Reagan Appointee and (Recent) McCain Adviser Charles Fried Supports Obama

[ticapnews]

Source: The New Republic

Charles Fried, a professor at Harvard Law School, has long been one of the most important conservative thinkers in the United States. Under President Reagan, he served, with great distinction, as Solicitor General of the United States. Since then, he has been prominently associated with several Republican leaders and candidates, most recently John McCain, for whom he expressed his enthusiastic support in January.

This week, Fried announced that he has voted for Obama-Biden by absentee ballot. In his letter to Trevor Potter, the General Counsel to the McCain-Palin campaign, he asked that his name be removed from the several campaign-related committees on which he serves. In that letter, he said that chief among the reasons for his decision "is the choice of Sarah Palin at a time of deep national crisis."

Fried is exceptionally thoughtful and principled; his vote for Obama is especially noteworthy.

Read more: http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/24/reagan-appointee-and-recent-mccain-adviser-charles-fried-supports-obama.aspx

---

Fried responds:

UPDATE: Fried writes to TNR: I admire Senator McCain and was glad to help in his campaign, and to be listed as doing so; but when I concluded that I must vote for Obama for the reason stated in my letter, I felt it wrong to appear to be recommending to others a vote that I was not prepared to cast myself. So it was more of an erasure than a public affirmation--although obviously my vote meant that I thought that Obama was preferable to McCain-Palin. I do not consider abstention a proper option.

[LynnTheDem]

1. A republican with the courage of his convictions.

Well done, Prof. Fried.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. And the parade from the right continues...

[Frisbee]

3. The hits just keep on coming!!!

Now if we could just get an endorsement from Nancy Reagan, my head might actually explode! I know it's unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out at this point either. A lot has transpired since she endorsed McPOW back in March.

[Baby Snooks]

4. It could happen...

McCain has proven one thing. The Republican Party of today is not the Republican Party of Ronald Reagan. It is the Republican Party of George HW Bush and George W Bush. And this country has moved from the supposed "kinder, gentler" nation of George HW Bush to the absolutely "meaner, nastier" nation of George W Bush. And it will be even "meaner, nastier" under John McCain and Sarah Palin.

The policies of Ronald Reagan that he is reviled for in many cases were the policies of George HW Bush. Particularly Iran-Contra. And he is sitting waiting for the next chapter to unfold. If John McCain becomes president.

A growing number of Republicans are coming out in support of Barack Obama. Simply because they fear what might happen with John McCain.

[Ian David]

5. Please tell me he's white, too.

Otherwise, you know, it's just because he's black.

[BearSquirrel2]

6. Obviously an ivory towered academic ...

Well obviously, he's just some head in the sky academic who lives in an ivory tower. And forget the fact that we once cited him in an effort to legitimize our own policy.

:sarcasm:

I imagine that this is EXACTLY what the conservatives will say.