Peter Wehner, who served until March of 2007 as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Strategic Initiatives, has an article out in today's Washington Post about why Republicans like Obama.
Barack Obama is not only popular among Democrats, he's also an appealing figure to many Republicans. Former GOP House member Joe Scarborough, now a host on MSNBC, reports that after every important Obama speech, he is inundated with e-mails praising the speech -- with most of them coming from Republicans. William Bennett, an influential conservative intellectual, has said favorable things about Obama. So have Rich Lowry of National Review and Peggy Noonan. And so have I.
Wehner goes on to say that a number of prominent Republicans that he knows would "wage a pitched battle against Hillary Clinton", but would find it hard to oppose an Obama nomination.
Some of the reasons Wehner sees as Republicans appreciating Obama is his eloquent and uplifting speeches:
Part of it is the eloquence and uplift of his speeches, combined with his personal grace and dignity. He seems to be a well-grounded, decent, thoughtful man. He comes across, in his person and manner, as nonpartisan. He has an unsurpassed ability to (seemingly) transcend politics. Even when he disagrees with people, he doesn't seem disagreeable. "You know what charm is," Albert Camus wrote in "The Fall," "a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question." Obama has such charm, and its appeal is not restricted to Democrats.
According to Wehner the second reason Republicans like Obama is he is running against the Clinton's, and yes that is plural. They see the Clinton's running as a political team that will destroy anyone who stands in their way of power.
The third reason is Obama's positive message of hope and unity; the American public has had enough of the Bush/Rove politics of divide and conquer and Obama is someone who will bring America together. Like he stated in his South Carolina victory speech:
"I did not travel around this state over the last year and see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina. I saw South Carolina."
I was a strong Edwards supporter, but listening to Obama's speeches I feel optimism and hope and I can completely see why there is a website called Republicans for Obama; Obama's message transcends party lines.
There is the part of me though that is angry as hell; a part of me who wants to see our candidates play hardball with the Repubs and hold them accountable for all the damage that has been inflicted the past 7 years, but I don't think that view is the majority. This view comes from my own extreme partisanship and from paying close attention to what has been happening in this country. The reality is most Americans have not been paying that close attention. They know Bush/Cheney are corrupt and underhanded, but they haven't been following the details like we have, and therefore don't know the true horrors of the crimes committed against the constitution and the American people. Yes, investigations and an impeachment inquiry would have opened their eyes, but that is not going to happen, so I'll take Obama's message of unity and hope. I'll take it because I'm tired and I'm ready for change.
Here is a Republican's take on why Obama is the Democrats Reagan:
Obama beat the Clintons like a drum tonight. And then he beat their sorry [deleted] again in this magnificent victory speech. Watch the speech. Really, watch: if this man gets his party's nomination, he's going to be the next president. By a landslide. And he is going to transform this country. If I were a Republican, I'd be very, very afraid. Oh wait, I am a Republican. Dang. Lord have mercy, I wish that man were a conservative. Because there's no doubt in my mind about what he can accomplish for liberalism if he's elected. You've heard of Reagan Democrats? Barack Obama is the Democrats' Reagan.