Who remembers Lincoln Chaffee, the liberal who can't bring himself to be a Democrat?

[Stinky The Clown]

He's now governor of Rhode Island.

I heard a clip of him on the radio today. He was excoriating Congress for threatening Medicaid and Pell Grants, Medicare and Social Security.

If I were in this guy's state, I could see myself voting for him. He was *the* one repubican the antibush tide swept out to sea that I knew I would miss.

[shraby]

1. He's still too republican. He has a heart in the right place but

still tends to uphold the republican mantra too much.

[swilton]

2. What's in a name?

Chaffee ran as an independent I believe in the last race.

There are some Republicans who are to the left of some Democrats and vice versa.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Yes, he did. He left the repubican party when they clearly left him.

[bahrbearian]

8. Exactly, Whats in a party name, we've been seeing some strange stuff.

[JI7]

11. Obama also refused to endorse the Dem in that race

and the Dem got angry and had some angry words for Obama . that was a race where either Chafee or the Dem would have won.

the republican was the 3rd place no chance candidate.

[bahrbearian]

12. No shit? What the fuck is wrong with him, Lieberman , Specter

[Mendocino]

3. He's holding out for the disgruntled

tea bag crossover vote.

[spartan61]

5. Lincoln Chaffee actually had a fundraiser in 2008

for Obama in The Villages in Florida. The very repuke developers of The Villages tried to stop the fundraiser, but because Chaffee and his staff paid rent to the venue for it, the developers couldn't stop it.

[JitterbugPerfume]

6. I liked him

he seemed like a good and honest man

[GoCubsGo]

9. Just like his dad.

John would have been run out of the party, too, if he were still alive.

[madrchsod]

7. did`t know there was an old time liberal republican still around...

the last two that i remember is senator chuck percy and john anderson from illinois. both of these guys are still alive.

[grasswire]

10. I always liked the guy.

An old style Republican with some chops and some spine. I was sorry to see him out of Congress.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Lincoln Chaffee is probably the last of the liberal Republicans left.

Political scientist also call these Republicans "Coastal Republicans." I like Lincoln a lot; I thought he would have been good in Obama's cabinet if he just wanted to have a Republican. But, I also really like Ray LaHood, though he's a Republican. He's been really great as Transportation Secretary.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. Edit to add: I think Lincoln is no longer a Republican. If I'm not mistaken,

he's now an Independent.

[provis99]

15. well, except any Democrat running against him would be more liberal.

why settle for only 10% of what you want from a politician when you can get 12%?