Republican mayor in Iowa fed up with Republicans, will caucus for Obama

[maximusveritas]

Interesting story.
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/51/31_01iowamayor.html
I don't think the Republican candidates have done enough to differentiate themselves from Bush, so they risk losing many former Republicans to the Democrats.

The longtime Republican mayor of this tiny heartland town will stun his neighbors — and send shockwaves that will reach his countrymen in the real Brooklyn — when he breaks ranks with the GOP to vote for Sen. Barack Obama at the Iowa caucuses this Thursday.

“After eight years of this administration, I’ve had it,” Mayor Loren Rickard told The Brooklyn Paper, which sent a reporter to Brooklyn, Iowa — population 1,200 — for the “first-in-the-nation” caucus.

And Rickard said he’s not only dissatisfied with the president, but with his would-be successors.
“I’ve been a moderate Republican all my life and I simply don’t recognize these people ,” he said. “Meanwhile, the Democrats have six solid candidates — though I think Kucinich is a bit out there.”
Rickard singled out Joe Biden and Obama for praise — but said he wouldn’t back Biden because “he can’t win.”

This seems to confirm that Biden and Obama appeal the most to dissatisfied moderate Republicans and Independents.

[DemKR]

1. another right winger for obama n/t

[UrbScotty]

9. Did you read the story? He's a MODERATE.

Besides, isn't it your candiidate whom Repubs would most want to face?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

12. If the guy is a lifelong moderate Republican

...then there's a good possibility that he's somewhere to the left of Hillary Clinton.

[alteredstate]

13. They're going to love you in Iowa!

Be sure to give it all you've got when you get there!

[alteredstate]

21. I sure hope you're doing your best for your candidate in Iowa!!!

[indimuse]

22. lol..

so obvious...

[Ilsa]

2. K&R! Thanks for the post!

[Debi]

3. Go Brooklyn, Iowa!

:woohoo:

[flpoljunkie]

4. It's called "crossover" appeal, and Obama does best. This is one reason he is our best hope in '08.

[maximusveritas]

10. Yep

and in light of the new DMR poll, it's one of the reasons he might pull off the upset in the Iowa caucuses.

[MethuenProgressive]

5. Obam can't win the Iowa caucus without Republican help.

And bus loads of Illinois college students.

[loveangelc]

15. oh. is there a problem with college students now?

[Stop Cornyn]

6. I can see why a Republican elected official would gravitate toward Obama.

[harmonicon]

8. So can I, but I don't like it

I'm not comfortable with the Democratic party now being the party for everyone but right-wing nut-jobs. The fact that a self described "moderate republican" likes all of the Dems except Kucinich says volumes. Even after this administration, I think a lot of Democratic and Republican voters and folks in government are pretty close on a lot of issues. Maybe they should form this new "unity" party and leave the repubs with the nut cases and the Dems with.... well, Democrats.

[sandnsea]

11. No, they're rejecting wingnuttery

That's a good thing. It's only logical they would come back to the Dem Party. That's why we need a candidate who can welcome them, but hold true to his Democratic values the way Obama did in Illinois.

[harmonicon]

14. I'm glad they're rejecting the wingnuttery, which is good

but I think the Democratic party should stand for more than "not wingnuts". These folks should either be working on taking their own party back (yes, likely a lost cause) or forming a new one that they're comfortable in. I don't think Kucinich is really all that left-wing - he just seems like it since the Dems have become so all-encompassing. If a new dem thinks DK is TOO left wing (as opposed to just a bit left of their own feelings) for them to feel comfortable being a member of the party he's a member of, I don't know if we should welcome them in.

[sandnsea]

19. There will still be a fight within the party

That's not going to change no matter who the candidate is. The problems are so much more complex than how far left Kucinich is. What it really amounts to is getting every single person in the country to say, okay, this is where I stand, but is there anything in that other person's view that I can tolerate. That's not compromise, that's putting all the acceptable solutions on the table and crafting policy that way. It's being respectful of single payer for instance, which Obama is, but also being respectful of someone who is terrified of an 8% tax increase, which I actually am. We all have to come together on talk, regardless of left right liberal fundie. It's always been true that there have been stark differences of opinion, but it hasn't been quite as true that everyone has been labeled a traitor just for disagreeing.

Personally I still wish the Green Party would have seen this coming and strengthened their ranks with some rational policy positions and representatives so the two main parties would be Green and Dem. I think we've probably missed the chance to do that though.

[harmonicon]

20. I would welcome 3, 4 or more national parties

not just greens and dems. Hell, I wouldn't mind being in a minority party if it meant that there was also a strong Green Party - it would make the political climate far more tolerable. My fear is that the Democratic party is becoming so all-encompassing, that it is defined by what it is not, more than by what it is. If most pre-Bush, and definitely pre-Reagan, Republicans would now be considered Democrats, what does it mean to be a Democrat? What is there to unify the party? We are no longer the opposition and can't accept being defined by that alone. Sure, there can and should be differences within the party, but not so many differences that there is no definition.

[Yael]

7. This should be entertaining

:popcorn:

[alteredstate]

16. k & r n/t

[Colobo]

17. We're ready to win with OBAMA!

[FrenchieCat]

18. Good move on the mayor's part.....

We can change America, one person at a time.

BTW, Isn't it Edwards who promises to have Republicans in his cabinet?
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/NEWS09/712040382/-1/caucus

So I guess it has got to be OK for Obama to have a Republican Mayor Caucus for him, right? :shrug: