Carlson, ex-GOP Minn. governor, backs Obama

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Arne Carlson, a former Republican governor in Minnesota, has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Carlson said Thursday that the Illinois senator's stances on the Iraq war, the economy and green energy goals won him over. Carlson, who served from 1991 to 1998, also cited recent comments by GOP Congresswoman Michele Bachmann questioning whether politicians have "pro-America or anti-America views."

"Regardless of our party, regardless of our partisan inclinations, there is no interest more compelling than the interest in the well-being of the United States," Carlson said at a gathering of Obama supporters at the state Capitol.



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[Bicoastal]

1. OMGOP!

[Nambe]

2. Sadly, I will be surprised of Barack lives to be President.

He represents everything the neocons hate.

[mwb970]

4. I thought they hated Clinton, but this is something new.

The level of hate, rage and fear of Obama on the right, stoked 24/7 by Fox "News" and right-wing hate radio, is really scary. And all of this hate is coming from one side and one side only. Hopefully people can see that.

[FLyellowdog]

5. PLEASE DO NOT POST SUCH THOUGHTS. KEEP THEM TO YOURSELF.

[Alcibiades]

8. WTF?

Whatever do you mean by that? What that poster said is true, though it's not the case that they only hated Clinton: they hate all Democrats.

[FLyellowdog]

9. It was a reference the idea that Obama wouldn't live to be president.

It got posted one post too far down. Sorry.

[Alcibiades]

10. Now it makes sense

No apology needed--I was a little confused by the idea that the post you responded to had anything remotely objectionable.

[UnrepentantUnitarian]

3. First step to healing that damaged party...

First they have to admit their failures. Then they have to chart a new course. They need to root out every vestige of manipulative, intimidating, domineering, authoritarian NeoCon ideology therein. I think people like Gov. Carlson will have a lot to say about what happens to their party in the years to come. Meanwhile, make good use of your time in the penalty box, folks! You earned it!

[TygrBright]

6. Wow. Just wow. Arne is the meanest man EVER to serve as Governor of MN.

Also famously known as "Veto Man" for his relentless vetos of anything the legislature sent him that deviated from the budget he submitted by so much as a hairsbreadth.

Known as a VERY bad man to cross... one who'd wait years to exact payback and then get it in spades.

He was also the last "real" Republican to serve as goob. Strict old-style fiscal conservative, leave education to the local school boards, ignore social issues altogether, make things easy for businesses including small businesses, pave the roads and maintain the bridges but don't use tax money for "frivolous" stuff... THAT kind of Republican.

So much so, in fact, that he frequently butted heads with the IR leadership which was in the process of being taken over by fundie nutjobs and fanatic social conservatives. A cranky mofo who had no inhibitions about letting anyone know what he thought of them and formed his own damn' opinions and screw you. That kind of guy.

Wow. Michelle pushed him over the edge. That's epic. That's cataclysmic.

That is probably going to help Al Franken, too.

My, my, my...

I guess you have to be an old Minnesotan to understand just how mind-blowing this is, but trust me. It's mind-blowing.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!

delightedly,
Bright

[Alcibiades]

7. How many more do they have to roll out?

I noted this when they rolled out the Powell endorsement. There must be many high-profile Republicans who despise what McCain, and their party, has become. In the primary, toward the end, the Obama campaign strategically rolled out superdelegates, which enables them to control the news cycle and, as someone noted in a reply to my earlier post on the Powell endorsement, also builds momentum.

Look for more of these. Soon, the Republican Party will be nothing more than the party of evangelical Christians and straight, older white males who don't have college degrees. There are not enough of these so-called "real Americans" to win elections at the national level. We are looking at 1932 and the formation of a new New Deal coalition.

[LTR]

11. Arne's kind of a true maverick of the GOP

When he lost the nomination for governor in 1990, he broke away and ran as an independent. If I recall, he was outpolling the GOP nominee, Jon Grunseth, who was a hardcore wingnut helped by an insurgence of like-minded wingnut primary voters. When the media found out about Grunseth's involvement in an sex-fueled underage hot tub party, well, that ended his campaign. With only a few weeks left before the election, the GOP begged Carlson to return to the fold. He did, and wound up winning. Then again, that says a lot about the Dem nominee, Rudy Perpich, a.k.a. Gov. Goofy. Many people that year voted for both Carlson and Paul Wellstone in his first election (including, admittedly, me).

Not surprised about this one. Carlson bolted the GOP a few years ago and supported Kerry in 2004.

[progressivebydesign]

12. Wowzer! I REAL republican that puts their Country first! Hope he's the first of many this week! n/t

[dhpgetsit]

13. BaROCK ON!

This is awesome! Not only for Obama, but I think for Franken and Tink!