The Turning Tide: More Notable Republicans Endorse Obama

[metreon]

Since more and more Republicans are coming out to endorse Obama and the number of threads for such individual endorsements has been recently proliferating at debatepolitics, I thought I would provide a single topic for it.

Colin Powell as well as various conservative newspaper endorsements already have threads here.

However, I read of three more endorsements. Senator (R) Hagel's wife and Susan Eisenhower (daughter of Ike). Also, Christopher Buckley, son of William F. Buckley, even resigned from the National Review because of his recent endorsement of Obama. Hoover Institute fellow Christopher Hitchens has also come out for Obama.

Even a conservative pundit like David Brooks seems to be giving Obama a backhanded, skeptical endorsement in his op-eds, always raising questions but never quite finding a real reason to criticize him, stating in his latest column: "And it is easy to sketch out a scenario in which [Obama] could be a great president." If it is "easy" for a conservative pundit like David Brooks to see this, is there any residue of opposition remaining?

Also, I am wondering if the mood shift among the conservative intellectual crowd might possibly relate to the general lack of confidence in the mental capacity, even stability, of Palin. I have heard George Will directly question her competence as well. It would be interesting to know the gestalt of issues behind the recent surge in conservative support for Obama.

 

[DarkWizard12]

If OBama could be a great president...that would not be the reason that they would endorse him.

We are talking allied republican conservatives here. The Ohio Tribune, Brooks, Powell, etc. they would not endorse obama if he would make a great president. That is the one thing all republicans fear, that a democrat could be a good president.

The reason they are endoresing him is because 1. Obama would make a terrible president in 4 years, with all the socialist policies. 2. McCain would just embarrase themselves more with 4 more years of Bush-like policies. In the long term, endorsing McCain might get him elected, but after 4 more years, it would be suicidal. No, endorese the person on the other side.

 

[Indy]

If OBama could be a great president...that would not be the reason that they would endorse him.

We are talking allied republican conservatives here. The Ohio Tribune, Brooks, Powell, etc. they would not endorse obama if he would make a great president. That is the one thing all republicans fear, that a democrat could be a good president.

The reason they are endoresing him is because 1. Obama would make a terrible president in 4 years, with all the socialist policies. 2. McCain would just embarrase themselves more with 4 more years of Bush-like policies. In the long term, endorsing McCain might get him elected, but after 4 more years, it would be suicidal. No, endorese the person on the other side.

So what you are saying is that republicans are more interested in gaining power than having a great president? That's pathetic, I'd hope you'd be a little less jaded than that. Either you think republicans want a great president and those who are supporting Obama are doing so because of that, or they are more interested in gaining and keeping power than doing what's good for the country and therefore shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the whitehouse. You can't have it both ways.

 

[DarkWizard12]

So what you are saying is that republicans are more interested in gaining power than having a great president? That's pathetic...

Rove.......

 

[Indy]

Rove.......

Well played...

 

[The silenced majority]

Davis Brooks is not a conservative; he's a sniveling little country-club worm.

as for the rest of the OP...



...



...



...

Relatives don't really serve as a good barometer.

 

[Indy]

What's with the hostility? Just because you don't like his opinion all of a sudden he's a, what were the words, "a sniveling country club worm"? You need to chill out and realize that irrational hostility does more to drive people away from your point of view than it does to bring them to it.

Think about it.

 

[new coup for you]

Does anyone remember what a hilarious little commie queer Reagan's son was?

Whatever happened to him? Wasn't he something insanely gay, like a ballet dancer or something?

 

[The silenced majority]

What's with the hostility? Just because you don't like his opinion all of a sudden he's a, what were the words, "a sniveling country club worm"? You need to chill out and realize that irrational hostility does more to drive people away from your point of view than it does to bring them to it.

Think about it.

It's no better than when Brooks refers to anyone who doesn't like the idea of a wide open border with rampant illegal immigration a "nativist" or a "xenophobe".

He impersonates a victimized leftist far too well to be a conservative in my book.

 

[The silenced majority]

Does anyone remember what a hilarious little commie queer Reagan's son was?

Whatever happened to him? Wasn't he something insanely gay, like a ballet dancer or something?

He's obviously isn't an Obama supporter otherwise he's be getting force-fed down everyone's throat like in 2004.


...some people would probably rather enjoy getting Ron Regan forced down their throat, but that's for another thread.

 

[Renae]

Amusing to say the least. "Republicans" have plenty of fiscally or Defense conservatives who are socially liberal... is it a shock when they "support" a liberal Democrat?

It's more shocking when a good Conservative candidate gets a liberal on their side.

This is a non-issue, and only excites those that don't bother to think about what's going, just let themselves get... tingles up the leg.

 

[Cold Highway]

obam_n_134234.html"]Christopher Hitchens[/URL] has also come out for Obama.

Hitchens is considered conservative or a liberal based on who you ask. His extreme anti-religion stance makes him a flaming liberal in many conservative eyes. His support for the Iraq war and his apparent pro-interventionist view on foreign policy would make him a right wing nut job in many liberal eyes. Me personaly? I tend to think his is a quasi-libertarian for the fact he has pissed off many on the right and the left off.

 

[ADK_Forever]

I heard Bush was going to be on Meet the Press Sunday morning and will endorse Obama. He'll say McCain is a compassionate conservative imposter. :rofl

 

[mikhail]

I find myself now in a similar boat.But you liberals shouldnt get excited about these republicans turning towards Obama its Obama who is turning towards them.Mark my words.

 

[ADK_Forever]

... its Obama who is turning towards them. Mark my words.

And you base this ridiculous prediction onnnnnnnnnnn whaaaaaaaaaaaat?

 

[ADK_Forever]

Hitchens is considered conservative or a liberal based on who you ask. His extreme anti-religion stance makes him a flaming liberal in many conservative eyes. His support for the Iraq war and his apparent pro-interventionist view on foreign policy would make him a right wing nut job in many liberal eyes. Me personaly? I tend to think his is a quasi-libertarian for the fact he has pissed off many on the right and the left off.

You label Hitchens a liberal because he's an atheist?

Are you serious?

 

[Cold Highway]

You label Hitchens a liberal because he's an atheist?

Are you serious?

Im not personally but if you ask a religious or a social conservative their opinion on Hitchens Im willing to say there is a 80% change he or she will say he is a liberal.

 

[The silenced majority]

Im not personally but if you ask a religious or a social conservative their opinion on Hitchens Im willing to say there is a 80% change he or she will say he is a liberal.

It may have something to do with the fact that the man was a life-time socialist and sometimes still thinks that he is.

 

[metreon]

Since Colin Powell's endorsement is now official, I thought I would update this thread with a summary of his actual statement.

I found it interesting Colin Powell not only endorsed Senator Obama, but he condemned the "narrowing" campaign that McCain was waging. Although he did not question either man's patriotism, he did question McCain's judgement. As a former General, National Security Advisor, and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, Powell was deeply "concerned" about McCain's judgement on picking Sarah Palin as his running mate. Morever he "found Mr. McCain was unsure, that he didn't have a complete grasp of the [economic] problems" facing America.

Here are the transcribed words of Colin Powells endorsement:

I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across america, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities (you have to take that into account), as well as his substance, he has both style and substance, he has met the standard of being a successful president, of being an exceptional president, I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I will be voting for Senator Barack Obama.

 

[Summerwind]

Since Colin Powell's endorsement is now official, I thought I would update this thread with a summary of his actual statement.

I found it interesting Colin Powell not only endorsed Senator Obama, but he condemned the "narrowing" campaign that McCain was waging. Although he did not question either man's patriotism, he did question McCain's judgement. As a former General, National Security Advisor, and Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, Powell was deeply "concerned" about McCain's judgement on picking Sarah Palin as his running mate. Morever he "found Mr. McCain was unsure, that he didn't have a complete grasp of the [economic] problems" facing America.

Here are the transcribed words of Colin Powells endorsement:
I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across america, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities (you have to take that into account), as well as his substance, he has both style and substance, he has met the standard of being a successful president, of being an exceptional president, I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I will be voting for Senator Barack Obama.

This is the part that jumps out at me. My generation.

 

[ReverendHellh0und]

Powell a conservative? :lol:

 

[obvious Child]

Powell a conservative? :lol:

They did name a highly conservative military foreign policy after him.

 

[UtahBill]

I always liked Powell, even when he was trying to be a good soldier for his commander-in-chief G. W. Bush. He sinned and he knows it, and he is repenting and attempting to make restitution...
Next up, Ms. Rice????

 

[metreon]

Powell a conservative? :lol:

Powell: ...Taxes are always a redistribution of money. Most of the taxes that are redistributed go back to those who paid them, in roads and airports and hospitals and schools. And taxes are necessary for the common good. And there is nothing wrong with examining what our tax structure is or who should be paying more, who should be paying less. And for us to say that that makes you a socialist, I think is an unfortunate characterization that isn't accurate.

I don't want my taxes raised. I don't want anybody else's taxes raised. But I also want to see our infrastructure fixed. I don't want to have a $12 trillion national debt, and I don't want to see an annual deficit that's over $500 billion heading toward a trillion. So, how do we deal with all of this?

Reporter: Are you still a Republican?

Powell: Yes.

However, I suspect the same as UtahBill, - Powell is also seeking to reconcile his conscience after being used as a pawn to forward a war in Iraq to which he initially objected, then subsequently forced to fall on his sword in 2004 on behalf of those who mishandled his loyalty.

 

[American]

Powell doesn't need to reconcile his conscience. You people need to grow up. You think everybody who supported the war owe you something. We owe you nothing. More wars have been started by Democrats in the last 100 years then in all times before that.