Pro-Clinton Democrats leave national conference for Republican hosted happy hour

by Hazel | August 26, 2008 at 03:39 pm
906 views | 44 Recommendations | 13 comments

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It's been said that politics make strange bedfellows; the anti-Obama backlash in the Democratic Party has added new credence to that belief as John McCain supporters hosted a "Happy Hour for Hillary" event during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. The happy hour get together was sponsored by the Republican National Committee and approved by McCain himself.

"Four years ago, if you said we'd be at a Hillary happy hour at the DNC, I would have called you crazy. But today is a great opportunity for people who ... agree that Sen. Barack Obama doesn't have the experience to be president of the United States," said McCain campaign regional communications director Tom Kise.

The common theme that has united Republicans and Democrats isn't something noble, such as world peace or environmental responsibility. No, what has caused the left and right to clasp hands and raise a glass together is a shared dislike of Barack Obama's presidential candidacy. Was the drink of choice at this happy hour gathering a big glass of whine made from sour grapes?

As Michelle Obama was giving her "One Nation" unity speech in a downtown Denver cafe, disenfranchised Clinton supporters were breaking party ranks and drinking with the enemy. Some disgruntled Clinton supporters appear to be switching party allegiances and voting for the enemy as well.

"I'm a registered Republican ... for the first time in my voting life," Archuleta said. "No Obama for me. I'm voting for John McCain."

"He reminds me of what the Jimmy Carter era was like. ... If they think Jimmy Carter had it bad, just wait if Obama gets into the White House. That will be bad news in so many ways," she added.

What is it about Obama that has so many Democrats and Republicans alike, up in arms? Obama's lack of political experience seems to be the uniting factor. The message of change that has been the cornerstone of Obama's campaign is seen as naive and redundant by many Democrats and Republicans.

Leland Kritt, a McCain supporter who made his way to Denver from Los Angeles, California, said Obama's message of 'change' is simply flawed.

"The simple fact remains, change will occur anyway, no matter who the president is. For every man, woman and child, change will happen. Question is: who is best able to handle that change?" the 51-year-old Republican said.

The Republican Party has been aggressively courting Clinton supporters ever since Obama won the Democratic candidacy. Efforts further intensified when Obama announced Sen. Joseph Biden as his running mate.

As the Democratic Convention was kicking off, the Republican Party was banking on the upset over the Obama-Biden ticket by running campaign commercials geared toward Clinton supporters. The ads, which use Clinton's "3 a.m." spot as a foundation, are set to run in the regions that have been most unsettled by the Obama-Clinton party divide, like Denver and New York.

recommend This comment thread is now closed
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Hazel

Can somebody tell me why all that weird text is messing up this piece?

0
politisite

see my email

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julianw

That can happen when you transfer text from a word document. If this happens again in the future, click on the html button in "edit" mode, find the weird text, and delete it there.

politisite
politisite
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:40 on August 26th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

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Hazel

Whoever fixed the crazy text... thanks!

julianw
julianw
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:53 on August 26th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Jarrett Martineau
Jarrett Martineau
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:54 on August 26th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

duo
duo
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:59 on August 26th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Anyone who approaches the question of who to support for the nation's highest offices, president and vice president, must do so soberly and with full knowledge that voters are not only choosing between particular candidates, but which political party will lead the nation for the next four years.

With all due respect to persons referred to as "Clinton supporters," a group to which I belonged, I would think that when you support someone, you honor and respect their wishes.  Hasn't Senator Clinton made it clear ever since she left the presidential race that she supports Sen. Obama for president?  Has that changed?

If Clinton supporters prefer America's position right now in terms of international diplomatic relations, respect for the Constitutional rights of citizens, and our economy in comparison to how we fared in those areas at the end of President' Clinton's administration, then they should indeed vote for more of the same. 

It is the rightful prerogative of all voters to support the candidates and parties they feel will do the best job for America.  However, I certainly hope that whoever speaks to me from the Oval Office in 2009 will not have gained that position because of spiteful voters.  I hope that person and the party he/she represents are placed in power because the majority of voters sincerely believe that he/she is more capable of meeting the tremendous challenges America faces at home and abroad.

Mary

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eastvanray

I'll drink to that!

BigT
BigT
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 21:42 on August 26th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

You've gotta believe that HRC is loving the way this is developing. She wants to run in 2012 and that ain't going to happen if Obama becomes president.

Barry Artiste
Barry Artiste
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 22:03 on August 26th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

0
IsraeliLawStudent

See article on Joe Biden - http://www.nowpublic.com/world/who-joe-biden

Milieunet
Milieunet
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 00:02 on August 27th, 2008

Hazel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

McCain has no chance at all in my opinion.

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