Conservative Talker endorses Obama

[top gun]

Conservative Talk Show Host Michael Smerconish joins General Colin Powell and an ever growing line of Republicans saying... I'm voting for Obama. Obama has thought things out well, I believe he'll do a better job than John McCain. He's impressed me and I trust him.


In Philly, Conservative Talk Radio Host Backs Obama
October 17, 2008

On his talk show on WPHT today, conservative Philadelphian Michael Smerconish endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

Smerconish did so by reading a couple paragraphs from his pending op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"I’ve decided," he said. "My conclusion comes after reading the candidates’ memoirs and campaign platforms, attending both party conventions, interviewing both men multiple times, and watching all primary and general election debates.

"John McCain is an honorable man who has served his country well. But he will not get my vote. For the first time since registering as a Republican 28 years ago, I’m voting for a Democrat for president.

"I may have been an appointee in the George H.W. Bush administration, and master of ceremonies for George W. Bush in 2004, but last Saturday I stood amidst the crowd at an Obama event in North Philadelphia," says the Republican.

Smerconish has given us some more from his op-ed:

"Terrorism. The candidates disagree as to where to prosecute the war against Islamic fundamentalists. Barack Obama is correct in saying the front line in that battle is not Iraq, it’s the Afghan-Pakistan border. Osama bin Laden crossed that border from Tora Bora in December 2001, and we stopped pursuit. The Bush administration outsourced the hunt for bin Laden and, instead, invaded Iraq.

"No one in Iraq caused the death of 3,000 Americans on 9/11. Our invasion was based on a false predicate, so we have no business being there, regardless of whether the surge is working. Our focus must be the tribal-ruled FATA region in Pakistan. Only recently has our military engaged al-Qaeda there in operations that mirror those Obama was ridiculed for recommending in August 2007.

"Last spring, Obama told me, 'It’s not that I was opposed to war [in Iraq]. It’s that I felt we had a war that we had not finished.' Even Sen. Joe Lieberman conceded to me just last Friday that 'the headquarters of our opposition, our enemies today,' is the FATA."

Smerconish is taking a lot of heat from his fellow GOPers, as one might imagine.

 

[GenSeneca]

Congratulations to Obama. However, I didn't hear Smerconish give any reasons for endorsing Obama in your post.... The closest he came was talking about his "feelings" while standing among the crowd of adoring fans. Other than that, it was Monday morning quarter backing and crying over spilled milk.

I'd like to ask Smerconish exactly what part of Obamunism he finds compatible with Conservative ideology.

 

[top gun]

Congratulations to Obama. However, I didn't hear Smerconish give any reasons for endorsing Obama in your post.... The closest he came was talking about his "feelings" while standing among the crowd of adoring fans. Other than that, it was Monday morning quarter backing and crying over spilled milk.

I'd like to ask Smerconish exactly what part of Obamunism he finds compatible with Conservative ideology.

Smerconish was on Hardball and he went into his opinions and reasoning for supporting Senator Obama in much greater detail... add to that he answered well many questions Chris Matthews put to him about his decision to endorse and vote for Obama.

I probably didn't remember exact quotes but I'm very close to what he said.

Here's another angle from another source.


Michael Smerconish, Conservative Radio Host and Penn Grad Backs Obama
by Paul Tassi 10/20/2008

A colleague of Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hanity on the air, conservative talk radio host Michael Smerconish has now endorsed Barack Obama for president. He’s the latest in a flood of conservatives to jump on the Obama bandwagon, most noteably Colin Powell yesterday.

Sure a Michael Smerconish endorsement probably doesn’t carry the same weight as a Powell nod, but it’s just another shovel full of dirt on McCain’s political casket. So what prompted the unlikely switch? Let’s start with Bush.

The Bush administration outsourced the hunt for bin Laden and instead invaded Iraq.
No one in Iraq caused the death of 3,000 Americans on 9/11. Our invasion was based on a false predicate, so we have no business being there, regardless of whether the surge is working. Our focus must be the tribal-ruled FATA region in Pakistan. Only recently has our military engaged al-Qaeda there in operations that mirror those Obama was ridiculed for recommending in August 2007.

Last spring, Obama told me: "It's not that I was opposed to war [in Iraq]. It's that I felt we had a war that we had not finished." Even Sen. Joe Lieberman conceded to me last Friday that "the headquarters of our opposition, our enemies today" is the FATA.

Now how about McCain’s handling of the economy?

Jack Bogle, the legendary founder of the Vanguard Group, told me recently that McCain's assertion that the fundamentals of the economy were "strong" was the "stupidest statement of 2008." In light of the unprecedented volatility in the market, who can dispute Bogle's characterization and the lack of understanding that McCain's assessment portends?

And lest we forget, Ms. Congeniality herself, Sarah Palin.

We are left questioning the judgment of a candidate who bypassed his reported preferred choices, Lieberman and former Gov. Tom Ridge, and instead yielded to the whims of the periphery of his party. With two wars and a crumbling economy, Palin is too big of a risk to be a heartbeat away from a presidency held by a 72-year-old man who has battled melanoma. Advantage Joe Biden.

Sounds like all the typical talking points of a conservative forced to jump ship from his party because of the absurdity of not only their campaign, but the last eight years as well.

Who do you think will be the next high-profile Republican to endorse Obama?

 

[GenSeneca]

Still, that provided NOT ONE policy position that a CONSERVATIVE can agree with Obama on.... Like I said, his endorsement smells like the cult of personality, or disdain for McCain, more than an Ideological agreement on policy.

 

[GenSeneca]

Jack Bogle, the legendary founder of the Vanguard Group, told me recently that McCain's assertion that the fundamentals of the economy were "strong" was the "stupidest statement of 2008."

I realize that when you guys take McCains statements out of context like this, you are trying to avoid what McCain was actually saying.... SO...

He went on to explain that he felt the WORKERS of the US were the "fundamentals" he was referring to... and he felt the workers were strong and able to rebuild our economy.... Do you disagree?

Perhaps you do disagree with McCain and agree with Obama who thinks we can't tie our own shoes without the Government around to hold our hand....