When Republicans Endorse Obama (Richard Wolffe, Newsweek)

[NYCGirl]

Obamacans! It's so good to see Republicans coming our way instead of the opposite, as it happened for Eisenhower and Reagan.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/107476

Susan Eisenhower is more than just another disappointed Republican. She is also Ike's granddaughter and a dedicated member of the party who has urged her fellow Republicans in the past to stick with the GOP. But now Eisenhower, who runs an international consulting firm, is endorsing Barack Obama. She has no plans to officially leave the Republican Party. But in Eisenhower's view, Obama is the only candidate who can build a national consensus on the issues most important to her—energy, global warming, an aging population and America's standing in the world.

"Barack Obama will really be in a singular position to attract moderate Republicans," she told NEWSWEEK. "I wanted to do what many people did for my grandfather in 1952. He was hugely aided in his quest for the presidency by Democrats for Eisenhower. There's a long and fine tradition of crossover voters."

Eisenhower is one of a small but symbolically powerful group of what Obama recently called "Obamacans"—disaffected Republicans who have drifted away from their party just as Eisenhower Democrats did and, more recently, Reagan Democrats in the 1980s. They include lifelong Republican Tricia Moseley, a former staffer for the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, the one-time segregationist from South Carolina. Now a high-school teacher, Moseley says she was attracted to Obama's positions on education and the economy.

Former GOP congressman Joe Scarborough, who anchors MSNBC's "Morning Joe," says many conservative friends—including Bush officials and evangelical Christians—sent him enthusiastic e-mails after seeing Obama's post-election speeches in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. "He doesn't attack Republicans, he doesn't attack whites and he never seems to draw these dividing lines that Bill Clinton ," Scarborough told NEWSWEEK.

-snipped-

Even if Republicans don't convert in more significant numbers, the friendly outreach may blunt the ferocity of GOP attacks. One senior aide to John McCain has already said he's reluctant to attack Obama: last year, McCain's adman Mark McKinnon wrote an internal memo promising not to tape ads against the Illinois Democrat if he becomes the nominee.

[alteredstate]

1. I agree --- this is great.

[Raven]

2. Two rock-solid Republican friends of mine voted for Obama in

the NH Primary. I hope this is a trend!

[ellacott]

3. This is what he meant when he said some of the votes he gets wouldn't vote for her n/t

[NYCGirl]

4. Those, AND Independents, too. And the new voters he's bringing in. NT

[Windy]

14. My brother in law and my husband are pro-obama. Usually vote libertarian

or republican.

[bigtree]

5. Scarborough: "He doesn't attack Republicans"

umm . . .

[NYCGirl]

6. That's what Scarborough said. Obama did go after McCain pretty good the

other night.

[bigtree]

21. Exactly. It's bogus for Obama to claim that he can get anything done without hitting hard

against the republican obstructionists. I expect him to if he's elected. It's just a 'hope-a-dope' strategy for him to suggest he's going to be some conciliator. Any soft approach is not going to move anything to any degree that his supporters are expecting.

[GalleryGod]

Really? 15 rounds, Bigtree. ALL 15 rounds until Denver.

[EffieBlack]

8. One need not "attack" someone in order to take them down

I like that Obama is not an attack dog. While that may feel good for the red meat crowd, often it is much more effective to smoothly overcome an opponent through other means. Obama is very effective at doing that without foaming at the mouth and trying to destroy his opponent. I think a lot of people are looking for that - they are tired of scorched-earth attack politics. And a lot of those people are people the Democrats need on our side to win in November. If Obama - or Hillary, for that matter - can overcome the Republican with different tactics (logic, clarity, toughness), they are very likely to also bring along thos independents and moderates who are looking for a new direction but don't want to see the candidates on their side ripped into shreds.

[bigtree]

19. do you really think republican scarborough would approve of 'taking down' republicans?

He's promoting Obama a safe opponent for his party. Wake up.

[Gloria]

29. I'm sure Scarborough will be bringing up Odinga in the future....

[EffieBlack]

33. I'm quite awake, thank you - and don't need any lectures from you

You see it one way, I see it another.

[Thrill]

7. Thats why he said, he can draw the voters

Hillary can't. He's the better GE guy. But his biggest challenge is getting the base to leave the Clintons. Its a tough battle

[fasttense]

9. Is this merely code for Obama is very much like a republican?

It worries me that repukes like him. They liked bush and dick too. My brother an egomaniac republican also likes Obama. Obama said something about "fixing" Social Security and my brother is convinced Obama will privatize Social Security. I wonder if he knows something I don't, or can see something in Obama that suits his corporatist ideals.

[NYCGirl]

10. No, it isn't. Did you tell your brother yet that he's mistaken about Social Security

privatization? (I asked you the same question in another thread the other day when you brought it up, correct?)

[fasttense]

24. Sorry, I didn't see your question before.

I don't always get a chance to get back to my bookmarks.

Anyway, yes I told him I thought Obama wasn't referring to privatizing Social Security and he said he believed I was wrong.

He kind of reads between the lines. He reads into what Obama says to suit his opinion.

I find this very strange because at times my brother comes across as a racists and I wonder why he is supporting a black man.

I think he doesn't mind Obama because Obama appears to be wealthy, and to my brother wealth trumps everything.

[NYCGirl]

34. Here are some quotes maybe you could show your brother:

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Barack_Obama_Social_Security.htm

Privatization puts retirement at whim of stock market

Q: Would you raise the cap for Social Security tax above the current level of the first $97,500 worth of income?

A: I think that lifting the cap is probably going to be the best option. Now we've got to have a process back in 1983. We need another one. And I think I've said before everything should be on the table. My personal view is that lifting the cap is much preferable to the other options that are available. But what's critical is to recognize that there is a potential problem: young people who don't think Social Security is going to be there for them. We should be willing to do anything that will strengthen the system, to make sure that that we are being true to those who are already retired, as well as young people in the future. And we should reject things that will weaken the system, including privatization, which essentially is going to put people's retirement at the whim of the stock market.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate at Dartmouth College Sep 6, 2007

Stop any efforts to privatize Social Security

Obama believes we need to preserve Social Security by stopping any efforts to privatize it and will work across party lines to maintain Social Security's solvency for generations. Obama wants to make private saving easier, cheaper, & more automatic for middle-class workers. He supported the Save More for Retirement Act, which encourages automatic 401K enrollment. Obama also voted for new rules to force companies to properly fund their pension plans so taxpayers don't foot the bill.
Source: Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers" Aug 26, 2007

No privatization; but consider earning cap over $97,500

Q: We all know that Social Security is running out of money, but people who earn over $97,500 stop paying into Social Security. The Congressional Research Service says that if all earnings were subject to payroll tax, the Social Security trust fund would remain solvent for the next 75 years.

A: I think that it is an important option on the table, but the key, in addition to making sure that we don't privatize, because Social Security is that floor beneath none of us can sink. And we've got to make sure that we preserve Social Security is to do the same thing that Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill were able to do back in 1983, which is come up with a bipartisan solution that puts Social Security on a firm footing for a long time.
Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

Stock market risk is ok, but not for Social Security

If the guiding philosophy behind the traditional system of social insurance could be described as "We're all in it together," the philosophy behind Bush's Ownership Society seems to be, "You're on your own." Relying on the magic of the marketplace is a tempting idea, elegant in its simplicity. But it won't work.

Take the Administration's attempt to privatize Social Security. The Administration argues that the stock market can provide individuals a better return on investment, and in the aggregate they are right; historically, the stock market outperforms Social Security's cost of living adjustment. But individual investment decisions will always produce winners and losers. What would the Ownership Society do with the losers?

That doesn't mean we shouldn't encourage individuals to pursue higher-risk, higher-return investment strategies. They should. It just means that they should do so with savings other than those put into Social Security.
Source: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.178-179 Oct 1, 2006

Obviously, I don't know your brother (although he sounds like a stubborn friend of mine who can't be told ANYTHING), but I hope this helps.

And, BTW, Obama is not wealthy — especially compared to Clinton or Edwards.

[THUNDER HANDS]

11. i don't think any republican thinks he's like them

but they appreciate not being called evil.

[zanne]

12. Well, Ann Coulter is supporting Clinton...

So, no, I don't think it's code that Obama is like a Repub.

[BeyondGeography]

16. As much as Reagan was very much like a Democrat

And Obama is as much a corporatist as Reagan was progressive.

Avery once in a while, politicians are able to creat goodwill on the other side by the force of who they are, what they say and how they say it. This hasn't happened for our side in a VERY long time. Not surprising, then, that so many of us get it wrong.

[Maribelle]

13. It 's not hidden Obama seeks Republicans and Independents to select the Democratic nominee ....

and all the while attempts with vigor to shut off the voices of 1.5 million registered democrats

[NYCGirl]

17. Are you talking about the DNC and Florida?

Howard Dean is correct.

[Maribelle]

26. Howard Dean talks about delegates. Obama talks about votes.

I am truly sorry you don't know the difference. Perhaps you need to study up.

[many a good man]

15. Will the Democratic party become the new home to moderate Republicans?

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Will it move them to the center left or will they move the party even more to the center right?

Can the progressive base coexist in a party that caters to the center right?

It might be a good thing. If the Democratic party becomes the main centrist party it will dominate for a generation. The Republican party will splinter when all moderates join the Dems. Extremists will stay extremists on the far right and progressives will become a more powerful bloc on the left. The centrists will want to partner with us progressives to get anything done and we will finally get a chance of moving this country forward.

Or does this spell doom?

[mikekohr]

18. INDEPENDENTS are the key to the White House

In nearly every contested caucus and primary Senator Clinton out polls Senator Obama among Democratic party regulars. Senator Obama's strength is among first-time voters, independents and cross-over Republicans. The Republican base will fall in line (as they are now behind Senator McCain). Our party regulars will get behind our nominee, regardless of whether that person is Senator Clinton or Senator Obama.

It will be the swath of the demographic that is Senator Obama's strength that will decide who wins the White House. This same demographic shows affinity for Senator McCain, as it has shown in the past for Ross Perot, and Ronald Reagan. It's support put RapMaster Ronnie over the top in 1980 and 1984 and it's support for Perot in 1992 and 1996 allowed Bill Clinton to slide past his Republican competition.

I live in a county that has been dominated by the Republican Party since 1832. Senator Obama is attracting support among people here, and across the nation, that have never shown desire to support any Democrat.

We will make big gains in the Senate and in the House this fall. But like it or not, to win the White House, and to lift the entire ticket even higher will require the ability to attract support among independents, moderates, and to be able to peel away that thin sliver of reasonable Republicans. Senator Obama has demonstrated that ability. Senator Clinton, not so much.


mike kohr

[NYCGirl]

22. Good post, mike.

:thumbsup:

[GalleryGod]

25. Well Said,Mike.

[GalleryGod]

23. Apparently,my friend. Apparently.

[bidenista]

28. it looks like he's puckering up to kiss kerry's nose. nt

[suston96]

20. Very heart throbbing, but...remember there is a congressional election also....Republicans...

...are going to split their votes between a Democrat for President and Republicans for Congress.....?

Wait, you may have something there.

[GalleryGod]

30. That's probably WHY the "rush to McCain" Hold the House & Senate!

Hillary? Grampa McCain!?

Don't "wipe out", Folks!

[Gloria]

27. But his wife draws the dividing lines..remember how?

The blending of the parties is also not progress for the long term...

[GalleryGod]

31. Gloria! A GREAT DUer! Welcome!

[Gloria]

40. ??? I've been here for 7+ years!

[fasttense]

32. I miss Edwards.

Sigh.... It was like the man was reading my mind.

We need a sigh icon.

[Rageneau]

35. It's because Republicans fear Hillary much more than they do Obama.

If I was the GOP -- facing almost certain defeat and reduced power in Congress, and fearful that Democrats might use their new power to investigate and prosecute eight years of Republican crookery -- I, too, would much prefer Obama to Hillary.

BO wants to "get along," with our friends across the aisle, and will join the GOP and the MSM in "putting these unfortunate incidents behind us."

HRC knows you CAN'T get along with those scorpions, and will demand some justice and accountability for a CHANGE!!

So, of course the GOP prefers Obama -- they have their own interests at heart.

They know they'll get off lighter, and get away with much more, with him than with Hillary.

[NYCGirl]

36. And you think a Clinton administration will "investigate and prosecute"?

Boy, are you off base!

[Rageneau]

38. Thw wingnuts went thru her underwear drawer, humiliated her in front of the world

So, yeah, I think she's MUCH more likely to investigate and prosecute than Mr. Kumbayah.

[NYCGirl]

39. I guess that'll break up their close relationship with Poppy Bush.

:eyes:

[RedEarth]

37. That's great