An emerging constituency: Obama Republicans

Barack Obama elicits laughs from audiences at his political rallies by telling them about Republicans who approach him and whisper their support.

But for the GOP, it’s no joke. Disillusioned with President Bush and unimpressed with presumptive nominee John McCain, many young Republicans and former Reaganites alike have gravitated toward the charismatic Obama, despite his liberal voting record. They are attracted by his promise to change the way government works and to end years of political divisiveness.

“I think everybody has different reasons but I think he’s seen as a fresh start for this county, and people like what they see,” said Susan Eisenhower, who endorsed Obama in February despite being a lifelong Republican and the granddaughter of GOP President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“There are many other Republicans ,” Eisenhower said. “I’ve just heard from a ton of them.”

One of President Reagan’s former aides, who did not want his name used, said he is supporting Obama because Bush “destroyed the Republican party” by pushing ultra-conservative wedge issues. The former aide said Obama, not McCain, has shown the kind of character needed to bring the country back together and restore greatness to the presidency.

“For those of us who came of age in the 1960s and 1970s,” the aide said, Obama’s inclusive approach “is very appealing.

Obama said in January that Reagan had “changed the trajectory of America,” and “tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.”

Former Bush speechwriter Peter Wehner, who also worked for Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, acknowledged, “There is a kind of Bobby Kennedy phenomenon around Obama, and he generates that kind of passion and support,” in part because he rejected a campaign based on race.

But Wehner, who does not back Obama, said Republican support has likely waned since the public tuned in to the racially charged statements made by Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former pastor.

“The trouble with Obama is he is like a sleek car,” Wehner said. “He looks very good on the outside but then you lift up the hood and you find problems. The problems in this instance have to do with his ideology. He’s a hard-core liberal in his bones.”

John Martin, a lifelong Republican who founded the Web site Republicans for Obama, said his track record is too short to be defined as a liberal.

“If the solutions Obama proposes are a little more to the left than I would prefer, then that is fine,” Martin said. “We need some kind of solution for our problems and we are not getting them.”
http://www.examiner.com/a-1394164~An_emerging_constituency__Obama_Republicans.html?cid=rss-Washington_DC

He has the ability to unite the party behind a new energized Democratic party and let the repukes go the way of the Whig party.

JUST the party. If taken to the extreme (which I don't think will happen, but you never know) it may lead to BOTH parties going the way of the whigs; the names may stay, but both parties may be tranformed into something thatbears little resemblance to what today we call the democratic and republican party. Many that watch and understand Obama, and also have a good understanding of political undercurrents, talk about transformational times in the political landscape, and I am sure they don't simply refer to the republicans going out and the democrats coming in for a while. This is nice, but has happened before, it's part of how the game has been played for a long time. Transformational is something else, what exactly I am not sure. We shall see... it will surely be interesting...

think they should embrace the concept myself. Their 'solution' hasn't worked.

I predict a crazy new electoral map.

Nostrodamus, I ain't.

Administrator walked in while we were discussing Voter Registration in the office yesterday. She announced "I'm a lifelong Republican and not only am I voting for Obama, I'm changing my Party Affiliation," then she walked out.

All of us had our mouths open...

Anecdotal I know, but... I think it's a trend.

impeached as much as I do.

They have: no fiscal responsibility, no "humble foreign policy", and no respect for the constitution.

then vote for McCain in the general election

with civility. I think that was why Unity 08 started (and from the chat boards there, was at least 2/3 disgruntled Republicans), and I think it is Obama's civility and ability to work on both sides of the aisle that will be his main appeal to many who have not voted Democratic in a long time, if ever.

divide and conquer and are still working to do just that. McCain doesn't stand a chance in hell to win legitimately. We mustn't put anything past the republiCONMEN though.

GOPers and independants who know what competent foreign policy looks like are flocking to Obama.