Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Obama finding new allies: Republicans

Many cite war in Iraq, spirit of political unity as issues

June 19, 2007
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. more



On the heels of the previous post this just goes to show how badly the GOP is hemorrhaging moderates.