Republicans voting for Obama...step inside

[Captain Tuttle]

I read today that Michael Smerconish has decided to vote for Obama after being a registered (R) for 28 years. This after Colin Powell and several other traditional (R) personalities.

I am trying to understand the thought process of making such a decision.

What factors are influencing you to vote Democrat this year. Specific policy factors: Abortion? National Security? Taxes? Gun Control? Something else?

What are the policy positions that Obama offers that helped you decide to break from the party and the core platform/ideology?

Let's try and keep this a friendly thread please. Thanks!

[T Durdin]

.... I am trying to understand the thought process of making such a decision.

Possibly Michael is suffering from some form of mental illness?

[PocketProtector]

Possibly Michael is suffering from some form of mental illness?

No doubt ...and white guilt I'm afraid

[adymond]

Smerkanish has jumped the shark IMO. He tried to make the case that we need change (FFS if I hear one more person say we need an O presidency because we need change I may go insane), and that he thinks Obama will be more steadfast in going after Osama Bin Laden. I think part had to do with getting the troops out of Iraq, but between Obama and McCain the only difference is McCain says we need to see that the job is finished, Obama wants out in 16 months (but he has been saying that for two years so I guess we should have been out 8 months ago). As it looks now we will have our combat troops drawn down in about a year and a half to two years. Obama only wants to withdraw combat troops too so both want to have troops in Iraq for the forseeable future. I don't really see a difference in their stances.

Sort of a similar topic I have been thinking about lately is the $10 billion per month figure (even though I think it is more like $9 billion) that is repeated. I would like to figure out how much of that would be spent in peace time. I mean what is the difference in the salaries of all troops in Iraq minus their salaries if they are not deployed in combat zones. How about the maintainance cost of all vehiclesthere vs peace time. I would bet the actual cost is not $10 billion a month.

[Tmoney]

You quote Jefferson saying "As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also", it's time to show them that we can reason again.

For the last 8 years we've been told to fear the "evil doers". We've been lied to about the reasons for going to war in Iraq. Our administration has replaced any military leaders that did not agree with the "number of boots on the ground" that would be needed. Colin Powell was fed misinformation and because of that he lied in front the the UN when presenting our case for going to war.

This republican administration suffered the attack of 9/11/01 after being in office for 3/4 of a year. This administration has seen our annual deficit and total debt increase year after year. This administration has botched attempts to handle natural catastrophes here at home. Now we have a huge financial crisis on our hands.

Oh yea, the administrations solution to all of these problems ... keep shopping.

As much as you hate to hear it, the time for a new direction has come.

[5711-Marine]

I read today that Michael Smerconish has decided to vote for Obama after being a registered (R) for 28 years. This after Colin Powell and several other traditional (R) personalities.

I am trying to understand the thought process of making such a decision.

What factors are influencing you to vote Democrat this year. Specific policy factors: Abortion? National Security? Taxes? Gun Control? Something else?

What are the policy positions that Obama offers that helped you decide to break from the party and the core platform/ideology?

Let's try and keep this a friendly thread please. Thanks!

I believe it to be self-serving, Smerconish has to do much less show prep with an Obama presidency.

[5711-Marine]

You quote Jefferson saying "As our enemies have found we can reason like men, so now let us show them we can fight like men also", it's time to show them that we can reason again.

For the last 8 years we've been told to fear the "evil doers". We've been lied to about the reasons for going to war in Iraq. Our administration has replaced any military leaders that did not agree with the "number of boots on the ground" that would be needed. Colin Powell was fed misinformation and because of that he lied in front the the UN when presenting our case for going to war.

This republican administration suffered the attack of 9/11/01 after being in office for 3/4 of a year. This administration has seen our annual deficit and total debt increase year after year. This administration has botched attempts to handle natural catastrophes here at home. Now we have a huge financial crisis on our hands.

Oh yea, the administrations solution to all of these problems ... keep shopping.

As much as you hate to hear it, the time for a new direction has come.

So the answer is to abandon all principles and vote for a party that stands in direct opposition on most issues?

Which candidate is looking to the future and which is lamenting the past?

[Exbiker]

Smerconish is and always will be hot air. He grew up in what is a yuppie area and went to CBW. Perhaps a career strategy.

[adymond]

Smerconish is and always will be hot air. He grew up in what is a yuppie area and went to CBW. Perhaps a career strategy.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I would bet his career will take off at MSNBC now. Pretty lame.

TMoney, without getting into a discussion here about the war in Iraq or many many other things in your post I will say a few things. Powell along with the intel agencies of every major world player said the same things. It's stupid to sit there and say "Bush lied" to the world when the world agreed. You also totally discount the 550 tons of highly enriched uranium that was shipped from Iraq to Canada this past summer. Reason with our enemies? I actually think we are doing more good now by helping rebuild Iraq (and don't give me the "well we are the ones that ruined the infrastructure" argument because that is total BS). We are showing we are not empire building. We are allowing the Iraqis to lead their lives and helping improve infrastructure to levels never seen under Sadam. As for other enemies, we have tried to reason with them. It rarely works with despots and dictators.

[BucksResident'07]

Its as simple as this... Smerconish isn't voting for Obama because of the issues. He has been swooned by "the messiah's" eloquence. This may be the most telling... before the democratic primaries had run their course, Smerconish stated on his radio show that, if he was a democrat, he would be supporting Obama over Clinton.

Michael is no conservative and has been angling for a shot on tv with msnbc for a while. His on-air cohorts, especially the green behind the ears college grad only speaks to agree with Michael, tell him what a great and balanced job he did on that interview, or discuss booze. Politics have been discussed less and less frequently since Smerconish listeners line up in droves to voice their displeasure. He has even resorted to asking his listeners to stop sending email which chastises his support of “the messiah”. In the mornings I prefer a local guy to a syndicated voice, but I won’t listen to his empty rhetoric. The good news for all of us southeastern Pennsylvanians is that his contract with WPHT is up on December 31, 2008!!!!


Do what I have did… make the switch to AM 990.


This is a great article on the issue:
http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/2...-endorses.html