Change even we can believe in: GOP should vote for Obama

[goldcanyonaz]

UW Badger Herald, WI -

This is an open letter to my fellow Americans in the Republican Party who are registered to vote in the Wisconsin primary this Tuesday. For those who are not aware, an “open” primary allows registered voters of one party to request and vote upon the ballot of the other party. This is a truly powerful and progressive privilege, and in this year’s election, with John McCain as your party’s de facto nominee, you should consider the rare opportunity you have to venture across the party line, albeit temporarily, to vote for Barack Obama. It might be enough for some of you that a vote for Mr. Obama could effectively guarantee that Hillary Clinton is blocked from reaching the general election, but I will ask you to consider voting for Mr. Obama on the basis of a higher plain of reasoning.

http://badgerherald.com/oped/2008/02/18/change_even_we_can_b.php

[Dogmudgeon]

1. As the ghost of Orville Reddenbacher might say ...

:popcorn:

--p!

[FrenchieCat]

2. Boy....they really hate her!

So I guess that if she wins, they'll be coming out in droves in November to vote against her! Great....NOT!

[Hoof Hearted]

4. So I guess you Identify with more Republicans than Democrats!

because more DEMS, liberals and progressives identify with Hillary!

[casus belli]

5. That is absolutely ridiculous.

PS.. 89.74% of statistics are made up on the spot.

[Hoof Hearted]

6. I'm just repeating what Obama's own supporters said after Clintons rally in Madison tonight

They said it was too liberal, preaching to the choir and playing to the PROGRESSIVE base.

They liked Obama because he was "masculine" and said some things about video games.


look it up. There's a transcript somewhere.

[krabigirl]

39. yikes!

[Straight Shooter]

63. Obama is "masculine"?

LOL. The last thing I think of when I see Obama is masculinity. GQ-style androgyny, yes. Masculinity, no.

[MADem]

9. No. They really FEAR her. They want the EASY candidate to go up against Ole Popeye. NT

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

13. Why do those two things have to be mutually exclusive?

I'm pretty sure they can hate and fear her simultaneously.

[MADem]

15. Point taken; I stand elucidated! nt

[BringBigDogBack]

14. kind of what I was thinking...

:(

[Recursion]

41. Don't you get it? It's better to lose...

...than to win with Republican support.

:sarcasm:

[Maddy McCall]

3. That's going around in Texas, too.

[grantcart]

7. Yeah except in this post you say that republicans in Texas are more inclined to vote for Clinton

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4656624

lol

[Maddy McCall]

8. If you had even 3rd grade reading comprehension skills...

you'd see that the author says that moderate Dems are pragmatic and don't like the cultish mystery of the Obama camp, so they might vote AGAINST Obama and for McCain if that's their only choice.

[MADem]

10. Man, you ARE obtuse! That article is by a syndicated columnist who is based in Rhode Island

And it doesn't say what you are suggesting it says.

AT ALL.


Go back and try again, now. Sound out each word slowly. You'll see that what it ACTUALLY says is that some Clinton voters might vote for McCAIN if Clinton doesn't get the nom.

Now, what orafice did you pull that "republicans in TX are more inclined to vote for Clinton" bullshit out of???

The Lord of The Flies crowd...they can't, don't or won't read.

[grantcart]

65. Ms McCall says above there are alot of Republicans voting for Texas above

and in this referenced thread says


quote
Houston Chronicle: Clinton backers may find an alternative named McCain
Edited on Mon Feb-18-08 11:19 PM by Maddy McCall
Clinton backers may find an alternative named McCain
unquote

And the article details how Clinton is closer to McCain than Obama. It is like one of those twisted Law and Order episodes where Jack McCoy prosecutes two different suspects for the same crime at the same time in different courtrooms.

Against the war - but the IWR vote was definitely not a mistake

Giving illegal's a driver license but I am not for it.

Go ahead and parse and come to define what is is.

The national renunciation of this muddled styled of leadership is continuing. It will soon be over. And you will be left with the ironic memory of a campaign that was so calculating and packaged that basically they will end up at the end of the campaign with the same supporters it had and all that was needed was to present your candidate without filter and a clear message.

[MADem]

67. READ SLOWLY.

The .... Author ... of ... that.... piece ..... is.... an.... editor/columnist .....at ....the ....Providence RI... JOURNAL.


RHODE ISLAND. Not TEXAS.

Her column is SYNDICATED.

Across America.

That article had NOTHING to do with TEXAS.

The Chronicle is one of MANY papers that carried that article.

It was written for a

NATIONAL AUDIENCE.


You can ignore what the article says at your peril. I really don't care what you do.

I know five Democrats in my lousy, VERY liberal hometown who will vote McCain over Obama because they think he's untested, unspecific, unready and performed poorly in debates. They don't trust him, they don't buy the Hope and Change BS, and they just do not "believe."

Don't shoot the messenger, now. Not everyone has "Obama fever." Not everyone is onboard the Obama train, and some of those people are going to take the Straight Talk Express instead.

[AtomicKitten]

11. Wow! Thanks for posting this. The author is an independent and really likes Obama!!!

Excerpt:

Recently, I have spoken with a handful of Republican friends and relatives who have expressed not only a respect for Mr. Obama, but even a willingness to consider voting for him (one direct quote: “He’d be the first lefty I’ve ever voted for!”). Every time I hear something like this, I smile. I can’t help it. And I can’t help thinking: If there are 10, there might be 10,000 who hold a similar secret — or not-so-secret — admiration for Mr. Obama.

Now, much has been made of the inspirational note he strikes in his speeches, and rightfully so. But the next time you’re watching coverage of an Obama rally, turn down the volume and observe two things. First, watch his face and especially his eyes. For those who pay attention to such things, there is — despite the grueling schedule of his whirlwind campaign — a consistent mark of intent yet patient intelligence, a visible directness that seems to meet the audience halfway. Second, look beyond Mr. Obama, and see how the crowds that gather around him forge a powerful tableau of American diversity: The faces in the bleachers blend in a display of the mottled beauty that is our diverse heritage. There are men, women, senior citizens, babyboomers and droves of the oft-reputed apolitical generations X and Y. And now, imagine adding to this tableau a contingent — even if it is a small one — of Republicans not afraid to recognize a leader with the ability to bring a universally desired change to the earmarked halls of Washington.

One can see the potential power of a message by its ability to attract a large crowd. But one will know the true transformative power of a message by the diversity of the crowd that gathers to listen. And the world is listening to Mr. Obama. Here is an individual who has reengaged large swathes of the American populace with the American political process, and who — as a prospective national figurehead — possesses the rare potential to reengage the goodwill of the world community and introduce to them a renewed American identity.

Consider, for one, Mr. Obama’s bold assertion to hold diplomatic discussions with foreign leaders branded by our current president as members of the “axis of evil.” The current administration’s policy of “diplomatic embargo” and isolating unfriendly nations is a modern phenomenon based upon a new wave of false patriotism and xenophobia. Recall that throughout the Cold War, American presidents communicated directly with their Soviet counterparts — Kennedy with Kruschev, Reagan with Gorbachev — and it very well might have been this direct communication that kept the Cold War from ever heating up.

On the more immediate level, I believe that if you cast your vote for Mr. Obama in the open primary, you would be voting in favor of a more enlightened debate in the general election. Mr. Obama has made a policy of not attacking Ms. Clinton on anything other than what is based on fact. Meanwhile, in South Carolina, the Clinton campaign showed its willingness to bring a knife to a boxing match as former President Bill Clinton put on a shameful display of race-baiting. Mr. Obama kept his head up and weathered the assault with a tremendous amount of grace. After Mr. Obama’s recent eight-state winning streak, Ms. Clinton is spinning yet another yarn, calling him a candidate of speeches and not a candidate of substantive policy. If you go to his website, you’ll find Mr. Obama’s “Blueprint for Change,” which lays out in plenty of detail his position on 15 major issues, the first and foremost of which is ethics.

[caseycoon]

12. K&R

[robbedvoter]

16. Did BO supporters miss the telling ending of this?

"And then, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after the great debates have ended, we’ll all line up for the same ballot, free to rejoin our respective party lines."

[Cameron27]

27. I've been saying this from the start:

"And then, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after the great debates have ended, we’ll all line up for the same ballot, free to rejoin our respective party lines."

"Be a Democrat for a day"

I agree with Obama, words do matter.

[Emit]

44. And you left out the very end

"Or not."

[robbedvoter]

53. Which only means "If I were to initiate a dirty trick, I'd speak hypotetically"

[Emit]

55. I only gave is a cursory over read, but it appears pretty genuine

Obama appeals to a broad spectrum of voters. It's just the way it is. On the other hand, a broad spectrum of Repubs will not vote for Hillary. Look, we want to win this one.

[SIMPLYB1980]

17. That has been his strategy all along.

[rodeodance]

18. Yes, I have see that one from NV--same message from Obama camp

[goldcanyonaz]

21. Had you posted this before?

[rodeodance]

22. i know you not asking me---but that poster has been going around on DU

[goldcanyonaz]

23. I've never seen that handout posted before. We're so screwed.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

28. and we allowed it to happen.....dems fuck themselves royally

[rodeodance]

35. During the NV caucus-many obamacampers used it as a tagline-as far

as i know it was put out by some obama person.
yes, come nov. i do think we might be screwed.

i am logging off now --Have agreed to pick up some voters for the community center here in WI--rides to the polls. its 5 below here --most roads snow packed and icy--not good for turnout.

I WILL ALSO CAST MY VOTE FOR THE LADY:-)

best.

[goldcanyonaz]

66. Awesome job, Rodeo. Thank you for all your hard work.

:loveya:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

38. here is a LINK to the origin of that FLYER...it was by a Obama staffer.....

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/01/14/obama-nevada-flyer-you-can-be-a-democrat-for-one-day


Obama Nevada Flyer: “You Can Be A Democrat For One Day”
By: John Amato on Monday, January 14th, 2008 at 7:15 PM - PST

This was not a very good idea:

A campaign flier created by a precinct captain for Sen. Barack Obama urges Nevada Republicans and independents to switch party affiliations “for a day” and caucus in the Democratic primary in order to defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The flier was put out by Bob Buchanan, a volunteer organizer for Obama in Reno. Buchanan, who insists that Obama’s campaign had no connection to the literature, said he distributed approximately 100 copies of the flier before rewriting it, replacing criticism of Clinton with compliments of Obama.

UPDATE: Buchanan tells Salon that, in the wake of the backlash against his flier, he could be parting ways with the Obama campaign. “I may have to resign as precinct captain or something,” he said. “I don’t want to screw his campaign up.”

[SIMPLYB1980]

56. Yep people told me I was full of FAUX outrage.

[MadBadger]

19. Ooooo, the Student Newspaper that nobody reads

Call me when something appears in the Daily Cardinal...Badgerherald is way too big to carry around.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

25. is Fox News better? because the orders WERE given on Fox YESTERDAY by Dick Morris...asshat!

[rodeodance]

20. I think we are in deep crapola come NOV!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

31. we ned to get ready for the "Crack His Back" rally chant...I think I am gona be sick....brb

[ElsewheresDaughter]

24. when will they wake up ...is it too late?

[Renew Deal]

26. Republicans as usual don't know what to do.

I was listening to conservative talk radio (while stuck in traffic) on the way up to Milwaukee for business this morning. A lot of people calling in to say they were tactically voting for Hillary. Not a lot of love for McCain on the radio.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/Voting_today.html#comments

[ElsewheresDaughter]

29. what part of these flyers do you NOT get....

[Renew Deal]

30. What part of my post do you not get?

"I was listening to conservative talk radio (while stuck in traffic) on the way up to Milwaukee for business this morning. A lot of people calling in to say they were tactically voting for Hillary. Not a lot of love for McCain on the radio."

Like I said, republicans don't know what to do. And do you know who created that flyer? A well meaning Democrat in Nevada.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. link your source for that "made by a well meaning democrat"please? and....

what about Dick Morris's orders on Fox News yesterday for TX repukes to vote for Obama?

[Renew Deal]

33. Here you go

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/01/14/obama-nevada-flyer-you-can-be-a-democrat-for-one-day

[ElsewheresDaughter]

37. holy crap!...what a stupid idea indeed!...makes Obama look like he is sleezy

[Renew Deal]

42. Not more than you.

Obama had nothing to do with it.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

43. I really hope you find some inner peace when we hear the chants "Mac is Back"

[Renew Deal]

47. I know the moment we nominate Hillary

It will be 4 years of that.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

50. I will remember you

[Renew Deal]

51. I'll remember you too.

:hug:

[stahbrett]

34. Sometimes a political party's consensus view on the weakest opposing candidate is wrong

Just something to think about... according to multiple pundits, the Democrats were ecstatic when the Republicans nominated Ronald Reagan back in 1980. Reagan managed to eke out a 44 state victory in the general election. Obama may be the candidate that some Republicans think they can beat the easiest, but that doesn't mean that they're correct. I for one think that Obama will not only win, but he will actually win big - maybe not 44 states big, but he will win a clear mandate. And that is something I don't think Hillary Clinton can ever do (check out her negative approval ratings).

[cooolandrew]

36. People donate good money to their candidate they should win fair and square.She sure loves democracy

[ElsewheresDaughter]

40. for the pleasure of your viewing eyes....

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/01/14/obama-nevada-flyer-you-can-be-a-democrat-for-one-day

[Recursion]

45. This guy is urging them to vote for him in the GE too

Or did you forget to read the whole article?

Now, much has been made of the inspirational note he strikes in his speeches, and rightfully so. But the next time you’re watching coverage of an Obama rally, turn down the volume and observe two things. First, watch his face and especially his eyes. For those who pay attention to such things, there is — despite the grueling schedule of his whirlwind campaign — a consistent mark of intent yet patient intelligence, a visible directness that seems to meet the audience halfway.

And, finally, this is the bit that for the most part it seems Clinton supporters just don't get.

They know he is to the left of them on most policies.

They don't care. They trust him. They don't trust Clinton. They don't trust McCain. They think character is the most important question in a Presidential election.

As impossible as this is for many wonkish progressives to imagine, a whole lot of people don't vote issues, especially at the national level. They vote personality.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

46. WRONG ...read these FLYERS...Thanks for nothing!....

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/01/14/obama-nevada-flyer-you-can-be-a-democrat-for-one-day

[Emit]

49. Yes, he is n/t

[ElsewheresDaughter]

52. Obama is too good and too naive....what he "urges" and what he'll really get are 2 different things.

[Emit]

54. That was an isolated incident from a precinct captain who, IIRC,

admitted it had nothing to do with the larger campaign, apologized, and resigned afterward.

That being said, however, Obama was the only one in NV smart enough to target the Repugs in an aggressive manner that is REQUIRED to win in any GE in order to take the state. Unlike this flier you are posting, his ads aired on both conservative and liberal talk radio urging NonPartisans and Repubs to vote for him, and letting them know they can change party affiliation at the caucus sites. Smart move, really. His campaign ads never said it was just to target Hillary. He was genuinely after the independent voters and Repugs left behind by their party.

In fact, I just found out yesterday about a woman in NV who voted in her Repug primary in the AM and re-registered as a Dem to vote for Obama in the Dem primary. Our Voter Registrars office is a mess right now.

We were told at the Dem Party caucus training that we are the party of inclusion -- that's why we were allowing re-registrations and the Repubs weren't. It was fully supported by the powers within our state party.

Republicans are not going to vote for Clinton in the GE. She will obtain very few crossover votes, where Obama will get many genuine crossover votes in the GE. The efforts by Repubs to eliminate Clinton in the primary is proof positive of this.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

57. oh really and what was Dick Morris doing on Fox News ordering Tx voters to do yesterday?......this..

[Emit]

59. Don't you get it?

Repubs don't want Hillary. Period.

[Recursion]

58. I don't recall him or any of us denying that

This isn't going to be some miracle fantasyland that solves all of our problems. This is nothing more than our best and possibly for a while last chance to have a constructive political process in this country. This is also a chance to expand the progressive tent and bring in people whose values are in most ways consonant with ours.

Most of us say "why are these red-staters voting against their own interests?" And in many ways we're right to, though possibly wrong to do it so condescendingly.

Well, we can't have it both ways. Either they're voting against their own interests and we need to bring them back into the fold, or they're evil mud-dwelling troglodytes who can't be trusted with the franchise. So, gut-check time: which is it?

As for the flyers, honestly I don't see much of a problem with them. I want a Democratic President, and I think a lot of the country thinks the next President will be a Democrat. I have a very strong distrust of Senator Clinton, and my distrust pales next to the extent to which a lot of the country loathes her. If you want to compare this flyer to some of the other shenanigans going on this primary season (to say nothing of Rove-esque flyers that will be distributed in the GE), "bring it on"; I think Obama has far and away run the cleaner and more honorable campaign of all the major contenders of both parties (with Huckabee a close second, oddly enough -- and unfortunately I think we and the MSM have counted him out and dismissed the threat he represents too early).

But back to my main point: do we want these people's support or not? If we nominate Hillary, we simply won't get it. Period. If we nominate Obama, there are signs that we will peel some of them away.

Will it be enough? I have no idea. I think in the end Hillary could do the "Kerry plus Arkansas" plan and eke out a victory, but it's about even money and (as we saw in the past two elections) vulnerable to shenanigans in key states (FL 2000, OH 2004, probably PA or FL again 2008). I think Obama can pick off some of the upper West and lately-red midwest without losing any of the key blue states (I personally find the notion that McCain will beat any Democrat in CA laughable).

Basically, here is what I see as the two options between our nominees:

1. Clinton: energized Dem base, energized (against her) GOP base. Four-corners strategy for the Democrats with close races in FL, OH, and VA. Partisan campaign (McCain moves hard right to shore up his Republican support) with a middle that begins with lukewarm support for Clinton which evaporates as fundraising and other scandals come to light. In the end, these moderates get turned off by an extremely negative campaign from both sides and stay home. Clinton has a winning play if she can hold FL and take AR, but it's a damn close call. We lose seats in Congress, though in either scenario we gain in 2008 in the Senate just because of the particulars of the races we have (12 open GOP seats, 5 open Dem seats).

2. Obama: energized Dem base, depressed GOP base. 50-state strategy for the Democrats with activists finding the occasional "Macaca" moment that turns key House and Senate races. Obama picks off a couple of traditional red states in the west and midwest (MO, IA, SD, etc.). Large coattails for Obama in the House; like I said in 1) I think the Senate races happen to be so lopsided in our favor at this point that we do well there either way. McCain is in a more difficult position. If he turns hard right, Obama absolutely eats away his moderate support. If he doesn't, his base stays home to teach the GOP a lesson (if that sounds ludicrous, remember it happened to us in 2000).

[high density]

60. Pretty sure the OP didn't read the article

It's very supportive of Obama in every way, except to those people who think cross-party support is somehow a bad thing.

[MethuenProgressive]

48. Republics want Obama as our nominee? Sooprize, sooprize, sooprize!

[UALRBSofL]

61. Why was this flyer used

I don't get it.

[jillan]

62. Is this winning at any cost? Doing anything to win?

Looks like it to me.

[CyberPieHole]

64. "Be a Democrat For a DAY"...Dems are sunk if Obama gets the nod....

the RW is ready and waiting for him.