Richard Raymond says the Republicans want Obama

[sonias]

This breaks my heart. I've had a soft spot for Richard Raymond ever since he was on the redistricting committee fighting against Tom DeLay and his goons in the Texas Lege. He's being quoted in border newspapers using some of those same tired accusations that Republicans are voting for Obama so that their real candidate John McCain will have an easier time beating Obama in November. Oh come on Representative Raymond. This is really sad.

This link is in Spanish so you're going to have to rely on my translation skills which aren't that great. I can read Spanish but translating into English is not that clear cut.

El Manana
Republicanos quieren a Obama: Raymond

LAREDO, TEXAS.- "Los Republicanos en todo el país están votando para que sea Barack Obama el candidato Demócrata a la presidencia, para así vencerlo fácilmente en noviembre con John McCain; temen que sea Hillary Clinton quien compita contra el senador por Arizona".

Richard Raymond, diputado local por el Partido Demócrata, dijo ayer un minuto después de votar por la senadora por Nueva York y tras encabezar un acto de proselitismo en favor de la también ex primera dama de la nación, que es obvio que la gente simpatizante del Republicano ha establecido la estrategia de hacer ganar al senador por Illinois, Barack Hussein Obama, para que sea un candidato débil, más fácil que Hillary Rodham-Clinton.

Raymond: Republicans want Obama

LAREDO, TEXAS.- "The Republicans in all of this land/state are voting for Obama so that he can be the Democratic nominee for President; because he will be easier to beat in November running against John McCain. They're scared of Hillary Clinton being the nominee against the Senator from Arizona."

Richard Raymond, a local Democratic Party deputy, said yesterday minutes after he voted for the Senator from New York and did some campaigning for the ex-First Lady of the nation. It is obvious that with support of the Republicans, they have a strategy to make the senator of Illinois, Barack Hussein Obama win, so that he is a weaker candidate, much easier to beat than Hillary Rodham-Clinton.

:shrug:

Sonia

[Gman]

1. Raymond makes complete sense here

Raymond's just validating what most people have been thinking for a couple of months now. It is the truth that the GOP wants Obama. The GOP has thought all along that he was the one they could beat. And the talk around San Antonio is the number of Republicans that are crossing over to vote for Obama in order to vote against Hillary. As many Republicans that are crossing over in Texas right now sure doesn't mean they like Obama.

[sonias]

3. What?

Well I guess you can believe what you want to believe. There may be a small percentage of crazy wing nuts that perceive a vote for Obama is somehow a vote against Hillary. They somehow have convinced themselves that they didn't need to vote for any of their contested races in their primary. They were simply going to vote in the Democratic party to vote against Hillary. Whatever!

But that's still not the point Raymond is making which is that the republicans are so scared of running against Hillary that they're purposely voting for the weaker candidate they can beat in November. And that's bullshit! Obama is the one who is winning the polling game against McCain all over the country.

Sonia

[Gman]

5. That's what they seem to believe from a strategic political perspective

To me the biggest sign the GOP wants Obama is the fact that Rush and Hannity have been gushing about how wonderful Obama is and how horrible Hillary is since December. Hell, Rush was even playing Obama commercials and then talking about how good the commercials were and what a nice guy Obama is. These guy's don't do anything like that because they like the Democrat.

I don't think there is any doubt that Obama is by far the weaker candidate. Fortunately for Obama, his message and personality have carried him this far. But then there have been several Democratic candidates, most recently Kerry, that have generated enthusiasm during the primaries that went bust in November. And, we know now that Kerry was the candidate Rove most wanted because Rove thought he was the weakest. Ohio notwithstanding, he was correct. Even though I wasn't a Dean supporter, I still
think he would have made a far better candidate. Looks and charisma made the difference for JFK. Maybe it will work for Obama.

Regardless of whether we think they are right or wrong, there's no doubt the GOP thinks Obama is the weakest and he's the one they want. And, polls in February mean nothing. Those numbers will change. Which way, I don't know.

[sonias]

6. I'll bet you this right now

You're going to be eating your words in November.

Enough said.


Sonia

[Honeycombe8]

2. Well, it's not wise to choose a nominee based on what the opposition thinks, anyway.

Besides, I don't believe for a minute that the GOP WANTS Obama. Not for a minute. Even if they did.....they could very well be completely wrong about who would be easier to beat.

Months ago Pat Buchanan let something slip. I'm a political junkie, and I've heard Buchanan opine on MSNBC and The McLaughlin Group jillions of times (maybe even almost every time he appears - I watch MSNBC every morning and night). Anyway, someone asked about the Republican Party not being together behind one candidate, they're split among the various candidates, and that when one is picked, he didn't see the Republicans coming together strongly behind any one of what the Pubs think are weak candidates. Buchanan laughed and said, "We're counting on Hillary Clinton bringing us together!"

It was a slip that Buchanan doesn't let happen often. And it never happened again. I noticed, though, that he seemed to be pushing Clinton's chances throughout the Dem. nomination process, until very recently, when things began looking dim for her.

I think he said what is true. Clinton would do what the Republicans may not be able to do on their own: energize the Republican base to show up on election day and vote. They would show up to vote against Hillary, rather than vote FOR McCain, but they would still show up. They hate few people as much as they hate the Clintons. They will walk thru fire, if they have to, to prevent the Clintons from taking the White House again. They will also dislike Obama, and try to paint him as a muslim terrorist or black activist, in order to rev up energy among the base. But it's built in energized hatred with the Clintons.

[sonias]

4. I agree with you

As partisan as we are against the bushes, is as partisan as they are against the Clintons. That Red/Blue divide is not going to be mended by another Clinton. While we may not need any or very few republicans to vote for us in November we definitely need the Independents to vote for us. And the Independents are moving to Obama. They don't want a bush in the White House right now, but they don't want a Clinton in January either.

The GOP will have to be very careful of being racist in November with Obama as the nominee. That will move more Independents our way.

Sonia

[CoolOnion]

7. I've been looking at my data for "crossovers"

I've heard the rumor, too, and have been downloading my precinct data every day, which is something I always do, to keep in touch with early voters and get them back to the caucus.

I've been checking for "crossovers," since I heard a rumor they were going to vote for Obama in our primary since they think he's easier to beat. In my precinct, there aren't any crossovers. The Republicans in my precinct (all 20 of them) have voted in their own primary.

It's been my experience that Republicans would rather eat a plate of fried worms than vote for "those people."

In my opinion, Republican writers are trying to mess with our heads, because they're out of ideas. I think all the talk about crossover voting is bullshit, and Obama is a strong enough candidate to win in November.

[crispini]

9. I wish you would post this in GDP

it would dispel some of the crap floating around in there.

[WolverineDG]

8. After reading the link

I see he also makes a racist remark about Barack being a Muslim. I guess he's too cowardly to say that in the English media, but feels free to make racist remarks in Spanish because he presumes Obama & his supporters don't speak/read Spanish. Wrong.

dg