Chafee backs Obama: ProJo

By John McDaid | Thursday, 14 February 2008

This just moved on the ProJo news blog:

Alert: R.I.'s Chafee backs Obama

Former Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee today endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president, citing the Illinois senator’s longstanding opposition to the war in Iraq.
— Via ProJo 7 to 7

And RI Future is reporting that 500 people showed up last night at the Obama volunteer meeting in Providence. The money quote:

500 people.

I have never seen 500 people people show up to volunteer for anything in Rhode Island.
— via RI Future

Happy Valentines Day!

Tags: 
Localblogging, 02871

Comments

Wernerlll

Fri, 02/15/2008 - 6:59pm

The media is doing it again, favoring an unknown just as it did with Bush.
Bush got his break because of his father and Clinton because of her husband, so it seems to work but there is still to much misogyny to see a woman as Commander in Chief. If we want change, well, a woman would be real change. If not Hillary, then who? Who else will have a chance? I'm ready for a woman leader if nothing else to stop the insanity of war in a very crowded world that is shrinking. Only Hillary will be able to reverse the ills of the Bush policies.

Cheers,
Werner

John McDaid

Sat, 02/16/2008 - 7:44am

Hi, WernerIII...
Here's the problem with your argument: the media actually favored Clinton. She was practically annointed by the media as inevitable a year ago. But a funny thing happened: the people started voting. And as the people began to cautiously, slowly, vote their hearts instead of what the media told them to do (remember the surprise at Iowa?) they looked around and realized that they actually could decide this. And the stunning, lopsided victories Obama has been enjoying are the result of the people speaking. Not the media.

Look, I'm happy to blame the media for a lot of contemporary political ills. I was trained by Neil Postman. But not this time.

And while I respect Hilary, and agree with you that she would make a good President, I respectfully disagree that she represents the best chance for change. You have to admit that she would be so polarizing for Republicans that gridlock would be a very likely result, especially should the Democrats fail to secure a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Obama, however, has shown surprising strength with both Independents and even some Republicans, which I believe could allow for a much more constructive and productive relationship with Congress.

Cheers.
-j

Wernerlll

Sat, 02/16/2008 - 11:40am

Thank J for your reply and I am pleased that you were trained by
a Humanist (Neil Postman - God rest his Soul). While I would prefer to have Ron Paul running, it is calear that the plutocracy does not want to hear his words. So I tend to agree with you and go with the flow of the power brokers in the hope John McCain does not use some obtuse Swiftboating tactic against Obama.

Cordially,
Werner

gg

Sat, 02/16/2008 - 10:10am

I want to commend Lincoln Chafee on his good judgement to support Barack Obama. I still feel a little guilty about voting for Sheldon Whitehouse, since I had long admired Chafee. However, the need to control the Senate outweighed my admiration for Chafee. And . . . Whitehouse has been a remarkably effective freshman Senator. However, I see that Whitehouse has endorsed Hillary. Ironic that I first saw Barack at a Whitehouse rally - and clearly the "rock star" helped Sheldon's bid against Chafee!!! That's gratitude! Perhaps Sheldon should rethink his endorsement. Obama is clearly the class of the field.
Chafee for Governor!
Go Obama!
Go Red Sox!
GG