Supporting Crist? Supporting Caprio?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Frank Caprio, in a radio interview Monday morning, reacted angrily to President Obama's decision not to endorse him during a visit to the Ocean State Monday.

"He can take his endorsement and really shove it as far as I'm concerned," Caprio told talk-show host John DePetro during an interview on WPRO-AM.

In Monday morning's Providence Journal, John Mulligan of The Journal's Washington bureau reported that Mr. Obama would not endorse Democrat Caprio during a visit to Rhode Island Monday.

Mulligan quoted independent candidate Lincoln Chafee's spokesman saying Obama's decision "is a victory for Linc Chafee," who is one of Caprio's opponents in the race for governor. Former Republican Senator Chafee endorsed Mr. Obama for president in 2008.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo-20101025-caprioreacts.1c4b9be24.html

How does this compare with people on DU supporting Crist? Well... the stand-out difference is that until the last Rasmussen poll Caprio (D) was leading Chafee (I). If Meek had been leading in most Florida polling for months I doubt anyone on DU would have ever favored Crist.

Granted, Lincoln Chafee is a lot cooler than Crist. But Rhode Island GOP candidate John Robitaille is probably somewhat less of a menace than Rubio. (Just guessing, based on Rubio being such a fricking mutant.)

Of course, it may be that Caprio will benefit from telling Obama to shove his endorsement. People seem to like feisty this year.

Poll Question: Which of these would be the best course of action for the leader of the Democratic Party?

[Unvanguard]

1. The election in RI is between Chafee and Caprio. The election in FL is between Crist and Rubio.

The Democratic Party should actively support Caprio. It should not endorse Crist, but should probably shy away from aggressively supporting Meek. (Attacks on Rubio are okay, though.)

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. WTF? As of 10:51 AM EST the majority of votes cast are

for the two options that involve not supporting Caprio, a life-time Dem and long-standing Democratic office holder who has been the front-runner for months and is competitive in the polls.

What the F?
Would any one of those poll voters care to explain that? I can't figure it.

(I don't know Caprio... maybe he's a cat-poisoner.)

[gaspee]

3. I live in RI

And I'm voting for Chafee. The thing is, Chafee used to be my mayor and is a really good guy and perceived as HONEST - which is really rare to find in Rhode Island Politics. I don't like Caprio personally and I feel bad for voting Chafee out of the Senate in 2006. I think of Rhode Islanders feel the same way I do and we got rid of a guy we liked because of the bigger picture (trying to get the Senate out of Republican control) and voted against a guy we like.

Chafee is not seen as being part of the insider RI politics that are extremely corrupt.

That said, if I thought Chafee's sales tax increase plan has a chance in hell of passing our state house (which is 95% dems - yes, 95%) I wouldn't vote for him.

I can see why Chafee will probably win in RI (don't believe the polls) but that doesn't mean I understand Obama not supporting Caprio. Actually, I bet Obama likes Chafee on a personal level, since they served in the Senate together (for a few months, anyway) and Chafee is a reasonable guy. He's a guy who actually can work across the aisle, if you care about that sort of thing. But he's no longer a republican anyway.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. I love Chafee.

If I were in RI I might well vote for him too.

But I am not the head of the national Democratic Party.

[BzaDem]

8. If you want to know why Obama's not endorsing in this race, it's because Chafee endorsed Obama

for President in 2008.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. Did Caprio endorse Obama in 2008?

[BzaDem]

10. Caprio endorsed Hillary in the primary. I'm assuming he endorsed Obama in the general.

Chafee endorsed Obama before the primary, and it was a pretty high profile endorsement at the time.

I'm not trying to justify anything. Just explaining why I think Obama is doing what he's doing.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. That is absolutely chilling

It's hardly unheard of. Politics has earned its poor reputation on merit.

But it's still chilling.

The background does help explain the "Caprio is a RW racist" argument that is being thrown about without evidence in some threads on this topic.



Ironic that the anti party-unity character in this case is the president, but life is chock full of irony.

[BzaDem]

15. I think it has something to do with Chafee having a more progressive reputation than Caprio

(at least according to some people), combined with Chafee's endorsement early in the cycle. I don't think it has much to do with Caprio's support for Hillary -- Obama has helped many former Hillary supporters.

If Chafee were a center-right independent, I think Obama would have endorsed Caprio. And if Chafee didn't endorse Obama when it really mattered, I think Obama would have endorsed Caprio. I think it is the combination of those two factors that explain why he didn't.

Just guessing though.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

16. I won't say Caprio is a racist

But he is right leaning. Even the Providence Phoenix won't endorse him, but the ProJo will. That says something.

[jonnyblitz]

4. Apparently Caprio is too right wing which was NEVER a reason

NOT to support a DEM before. Let the lefties say they want to vote Green and see what this same crowd making excuses for Obama has to say. HYPOCRITES!

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

12. ...

[Chemical Bill]

17. Caprio is no friend of working people. n/t

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

19. I didn't vote in your poll because there is no parallel in the races

If I lived in Florida, I'd vote for Meek because he isn't getting out of the race anyway, he'll cancel Crist out, and sadly Rubio will win. So I would just go with my philosophical choice rather than my pragmatic one if the Rethug is going to win anyway.

But I am voting for Chaffee because I want to. He's the best candidate in this race and a lot closer to being a Democrat and a progressive than Caprio is. There are many reasons why, his dismissal of Obama just proves what he is.

[MilesColtrane]

6. Support both Democrats unless they are crooks.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. I am told that RI is a fairly corrupt-ish state

Maybe there's something there.

I would be interested in actual reasons/answers, but it seems the "don't support Caprio" voters here had no reason they wanted to share so I remain uninformed.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. They have no reason

Apart from Tiger Teen Beat Magazine's neato spread on their favorite pols.

Oh, but you're asking for an intellectually honest answer.

As Emily always said: Never mind .......

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

14. Frank Caprio is a fraud

Sorry, but he is not a Democrat. I did not vote for him in the primary even though he was the only guy on the ballot. He is trying to endear himself to the right-wing talk radio crowd here in RI which will vote for Robitaille unless they feel he can't win. Their second choice would be Caprio who is running to the right with his anti-union, anti-teacher rhetoric. The right-wing of Rhode Island (small, but LOUD) HATE Linc Chaffee. They see him as a traitor to his party and GW Bush. They also weren't fond of his old-school Swamp Yankee Republican father and see him as the old GOP who they want to be swept aside by the Palin/Demint crowd. They LOVE the current Gov, Don Carceri, a fiscal dictator and a religious kook.

I know someone will report me for bashing a Democratic candidate, but for those who don't live here, please understand it is impossible to get elected as a Republican in certain districts as a state legislator, and that's what Caprio was. There are a ton of "Democrats" in the state house, but they are only out for one person, themselves.......they soil our party's name and then get bashed ALL DAY on the talk shows by right-wing scum and these are the folks Caprio is sucking up to.

[Chemical Bill]

18. +1