Lincoln Chaffee Throws Support Behind Obama: "He's The First Democrat I'll Vote For"

[Dinger]

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/10/former_republican_senator_crit.html


"GRAND RAPIDS -- Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican U.S. senator from Rhode Island, is throwing his support behind Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, saying he is disillusioned with Republican John McCain.

"Sen. Obama is the first Democrat I've ever voted for," Chafee said during a stop in Grand Rapids this morning.

He criticized McCain for pandering to the Republican Party's right wing, a strategy he said is dividing the nation and would make it difficult for McCain to govern.
"As he geared up for this 2008 election, it became a different John McCain who was pandering to the base," said Chafee. "That's what McCain is doing: dividing this country."

[ej510]

1. I actually miss Chafee. He represented what was good in the republican party.

[terrya]

3. So do I.

There will be a time...soon, sadly...where moderate Republicans such as Chaffee have been completely purged from the Republican Party.

[Joiwind]

18. Hopefully, It will be the other way around

We WILL NOT BE the party of hatred, bigotry, and ignorance.

We WILL BE the party of Mark Hatfield, Lincoln Chaffee, Dwight Eisenhower, Arlen Specter, and Robert Dole

These mouth-breathers have to go. Calling Obama a socialist.

[DainBramaged]

35. There is no good in the Republican party, not since Roosevelt

[MindMatter]

2. "Reaching across the aisle"

I am very happy to see the support of moderate Republicans like Chaffee. Likewise, if I were a RI Resident, he is a man I could have voted for.

There is a lot of concern about the 60-vote barrier in the Senate. It is a serious issue, to be sure. But the reason it is a problem is because the GOP has evolved to be the most extreme right wing types, who ground up the more progressive members in their caucus. It will be an interesting question whether or not the GOP will emerge from this ass-kicking (and meltdown of our economic system) in a position to enforce far right fascist positions with nearly 100% compliance.

Three possibilities (at least):

1) They still maintain tight discipline
2) The moderates in the GOP come to dominate
3) several GOP moderates switch parties, giving us 60 or more votes

In normal times, #1 would be the expectation. These are not normal times. I think it is more likely we will see #2 or #3. I think #2 is most likely. Obama will be out there actively recruiting Republican Senators to come along with us. All of a sudden, the most abused of the GOP ranks are now in the most powerful position If 6 or 8 of them join with us, the right wingers become irrelevant.

Does anybody think Obama can win over 6 or 8 Senators?

Count on it. After everything else he has accomplished, that will be child's play for him.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. He should have switched parties....

make up for the turncoat Dems who switched to repuke.

[OmahaBlueDog]

19. He could have found a home here

He could have also gone indy, like Bernie Sanders.

[tomp]

30. when it counted, he failed. nt

[Marrah_G]

5. Chafee is the only Republican I ever voted for above town level

I actually cried when he lost his seat. I knew we needed the seat and was glad we won but at the same time I wished he had just changed parties.

He is a good man.

[renate]

14. I didn't cry when he lost, but I felt genuinely sad

Of course, it turned out for the best for us, since it's nice to be the majority, but when that result came in I felt really bad that an honorable politician had lost.

When my kids see politicians on TV that they don't recognize, they ask me whether they're good or bad, meaning (because they're kids, and don't see shades of gray too well yet) whether they're Democrats or Republicans. I always make sure to tell them that some Republicans are good--I don't want to be like the people on hate radio, and I can respect an opinion that differs from mine as long as it's not based on greed or hatred--and Chafee was one of the good ones.

[liberalpragmatist]

17. Chafee himself felt the same way!

One of the most extraordinary statements I ever heard a politician say came from Chafee. After he was defeated, he was interviewed about the '06 elections and commented that it was a good thing that voters had punished Bush and the Republican Party. When the interviewer asked the obvious follow-up -- if that was the case than wasn't your defeat "a good thing"? Since without your defeat Democrats wouldn't have retaken the Senate.

Chafee's response: Yes.

ON Edit: Here's the statement from his book:

> http://www.projo.com/news/content/LInc_Chafee_01-27-08_PD8NPTK_v102.182ab97.html

“The system works best when power remains in the hands of the voters,” writes Chafee. “I was a casualty of the system working in 2006, and while defeat is never easy, I give the voters credit: They made the connection between electing even popular Republicans at the cost of leaving the Senate in the hands of a leadership they had learned to mistrust.”

[renate]

33. what a great guy!

Now I'm even sadder that he lost, of course....

(And still glad, for exactly the same reason he said. What a selfless attitude he has. After reading what he wrote, I have my first Republican crush! :loveya:)

[bdamomma]

25. he was in the place at the wrong time, he had that (R) after his

name and he took a hit, maybe he should go independent or Dem.

His dad would be proud of him, his dad's party is no longer.

[Tarc]

6. A shame he didn't just jump ship and switch parties

He would still be in the Senate now. I admire his ideals of wanting to preserve the Rockefeller Republican tradition...I used to be one of those myself...but the numbers over there are simply too overwhelming to overcome now.

[90-percent]

7. honorable

Chaffee was a rare breed; An honorable Republican. Chuck Hagel seems like another one. If only Chuck crashed five fighter planes maybe he'd be running instead of McCain?

Too bad Chaffee had to be a casualty of the anti-republican backlash.

I'm more a content of their character kinda guy than a partisan.

-90% Jimmy

[alwysdrunk]

12. I used to think McCain was similar to Chaffee

I still think it's the RNC that made him do all this pandering to the base bullshit. McCain may be a war monger and an economic know-nothing, but the divisiveness Chaffee is coming out against is the same thing McCain used to say he was against too.

[sallyseven]

8. However the dems have Whitehouse who is

a much better senator. He makes Chaffee look weak. I write him all the time. I don't live in RI and he answers me. He doesn't have to but he does.

[bdamomma]

26. Senator Whitehouse seems like he knows his stuff and Leahy

was quite impressed with him. We will hearing more from Senator Whitehouse, I am glad I voted for him.

[liberalpragmatist]

37. Well, his last name almost requires him to run for the top someday

nt

[Jennicut]

9. I like Sheldon Whitehouse but the purging of the Rethug party of its liberals and moderates

has become its undoing and has made it radical side stronger. Lets face it, we will probably always have a two party system and its best to have two parties that allow some dissension and some good ideas in (like the blue dog dems). Chafee is a good man and I am proud he is finally standing up to the Rethug crap. I would love to have him as my senator any day in next door CT. We can kick Joe Loserman out.

[90-percent]

15. Chaffee replacing Lieberman in Connecticut?

Yeah, I'd support that, if he converted to democratic!

Good idea!

I donated and lawn signed for Ned Lamont. Connecticut has it's share of low information voters too, it seems.

-90% Jimmy

[Oak2004]

21. I think there's good chance in the next several years we'll see the rise of a new major party

I think the GOP may have succeeded in marginalizing itself. It may stick around for a while but as a minor party (or the extremists might slowly drift away into any one of a number of marginal parties, and the GOP will wither into nothingness).

[MarjorieG]

22. The GOP will rise again, but not as its Confederate core. The moderate realists will be back...

an help us govern. We are a two party system; we just have to get rid of the neo-con ideologues.

[Oak2004]

23. The moderates are pretty much gone

It's the true conservatives left in the party who are the moderating forces. They are however a minority: most of the party consists of neo-cons, freepers, and religious extremists.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

24. The remaining few sane Repigs are going to have to oust the wingnuts,

the fascist nationalists (largely coextensive with the fundymentalpatients) and the neocons. That doesn't leave them with much, but it is a core they could rebuild around. The 'pigs are done if they don't return to practical, moderate conservatism like that espoused by Ike, Ford and (gulp) even Nixon.

[tomp]

32. if we don't develop a strong progressive/left party soon, we'll all be dead.

the democratic party as it is is utterly useless.

[Forkboy]

10. My father and I were just talking this morning about Chaffee being one of the only sane Repubs.

Guess this helps prove that point. :)

[bdamomma]

27. Chafee voted against the Iraq invasion too.

probably the only repig who did.

[Supersedeas]

11. I expect more and more Republicans who still remember the meaning of integrity to

endorse Obama.

Do not dignify the politics of division and hatred with a vote for McRove.

[madfloridian]

13. Chafee campaigned in FL for Obama

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2630

[usregimechange]

16. Kick!

[gemlake]

20. He voted for Bush?

I'm glad he was thrown out of office.

[book_worm]

38. how do we know? he might not have voted for president at all.

[liberalpragmatist]

40. See below - nt

[liberalpragmatist]

39. No -- he did a write in vote for George H.W. Bush

He said he couldn't bring himself to vote for George W. Bush, but he didn't want to burn his bridges completely yet. So he did a write-in vote for Bush pere.

[fujiyama]

28. He should have gone Indy

and promised to caucus with Dems in the senate.

He would have won easily and there would have been no real need to run an opposition candidate.

Sucks what happened, but sometimes...that's what has to haPPEN.

[mzmolly]

29. "The Obama Effect"

;)

Wonderful!

[Colobo]

31. Good stuff!

[TooRaLoo]

34. That is outstanding!

He was good in RI. Too bad he had an 'R' next to his name. :(

[ChiciB1]

36. Chafee Is A Good Guy... It Was Hard To See Him Lose... But We Needed

to have a Democrat. Wish he would change his party affiliation! I've always liked him.

I'd bet Chuck Hagel will vote for Obama too!