Rocky’s Ghosts: Kerry Rousing G.O.P. Liberals

[KoKo]

by Lizzy Ratner

There are few New Yorkers with a more Republican pedigree than Theodore Roosevelt IV. His family has been synonymous with the G.O.P. for more than a century, and his great-grandfather and namesake was the nation’s 26th President. He himself is a pillar of the party, and was a featured speaker at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. But on April 14, Mr. Roosevelt was among more than 3,000 people who attended the biggest anti-Republican bash in history: a $2,000-a-head fund-raiser at the Sheraton New York Hotel that netted a record $6.5 million for the Democratic Presidential nominee, John Kerry.

"I am a Republican, but I am distressed with the national leadership of the Republican Party," said Mr. Roosevelt, a managing director at Lehman Brothers. He attended the event with his wife, Constance Lane Rogers, a registered Democrat and Kerry supporter. "I wanted to see what had to say, and I thought he did a very good job," he said.
(SNIP)
Since Mr. Kerry became the de facto Democratic Presidential nominee on March 2, many New York Republicans representing what is left of the Rockefeller wing of the party have approached the Democrat’s staff, advisers and fund-raising team, offering everything from financial backing to campaign advice to moral support. Some have decided to take a visible role, like Mr. Robert and Mr. Kopelman, but many have asked to keep a low profile. The defections have been noteworthy enough that Mr. Kerry’s New York fund-raising team is launching a group called Republicans for Kerry—a venture that Mr. Kopelman and others are helping to put together.

"I would never have thought that I was going to work for a Democratic candidate, but this administration has moved so far to the right that it really hasn’t left a lot of room for moderate Republicans," said Mr. Robert, who began raising money for Mr. Kerry shortly before the primaries and said he might assume an advisory role as well.

More of this article and a great read!

http://www.observer.com/index_go.html

[RoyGBiv]

1. Republican Support

In another thread started in the wee hours of the morning I think, someone asked whether there were any big name Republicans supporting Kerry. This would appear to be the answer to that question.

[GOPFighter]

2. Another example...

A guy who's on a committee with me told me last week that for the first time in his life he's supporting a Democrat for President. In fact he's actually going to work for the Kerry campaign.

Drip-drip-drip-drip. Bush keeps losing the thinking Americans.

[NMDemDist2]

3. can you say "Kerry the uniter"? I knew you could! n/t

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. I hope that this moves into a larger trend.

Kerry needs to motivate the Liberal Republicans to go all out for Democrats. How do we do this since Kerry is not really motivating???

I see * loosing every Northeast State by 10% or more.

[skooooo]

7. Kerry is obviously motivating.....

...or else this wouldn't be happening. Just give it a little time. It's not even May yet.

[dusty64]

23. That would be great,

I hope these repub moderates wake up before its too late. Can't they see who completely controls their party?

[LynzM]

5. Bush Admin aren't really repubs, keep on proving it!

They're neocon fascists, really. They are losing even lifelong repubs, because they're not following truly repub agendas. Balanced budged and accountability, anyone? Those traits are starting to seem more like dem ideas, which is not a bad thing, IMO.

[mitchum]

6. Thanks for posting this very encouraging news

[KoKo]

11. It's really good news, and I posted it because some folks here think I'm

a Kerry basher or something. The Chimp has gone too far, and this group has turned on him. This is "old money" deep roots, which has some sense of reponsibility about America not turning into some Tom DeLay/PNAC Religious Empire.

While I'm a Lefty Dem, I will be happy to have these folks throwing their influence and money into this Campaign.

Also liked that one of their wives is a Democrat. :D

[noahmijo]

8. Well I'm one of those repubs they lost

When I first came on here I announced my resignation from that side.

Truthfully I was a registered Libertarian, but I voted Republican nearly 90% of the time (we're talking local gov here mostly)

As I said in my first post if you think you're mad at Bush, try the millions of us who once supported this thug and were lied to and screwed over by this Soprano administration.

Democrat for life now I've had it I'm outta the closet I'm a liberal now dammit and proud of it.

[DaveSZ]

9. Welcome Noah

:toast:

[Nimble_Idea]

10. I have a question

"who once supported this thug and were lied to and screwed over by this Soprano administration."

What did he do exactly to make a libertarian who voted Republican turn to Democrats?? seems like a MAJOR change, so what was it that really flipped your button, seems like most Repubs think he is the 2nd coming, your not the rule, your the exception.

So what was it?

[elperromagico]

12. One would think the Patriot Act would be reason enough

for a Libertarian to turn against Bush. Add to that the fact that Bush has presided over the biggest government expansion in several generations, and you have the perfect formula for a defection from Bush.

People who think Bush is the 2nd coming, as you put it, don't really seem to believe in the concepts of smaller federal government, limited government spending, and states rights. They believe in having somebody - anybody - with an R by his name (or Pat Robertson's endorsement) in the White House.

Anyone who tells you they support Bush because he believes in smaller federal government and less government intrusion into the lives of Americans is, at this point, a fucking liar.

[ithacan]

13. NE Repubs need to bolt the GOP

and set up their own regional moderate conservative party by taking over the GOP organization in the NE.

They would be the second party in the NE. They would hold the balance of power in the Senate and in the House.

This story shows how much this is needed. We don't need to move the democratic party any more rightward. The repubs need to take back their party from the extremists, and if they can't, then the NE Repubs need to act on their principles.

[no name no slogan]

14. Great story-- reminds me of something I heard earlier today

My local state senate district met this morning to pick its delegates to our party's state central committee, and I got to talking to a gentleman about a former state senator who served in an area where I grew up (miles away from where I live now).

The area he served was around Lake Minnetonka (yeah, THAT Lake Minnetonka from Prince's "Purple Rain" movie), which tends to be pretty upscale-- mansions, lakefront property, very conservative. He said that even though most of these folk were Republican, they still wrote out checks to the local Democratic state Senator because he was a better representative than any of the guys who ran as Republicans.

The liberal Republicans have been looking for a home ever since Goldwater started the purge of the liberals in 1964. The irresponsibility of the Reagan (mis)administration kicked the rest of them out the door.

I'm glad that some liberal and moderate Repubs are coming our way-- I only hope that when they do, we still STAY TRUE to what makes us Democrats.

[KoKo]

19. You make a good point. Some Repugs no longer have a home and

are looking for one. The dilemna for me as a Lefty Dem is do I want to offer them a "room for the night" to engage them in dialog, or am I worried they will move in and "take over my house" and throw me out.

That is the question.

But, our country is in such desperate shape, I will have to offer them that "room for the night." I don't have much alternative, but I will keep them up all night convincing them of "My Arguments of why they need to rethink what they are about for the future of America.

[no name no slogan]

20. I share your worries, too

The message of the party has become so dilluted over the last twelve years by the so-called "New Democrats" that it's damn near impossible to tell the economic policies of the Dems from the Repubs.

The liberal Republican (besides Rocky) I remember best is John Lindsey, the former mayor of New York who jumped parties after 1968 and ran for president as a Democrat in 1968. He was anti-war, pro-welfare state, and socially liberal. In fact, he was perceived by the electorate as more liberal than McGovern on some issues!

If there's any more Lindseys left in the GOP, I think they'd be great additions to our big tent. However, I still think the liberal grassroots wing of the party needs to keep reminding the "New Democrats" who does their dirty work every four years.

[rasputin1952]

15. This admin is so delusional...

they think they will win w/just their base of ultra-conservatives; they are eating their own...:)

Virtually everyone with more than 3 firing synapses KNOWS this is the WORST administration ever!

When was the last time, the 'guy on the street' R's have defended this moran? He is losing, and the GOP is desperate. We will run them out of OUR WH., and back to Crawford. Hell, if the CA lawsuit against Diebold takes hold, BBV will be history as well! Then they can't even count on stealing the election!!!!!:)

[nator311]

16. in California

32% of moderate republicans polled said they would vote for Kerry. It is especially wonderful to hear that someone related to a former republican president is voting for a democrat!

[mot78]

17. Good

I'm sick and tired of people telling me "oh the Democrats are losing Southerners, well are they going to do" well, for every Dixiecrats that leaves, we pick up a Liberal-Moderate Repub. How come nobody talks about Northeasterners who now vote Dem? The Northeast used to be the GOP's dominant region pre-1968 Southern Strategy.

[KoKo]

18. Kick

:kick:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

21. There were definitely Republican women on the Mall today.

had to be at least a few in there.

[tedzbear]

22. Does this mean I can vote Green Party and not get flamed???

:evilgrin:

[phillybri]

24. Moderate Republicans are a dying breed...

If Pat Toomey beats Arlen Specter, that'll be another one gone...

It's a shame.