicans are eagerly jumping on the Obama bandwagon. Just ask the mainstream media. They're really on top of those interesting phenomena.

http://newsbusters.org/node/13585

One of the three voted for John Kerry in the last presidential election.

Looked up his donation history:

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=&zip=03832&last=Cooper&first=Randall

500 to Obama in 2007, 1000 to "DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE (D)" in 2004 for their primary.

No history of donating before that at all. Much less to any Republicans.

[lowbridge]

Obama finding new allies: Republicans

Has the author, Jennifer Hunter, ever make the effort to find Democrats supporting Republican politicans?

[Mike Bates]

Has the author, Jennifer Hunter, ever make the effort to find Democrats supporting Republican politicans?

No doubt she's on the case this very minute.

[HereInTheHeartland]

” Obama’s message about ridding politics of partisanship’

I like partisanship. I don’t want to get along. I want to get in the face of big government types.I don’t want reams of new laws passed.
I don’t want Congress to get a lot done.
I don’t like socialists and big government liberals; I want a smaller, less invasive government.
I don’t want red light cameras, I don’t want to have have seek the governments permission for my honor roll kids to get a job at McDonald's (which we have to here).
I don’t want the government to create jobs; I want them to get out of the way of entrepreneurial people who do create jobs.
I could go on awhile...

[Mike Bates]

I could go on awhile...

Is that what's called a "rant"? :)

[lowbridge]

Is that what's called a "rant"? :)

I think the correct word is FRant.