Lincoln Chafee, Independent Rhode Island Governor, Considering Joining Democrats

[babylonsister]

Lincoln Chafee, Independent Rhode Island Governor, Considering Joining Democrats

By MICHELLE R. SMITH and DAVID KLEPPER 03/08/13 12:57 PM ET EST AP




PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The most well-worn political parlor game in Rhode Island these days surrounds Republican-turned-independent Gov. Lincoln Chafee and whether he intends to switch to the Democratic Party before next year's election.

National Democrats gave Chafee a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in the fall, the state's all-Democratic congressional delegation hosted a fundraiser for him last month in Washington, and Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, head of the Democratic Governors Association, this week publicly encouraged Chafee to switch.

snip//

He left his biggest impression in the Senate by voting to the left of some Democrats and bucking his own party on issues such as the war in Iraq, which he opposed. In 2004, he declined to support President George W. Bush for a second term, writing in the name of Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush, instead.

Despite their philosophical differences, Chafee stuck with the GOP in 2006 when he ran for re-election. After a bruising primary challenge from the right, he lost the general election to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.

The following year, Chafee left the GOP and became an independent, saying the party had moved too far right. In 2008, Chafee endorsed Barack Obama for president over his onetime political ally, Republican Sen. John McCain. When Chafee ran for governor in 2010, Obama declined to endorse the Democrat in the race out of consideration for Chafee.

Despite the lack of a party infrastructure in 2010 to help him with things like ads and a get-out-the-vote effort, Chafee won – albeit with 36 percent of the vote in a four-way race. He did it by cobbling together a coalition of his longtime Yankee Republican supporters, labor unions, Hispanic groups and liberal Democrats. He also paid for much of his campaign out of his own pocket.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/08/lincoln-chafee_n_2838226.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

[REP]

1. Why do I think I've read this a year or so ago?

Am I remembering something I assumed, a rumor, or is advanced age showing?

[babylonsister]

2. He has

been thinking long and hard about it?

[REP]

3. I like that better than possible senility on my part! :-)

I hope he comes to the Light Side. I've always liked him.

[babylonsister]

7. I almost

inferred that, but figured I didn't know you that well.

He has principles; how rare is that nowadays? I'll take him!

[Samantha]

14. I know it is possible that you read threads stating Chafee should become a Democrat

I have seen them and probably written them myself. I have always admired him and often wished he would come on over. A number of people felt the same way.

Sam

[GoCubsGo]

4. I figured it was just a matter of time...

If his father was still alive, he'd be doing the same, I think.

[longship]

5. Both Lincoln and his father were great congressmen.

I always knew both of them to be honorable.

Lincoln Chafee

His father:
John Chafee

And I agree, John would likely have switched to the Democrats.

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

6. The only thing I know about him...

Is a few months ago, Bill O'Reilly was all fired up with Lincoln Chafee renaming the state Christmas tree as the "holiday tree." That's what got O'Reilly started with his "War on Christmas" right-wing rhetoric.

I like anyone that angers the right-wing, so if Gov. Chafee wants to join our party, in that case I say welcome!

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Lincoln Chafee is a good guy

We should welcome him with open arms.

[Capt13]

9. My late father inlaw, Joe

was a life long friend of John and a staunch supporter,worked on his campaigns
for him. It was a real stretch for Joe as he hated those "Godamnedrepulicans"
as a rule. They could respect their differences.
Linc seems like an honorable man of conscience and he is also a genuinely nice guy. He once told me he was saddened by what he could see happening in the republican party and felt that the party had left him.
Unfortunately both parties use him as a whipping boy when it's convenient.

[babylonsister]

10. Wow! Thank you for sharing,

Capt13, and welcome to DU!

Maybe Mr. Chafee will get more respect now; I don't know how that works regarding how convenient he was, but I like him, and he did/does seem like a man of conscience. They are woefully lacking, so we need many more!

[KoKo]

11. He did vote mostly with Dems so that wouldn't be such

a big switch for him if he wanted to do it.

[progressoid]

12. What the heck, he might as well.

Half of the Democratic Party are lite Republicans so he'll feel right at home.

[babylonsister]

13. Ha! Define both parties

please, according to you.

[progressoid]

17. On some things, I like Chaffee. Sadly, he's to the left of many in the Democratic party

like Arne Duncan, Rahm Emanuel, Lawrence Summers, Evan Bayh, Mary Landrieu, Harold Ford, Joe Manchin, Joe Donnelly, Ben Nelson, Tim Kaine, Heidi Heitkamp, Jon Tester, Bob Casey, Jr., Tom Vilsack, John Barrow, Sanford Bishop, Jim Cooper, Jim Costa,Henry Cuellar, Pete Gallego, Jim Matheson, Mike McIntyre, Mike Michaud, Collin Peterson, Loretta Sanchez, Kurt Schrader, David Scott, Mike Thompson, Leonard Boswell, Bill O'Neill, Jim Esch, etc. etc. etc.

He'll fit right in with the third way.

[w4rma]

15. I'd rather have another Sheldon Whitehouse in Rhode Island, but he's definitely welcome to join.(nt)

[tavalon]

16. He's a hell of a better human than, say, Rahm Emanuel

I say, welcome aboard, dude.