Obama Republican
Encyclopedia
United States
President
Barack Obama
, a member of the Democratic Party
, was endorsed or supported by some members of the Republican Party
and by some political figures holding conservative views in the 2008 election
. Republican and conservative Obama supporters were often referred to as "Obama Republicans", "Obamacans" or "Obamacons".
Republican and conservative supporters of Obama included elected officials, former elected officials, academics, commentators, and retired military officers. According to exit polls on Election Day, 9% of those who identified themselves as Republicans voted for Barack Obama, up slightly from the 6% of self-identified Republicans who voted for John Kerry
in 2004
.
victory speech: "We are bringing together Democrats
and independents
, and yes, some Republicans. I know there's — I meet them when I'm shaking hands afterwards. There's one right there. An Obamacan, that's what we call them." In another speech, he said, "We, as Democrats right now, should tap into the discontent of Republicans. I want some Obama Republicans!" In his call for Republican votes, Obama referred to Ronald Reagan
, who he says "was able to tap into the discontent of the American people...to get Democrats to vote Republican— they were called Reagan Democrats."
. The organization grew to include over 2,500 registered members from across the United States
, and was featured in USA Today
, The New Yorker
and other media throughout the 2008 Presidential Campaign
.
in July 2007. Insight's story focused on Obama's character as contrasted with the then Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. In January 2008, Andrew Sullivan
of The Atlantic also praised Obama's character and personality. In March 2008, Andrew Bacevich
, writing in The American Conservative
, said that "principled conservatives" should consider voting for Obama since he promised a quick end to the Iraq war; which Bacevich said had contributed to the growth of federal and presidential power. Bruce Bartlett
, writing in the New Republic
, cited Obama's opposition to the Iraq war as the main issue which appealed to conservatives. Also mentioned were his opposition to some parts of the PATRIOT Act
and his possible support for school vouchers.
In June 2008, Republican Douglas Kmiec
was denied Roman Catholic communion
for his support of Obama, due to an interpretation of church policy and Obama's pro-choice
stance. In June 2008, Washington Post commentator Robert Novak
blamed the policies of President George W. Bush
for Republican defections to the Obama camp and suggested that Republicans Colin Powell
and Chuck Hagel
might soon declare their support for Obama. In July 2008, African-American libertarian
-conservative columnist Thomas Sowell
criticized "Obamacons" and advised them to more seriously consider Obama's liberal positions on many issues before supporting him over Republican candidate John McCain
—despite Sowell's previous strident criticism of McCain.
On October 19, 2008, Colin Powell
, who served as President George W. Bush
's first Secretary of State
, endorsed Obama in an appearance on Meet the Press
. Calling Obama a "transformational figure," Powell cited John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin
(who Powell believed is not "ready to be president"), Republican personal attacks on Obama, and Obama's ability to improve strained relations between the U.S. and its allies as reasons for his choice.
The Republican party reported a total of 700 Republican voters in Iowa who voted for Obama during the January 2008 caucuses, and 500 in Colorado
during their February 2008 caucuses. Polls in late February 2008, the height of the Democratic primaries and the point at which the Republicans had virtually decided on John McCain, showed that up to 14% of Republicans supported Obama. Some disenchanted or moderate Republican donors who contributed to the George Bush campaign in 2004
have donated to the Obama campaign.
Following General Powell's endorsement, other prominent republicans continued to join the ranks of Republicans who had decided to vote for Senator Obama, including: Former Massachusetts
Governor William Weld
, former Minnesota
Gov. Arne Carlson
, former spokesman for President George W. Bush, Scott McClellan
, and prominent conservatives Ken Adelman and Charles Fried
.
This wave of endorsements led The Economist
to publish an in-depth examination of "The Rise of the Obamacons" and their influence:
The rush of Republicans and other conservatives openly endorsing Barack Obama
was the subject of satire on the television show The Colbert Report on October 29, 2008, which drew record ratings with a self-serving endorsement by the conservative host character played by comedian Stephen Colbert
.
The Wall Street Journal characterized the Obamacans as "the latest sign that the Republican Party's
coalition is fracturing."
's, was weaker than what Al Gore
received. In August, Andrew Romano of Newsweek
stated that the polls he had read indicate the cross-over voters "cancel each other out." However The Economist
cited a poll in late October 2008 that indicated Obama was "winning 22% of self-described conservatives, a higher proportion than any Democratic nominee since 1980."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, was endorsed or supported by some members of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and by some political figures holding conservative views in the 2008 election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Republican and conservative Obama supporters were often referred to as "Obama Republicans", "Obamacans" or "Obamacons".
Republican and conservative supporters of Obama included elected officials, former elected officials, academics, commentators, and retired military officers. According to exit polls on Election Day, 9% of those who identified themselves as Republicans voted for Barack Obama, up slightly from the 6% of self-identified Republicans who voted for John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
in 2004
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
.
Etymology of "Obama Republican"
On February 12, 2008, Barack Obama mentioned Obama Republicans in his Potomac primaryPotomac primary
The Potomac primary , also called Chesapeake Tuesday, the Beltway primary, and the Crabcake primary, was the confluence of three Democratic presidential primaries and three Republican presidential primaries which took place on February 12, 2008.- Republican primaries :*District of Columbia...
victory speech: "We are bringing together Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
, and yes, some Republicans. I know there's — I meet them when I'm shaking hands afterwards. There's one right there. An Obamacan, that's what we call them." In another speech, he said, "We, as Democrats right now, should tap into the discontent of Republicans. I want some Obama Republicans!" In his call for Republican votes, Obama referred to Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, who he says "was able to tap into the discontent of the American people...to get Democrats to vote Republican— they were called Reagan Democrats."
RepublicansforObama.org
RepublicansforObama.org was founded in December 2006 by John Martin, a US Navy reservistUnited States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
. The organization grew to include over 2,500 registered members from across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and was featured in USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
and other media throughout the 2008 Presidential Campaign
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
Commentary and events
Conservative praise for Obama was highlighted in the conservative Insight MagazineInsight (magazine)
Insight on the News was an American conservative print and online news magazine. It was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate then owned by the Unification Church, which owned The Washington Times and now owns United Press International and newspapers in Japan,...
in July 2007. Insight's story focused on Obama's character as contrasted with the then Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. In January 2008, Andrew Sullivan
Andrew Sullivan
Andrew Michael Sullivan is an English author, editor, political commentator and blogger. He describes himself as a political conservative. He has focused on American political life....
of The Atlantic also praised Obama's character and personality. In March 2008, Andrew Bacevich
Andrew Bacevich
Andrew J. Bacevich, Sr. is a professor of international relations at Boston University and a retired career officer in the United States Army...
, writing in The American Conservative
The American Conservative
The American Conservative is a monthly U.S. opinion magazine published by Ron Unz. Its first editor was Scott McConnell, his successors being Kara Hopkins and the present incumbent, Daniel McCarthy....
, said that "principled conservatives" should consider voting for Obama since he promised a quick end to the Iraq war; which Bacevich said had contributed to the growth of federal and presidential power. Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Bartlett
Bruce Bartlett is an American historian who turned to writing about supply-side economics. He was a domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan and was a Treasury official under President George H.W. Bush....
, writing in the New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, cited Obama's opposition to the Iraq war as the main issue which appealed to conservatives. Also mentioned were his opposition to some parts of the PATRIOT Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
and his possible support for school vouchers.
In June 2008, Republican Douglas Kmiec
Douglas Kmiec
Douglas W. Kmiec is an American legal scholar, author, and former U.S. ambassador. He is the Caruso Family Chair and Professor of Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University School of Law. Kmiec came to prominence during the United States presidential election, 2008 when, although a Republican, he...
was denied Roman Catholic communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
for his support of Obama, due to an interpretation of church policy and Obama's pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
stance. In June 2008, Washington Post commentator Robert Novak
Robert Novak
Robert David Sanders "Bob" Novak was an American syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author, and conservative political commentator. After working for two newspapers before serving for the U.S. Army in the Korean War, he became a reporter for the Associated Press and then for...
blamed the policies of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for Republican defections to the Obama camp and suggested that Republicans Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
and Chuck Hagel
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002...
might soon declare their support for Obama. In July 2008, African-American libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
-conservative columnist Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is an American economist, social theorist, political philosopher, and author. A National Humanities Medal winner, he advocates laissez-faire economics and writes from a libertarian perspective...
criticized "Obamacons" and advised them to more seriously consider Obama's liberal positions on many issues before supporting him over Republican candidate John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
—despite Sowell's previous strident criticism of McCain.
On October 19, 2008, Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
, who served as President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's first Secretary of State
Secretary of State (U.S. state government)
Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
, endorsed Obama in an appearance on Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
. Calling Obama a "transformational figure," Powell cited John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
(who Powell believed is not "ready to be president"), Republican personal attacks on Obama, and Obama's ability to improve strained relations between the U.S. and its allies as reasons for his choice.
The Republican party reported a total of 700 Republican voters in Iowa who voted for Obama during the January 2008 caucuses, and 500 in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
during their February 2008 caucuses. Polls in late February 2008, the height of the Democratic primaries and the point at which the Republicans had virtually decided on John McCain, showed that up to 14% of Republicans supported Obama. Some disenchanted or moderate Republican donors who contributed to the George Bush campaign in 2004
George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2004
This article is about the presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the former President of the United States and winner of the 2004 Presidential Election. See George W. Bush for a detailed biography and information about his full presidency, and George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000 for a...
have donated to the Obama campaign.
Following General Powell's endorsement, other prominent republicans continued to join the ranks of Republicans who had decided to vote for Senator Obama, including: Former Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Governor William Weld
William Weld
William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...
, former Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Gov. Arne Carlson
Arne Carlson
Arne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:...
, former spokesman for President George W. Bush, Scott McClellan
Scott McClellan
Scott McClellan is a former White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, and author of a controversial No. 1 New York Times bestseller about the Bush Administration titled What Happened. He replaced Ari Fleischer as press secretary in July 2003 and served until May 10, 2006...
, and prominent conservatives Ken Adelman and Charles Fried
Charles Fried
Charles Fried is a prominent American jurist and lawyer. He served as United States Solicitor General from 1985 to 1989. He is currently a professor at Harvard Law School.-Early life and education:...
.
This wave of endorsements led The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
to publish an in-depth examination of "The Rise of the Obamacons" and their influence:
The biggest brigade in the Obamacon army consists of libertarians, furious with Mr Bush’s big-government conservatism, worried about his commitment to an open-ended “war on terror”, and disgusted by his cavalier way with civil rights. ... For many conservatives, Mr Obama embodies qualities that their party has abandoned: pragmatism, competence and respect for the head rather than the heart. Mr Obama’s calm and collected response to the turmoil on Wall Street contrasted sharply with Mr. McCain’s grandstanding. ... How much do these Obamacons matter? More than Mr McCain would like to think. The Obamacons are manifestations of a deeper turmoil in the Republican rank-and-file, as the old coalition of small-government activists, social conservatives and business Republicans falls apart. They also influence opinion. ... The more tantalising question is whether the rise of the Obamacons signals a lasting political realignment. ... If the Republican Party continues to think that the problem lies with the rats, rather than the seaworthiness of the ship, then the Obamacons are here to stay.
The rush of Republicans and other conservatives openly endorsing Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
was the subject of satire on the television show The Colbert Report on October 29, 2008, which drew record ratings with a self-serving endorsement by the conservative host character played by comedian Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
.
The Wall Street Journal characterized the Obamacans as "the latest sign that the Republican Party's
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
coalition is fracturing."
Polling data
The final election Gallup Poll, from October 27 to November 2, indicated 10% of Republicans supported Obama instead of McCain, compared to 7% of "McCain Democrats." Gallup also indicated his support among self-described conservatives, although stronger than John KerryJohn Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
's, was weaker than what Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
received. In August, Andrew Romano of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
stated that the polls he had read indicate the cross-over voters "cancel each other out." However The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
cited a poll in late October 2008 that indicated Obama was "winning 22% of self-described conservatives, a higher proportion than any Democratic nominee since 1980."
Republican elected officials who endorsed Obama
- Former IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Congressman and former Republican and Independent presidential candidate in the 1980 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 1980The United States presidential election of 1980 featured a contest between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican opponent, Ronald Reagan, as well as Republican Congressman John B. Anderson, who ran as an independent...
, John B. AndersonJohn B. AndersonJohn Bayard Anderson is a former United States Congressman and Presidential candidate from Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative from the 16th Congressional District of Illinois for ten terms from 1961 through 1981 and an Independent candidate in the 1980 presidential election. He was previously...
. Anderson left the Republican party in 1980 to continue his then-presidential candidacy as an Independent. - Former MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Governor Arne CarlsonArne CarlsonArne Helge Carlson, Sr. is an American politician and the 37th Governor of the state of Minnesota.-Early years, education and family:... - Former Rhode IslandRhode IslandThe state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
Senator Lincoln ChafeeLincoln ChafeeLincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon...
. Two years later, he was electedRhode Island gubernatorial election, 2010The Rhode Island gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010. It was preceded by the primary election on September 14, 2010. Incumbent Republican Governor Donald Carcieri was term-limited in 2010...
Governor of Rhode Island as an Independent - Obama's avowed neutrality in the race was viewed by some, including the Democratic nominee, as a tacit endorsement of Chafee. - Former MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Senator David DurenbergerDavid DurenbergerDavid Ferdinand Durenberger is an American politician and a former Republican member of the U.S. Senate from Minnesota.- Early life :...
supported John Kerry in the 2004 election, leaving the Republican Party. He now supports Obama. - Former OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Congressman Mickey EdwardsMickey EdwardsMarvin Henry "Mickey" Edwards is a former Republican congressman who served Oklahoma's 5th congressional district from 1977 to 1993.-Education and early career:...
voted for Obama; announced one day after the election. - Former KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
Congressman, Nixon Administration Deputy Secretary of Defense and United States Permanent Representative to NATOUnited States Permanent Representative to NATOThe United States Permanent Representative to NATO is the official representative of the United States to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Representative has the rank of full ambassador and is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate...
Robert F. EllsworthRobert Fred EllsworthRobert Fred Ellsworth was a United States' legislator and diplomat. He served as the United States Permanent Representative to NATO between 1969 and 1971... - Former MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Congressman Wayne GilchrestWayne GilchrestWayne Thomas Gilchrest is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives who represented . In 2008, the moderate Gilchrest was defeated in the Republican primary by State Senator Andy Harris....
(who was an outgoing incumbent at the time) told WBAL-TVWBAL-TVWBAL-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station in Baltimore, Maryland. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11. It is one of the flagship stations of Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, which also owns sister radio stations WBAL and...
that he voted for Obama in a January interview. - Former VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Governor Linwood Holton, father-in-law of former Governor Tim KaineTim KaineTimothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
(D-VA) - Former IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
Congressman Jim LeachJim LeachJames Albert Smith "Jim" Leach is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa. In August 2009, he became Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities .... - Former MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Senator Charles Mathias, Jr.Charles Mathias, Jr.Charles McCurdy "Mac" Mathias, Jr. was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing Maryland from 1969 to 1987...
Mathias was a liberal Republican who was often at odds with the conservative wing of the party as a senator. - Former South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
Senator Larry Pressler - Former ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Governor and Senator Lowell Weicker. Weicker left the Republican Party in 1988 after a campaign in which prominent Republicans supported his opponent, Joe LiebermanJoe LiebermanJoseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
. He supported Democrat Bill BradleyBill BradleyWilliam Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
in 2000 and Howard DeanHoward DeanHoward Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
in 2004 for the presidency. - Former MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Governor William WeldWilliam WeldWilliam Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department... - MayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Lou ThieblemontLou ThieblemontLouis P. 'Lou' Thieblemont is an American Democratic politician from Pennsylvania, currently serving as mayor of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.Thieblemont was elected as a Republican, being a lifelong member of that party...
of Camp Hill, PennsylvaniaCamp Hill, PennsylvaniaCamp Hill is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 2 miles southwest of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,636 at the 2000 census...
. Thieblemont switched his party registration from Republican to Democrat so that he could vote for Obama in the Pennsylvania primaryPennsylvania Democratic primary, 2008The 2008 Democratic primary in Pennsylvania was held on April 22 by the Pennsylvania Department of State in which voters chose their preference for the Democratic Party's candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. Voters also chose the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's candidates for various...
. - Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Jim WhitakerJim whitakerNorris J. "Jim" Whitaker is an American politician of the Republican Party who served as mayor of Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, from 2003 to 2009. Prior to his mayoral term, Whitaker served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. In October 2003 he was elected borough...
endorsed Obama and delivered a speech on the second day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention2008 Democratic National ConventionThe United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
in Denver, ColoradoDenver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
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Other national Republican figures who endorsed Obama
- Ken Adelman, former diplomat, director of the Arms Control and Disarmament AgencyArms Control and Disarmament AgencyThe U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency was established as an independent agency of the United States government by the Arms Control and Disarmament Act , September 26, 1961, a bill drafted by presidential adviser John J. McCloy. Its predecessor was the U.S. Disarmament Administration, part...
, and member of the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board - Wick AllisonWick AllisonWick Allison, birth name Lodowick Brodie Cobb Allison , is an American magazine publisher and author. He currently is the owner of D Magazine, a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth, which he co-founded in 1974, and the principal owner of People Newspapers, which he purchased in...
, former publisher of National ReviewNational ReviewNational Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
, - Jack Antaramian, Florida real estate developer and Bush fundraiser
- William DonaldsonWilliam H. DonaldsonWilliam Henry Donaldson was the 27th Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission , serving from February 2003 to June 2005...
, former Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission under George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
(2003–05) - Ken Duberstein, former Reagan chief of staff
- Julie Nixon EisenhowerJulie Nixon EisenhowerJulie Nixon Eisenhower is the younger daughter of 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon, and sister to Patricia Nixon Cox....
, daughter of former President Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, granddaughter-in law of Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army... - Susan EisenhowerSusan EisenhowerSusan Elaine Eisenhower is a consultant, author, and expert on international security and relations between the Russian Federation and the United States of America. She is the daughter of John Eisenhower, and the granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower...
, granddaughter of Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
and president of the Eisenhower Institute. After endorsing Obama, Eisenhower announced on August 21, 2008 that she was leaving the Republican Party. - Charles FriedCharles FriedCharles Fried is a prominent American jurist and lawyer. He served as United States Solicitor General from 1985 to 1989. He is currently a professor at Harvard Law School.-Early life and education:...
, former U.S. Solicitor General and former McCain advisor. - CC Goldwater, granddaughter of former Arizona Senator and Republican Presidential candidate Barry GoldwaterBarry GoldwaterBarry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
(endorsing Barack Obama on behalf of herself, her sibling, and some of her cousins) - Lilibet Hagel, wife of Senator Chuck HagelChuck HagelCharles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel is a former United States Senator from Nebraska. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002...
(R-NE) - Rita E. Hauser, Former White House intelligence advisor for George W. Bush
- Actor and former Bush supporter Dennis HopperDennis HopperDennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
voted for Obama, citing his admiration of the Democratic nominee and particularly his dislike of Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah PalinSarah PalinSarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
. - Larry Hunter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Policy Innovation and Chief Economist for the Free Enterprise Fund, former Reagan policy advisor
- Rear Admiral John HutsonJohn HutsonJohn Dudley Hutson is a retired United States Navy rear admiral, attorney, and former Judge Advocate General of the Navy. He is the outgoing dean and president of University of New Hampshire School of Law in Concord, New Hampshire, having served in the position since 2000.Dean Hutson holds a B.A....
, USN (ret.), former Judge Advocate General of the NavyJudge Advocate General of the NavyThe Judge Advocate General of the Navy is the highest ranking uniformed lawyer in the United States Department of the Navy. The Judge Advocate General is the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations on legal matters pertaining to the Navy...
and the current dean and president of Franklin Pierce Law CenterFranklin Pierce Law CenterThe University of New Hampshire School of Law, formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center, is an American Bar Association-accredited law school located in Concord, New Hampshire. It is the only law school in the state. It was founded in 1973 by Robert H...
. - Legal scholar Douglas KmiecDouglas KmiecDouglas W. Kmiec is an American legal scholar, author, and former U.S. ambassador. He is the Caruso Family Chair and Professor of Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University School of Law. Kmiec came to prominence during the United States presidential election, 2008 when, although a Republican, he...
- Scott McClellanScott McClellanScott McClellan is a former White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, and author of a controversial No. 1 New York Times bestseller about the Bush Administration titled What Happened. He replaced Ari Fleischer as press secretary in July 2003 and served until May 10, 2006...
, White House Press SecretaryWhite House Press SecretaryThe White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
under George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
from 2003–2006. Author of controversial book, What HappenedWhat HappenedWhat Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception is the #1 New York Times bestseller of Scott McClellan, who served as White House Press Secretary from 2003 until 2006 under President George W. Bush. The book was scheduled to be released on June 2, 2008; however,...
. - Tricia Mosley, former staffer to Senator Strom ThurmondStrom ThurmondJames Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...
- Paul O'Neill, United States Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
from 2001–02 under George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... - Colin PowellColin PowellColin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
, former Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. - David Ruder, Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission under President Ronald Reagan
- Radio Host Michael SmerconishMichael SmerconishMichael A. Smerconish is an American radio and television personality, newspaper columnist, author and MSNBC Political Analyst. His talk radio show is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at The Big Talker 1210 AM WPHT. He began his full time radio career in 2002...
Later switched to Independent. - Tag Tognalli, former Reagan White House Staff, 1981–1989 and Connecticut McCain Delegate to 2000 Republican National Convention2000 Republican National ConventionThe 2000 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States convened at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 31 to August 3, 2000. The 2066 delegates assembled at the convention nominated Texas Governor George W. Bush as the Republican candidate for U.S....
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Support for Obama from writers afflicted with conservatism
- Andrew BacevichAndrew BacevichAndrew J. Bacevich, Sr. is a professor of international relations at Boston University and a retired career officer in the United States Army...
, Professor of International Relations at Boston UniversityBoston UniversityBoston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
. - Christopher Buckley, author, son of conservative figure William F. Buckley, Jr.William F. Buckley, Jr.William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
- Francis FukuyamaFrancis FukuyamaYoshihiro Francis Fukuyama is an American political scientist, political economist, and author. He is a Senior Fellow at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford. Before that he served as a professor and director of the International Development program at the School of...
, author, key figure in the rise of neoconservatismNeoconservatismNeoconservatism in the United States is a branch of American conservatism. Since 2001, neoconservatism has been associated with democracy promotion, that is with assisting movements for democracy, in some cases by economic sanctions or military action....
and loosely affiliated with conservatism. Fukuyama left the neoconservative movement following the Iraq War and supported John Kerry in the 2004 election. - Jeffrey HartJeffrey HartJeffrey Peter Hart and raised in New York, New York, is a cultural critic, professor emeritus of English at Dartmouth College, essayist, and columnist who lives in New Hampshire, United States. After two years as an undergraduate at Dartmouth, he transferred to Columbia University, where he...
, senior editor of National ReviewNational ReviewNational Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
magazine. - Dorothy KingDorothy KingDorothy King is an American archaeologist and historian who lives and works in England. Described as someone who "breaks the mould of the dusty academic", she is the author of a 2006 book on the Elgin Marbles defending the British retention of the Marbles against Greek claims, and a former Fellow...
, archeologist, author, and conservative blogger. - Scott McConnellScott McConnellScott McConnell is an American journalist best known as a founding editor of The American Conservative.In 1968, as a student at a New Hampshire boarding school, McConnell canvassed for Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy. After receiving a Ph.D in history at Columbia University, McConnell returned...
, editor of the American Conservative, a magazine associated with Patrick Buchanan. (McConnell had also endorsed John Kerry in 2004.) - John Patrick DigginsJohn Patrick DigginsJohn Patrick Diggins was a professor of history at the City University of New York Graduate Center, the author of more than a dozen books on widely varied subjects in American intellectual history.-Biography:...
, distinguished professor of history at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Writing in the American Conservative, Diggins wrote "I prefer the professor to the warrior." - Andrew SullivanAndrew SullivanAndrew Michael Sullivan is an English author, editor, political commentator and blogger. He describes himself as a political conservative. He has focused on American political life....
, commentator and author of The Conservative Soul, who had also endorsed John Kerry in 2004.
See also
- Party switchingParty switching in the United StatesIn the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office...
- Reagan DemocratReagan DemocratReagan Democrat is an American political term used by analysts to denote traditionally Democratic voters, especially white working-class Northerners, who defected from their party to support Republican President Ronald Reagan in both the 1980 and 1984 elections. It is also used to refer to the...
- Bush DemocratBush DemocratBush Democrat is a term for members of the Democratic Party and American liberals who have endorsed or supported Republican members of the Bush family for political office.-Democrats who have endorsed Republican Bush family members for political office:...
- Democratic and liberal support for John McCain in 2008
External links
- Obamacons: Conservatives that support Obama National Public Radio June 13, 2008.
- Republicans for Obama