Obama snags more Republican endorsements

Barack Obama likes to talk about Obamacans –- disaffected Republicans who have pledged their support for his presidential candidacy.

On Tuesday he snagged an especially prominent one -- former GOP Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa.

Leach, who served 15 terms in the House, made his endorsement announcement during a conference call with former Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, who was a Republican while in the Senate but is now an independent. Chafee has supported Obama since the Democratic primaries.

Leach told reporters that he was concerned about the Bush administration's "philosophy of government” and worried that Republican John McCain would be “more of the same.” “I'm convinced that the national interest demands a new approach to our interaction with the world," Leach said.

During the call Leach twice suggested that Obama choose Sen. Chuck Hagel as a running mate. If Hagel, a Nebraska Republican and longtime friend of McCain’s, were to join an Obama ticket, he’d be the biggest-name Obamacan in the country. (A Hagel spokesman, however, told USA Today on Tuesday that the senator won’t be making any endorsements in this election.)

Leach wasn't the only "Republican for Obama" who emerged today. In a development that could help Obama make inroads in Alaska, Obama’s campaign announced that he was also being backed by the Republican mayor of Fairbanks North Star Borough, Jim Whitaker.

Whitaker, who told the Daily News-Miner that he likes Obama's energy policy and believes the Democrat has the stronger "intellectual capacity" of the two candidates, said: "My goal is to let Republicans have a clear understanding that their right to vote should not be restricted by any party affiliation."

Whitaker supported McCain in the 2000 Republican primary.

The Obama campaign, hoping to recruit more Obamacans, says it will soon launch a new website to get Republicans to vote for Obama.

-- Kate Linthicum

Comments

[Ed]

I am a guy who has always voted Republican and still sympathize with their viewpoints on less government. But Bush and his Iraq war, not to mention other issues, has soured me and this is one guy who will definitely vote for Obama. I hope there's plenty more like me!

[Landslide]

This is no surprise. Chafee and Leach have never been part of the mainstream of the Republican Party. It means nothing. Neither one holds office anymore. And neither one is likely to sway any voters.

Leiberman is a much bigger asset to McCain than either of these rinos is to Obama.

McCain has consistently been more bipartisan than Obama. Just look at their records. Of course Obama is so inexperienced that he hardly has a record.

[VJ Machiavelli]

WHO CARES.

VJ machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[Nathan]

I was Republican, and loved Reaga; but this party has become the party of corruption, special favors, and are now mafia-like. McCain is a low class hack and I wouldn't trust him to lead a Boy Scout troop, let alone this country.

Barack aligns with my core values and he inspires others. He will have my vote.

Obama 2008

[The Diplomat]

VJ machiavelli, obviously you do or you wouldn't have come to this page and commented.

[S.A.]

I don't care who endorse Barack Hussein Obama, they will not sway me to vote for him. Obama does not qualify for president nor senator. I see this man as un-american and he cares more about our enemies around the world than this country. Didn't he say he's a citizen of the world? What is wrong with you people, can't you see he has the support of every low life in the world. The democratic party is now being led by radicals of every kind. Where did Obama go to school? He appears more foreign than american. There are a lot of guilt feeling white people voting for Obama. If he wins you may not like what you get.

[Dee]

Obama is a decent man, and decent people will support him.

McCain is not, and never will be decent. Those who share his lack of morals will vote for him regardless of the harm that could be done to this country. Evil seeks evil deeds and results.

[NinaK]

I don't care who endorse Barack Hussein Obama, they will not sway me to vote for him. Obama does not qualify for president nor senator. I see this man as un-american and he cares more about our enemies around the world than this country. Didn't he say he's a citizen of the world? What is wrong with you people, can't you see he has the support of every low life in the world. The democratic party is now being led by radicals of every kind. Where did Obama go to school? He appears more foreign than american. There are a lot of guilt feeling white people voting for Obama. If he wins you may not like what you get.

Posted by: S.A.
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S.A. Are you nuts, like John McCain?? Don't you know the United States is NOT an island unto itself?? I don't know what planet you live in, but it can't possibly be God's green earth. WE ARE ALL CITIZENS OF THE WORLD, we just happen to live in different countries in which coexist on this planet and this world. IF you do not think you are a "citizen of this world" maybe you should launch yourself off our planet. Your comment is so silly, you make me laugh!! McCain is also pretty darn laughable with the crapola he spews. He is one big LIAR and DECEIVER!! Hey, maybe you can get him to launch off plant earth with you!!

[Jens]

For any real conservative, as opposed to the power-above-all-else "conservative", there are only two choices in this race: Obama or Bob Barr. Obama will lower taxes on almost all Americans, conserve our natural heritage, and lead a principled, realistic foreign policy. McCain will remain a sell-out to the wanna-be aristocracy that can't remember how many houses they have. If you can't bring yourself to vote for Obama - first check the facts (if McCain wins, it will be because people believe intentionally spread lies, reason enough to vote against him) and if you can't vote for Obama because of honest conservative principles, vote Libertarian. We need two honest choices again...McCain isn't one of them.