According to the political website www.politics1.com, it seems that Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) might be thinking again about jumping ship... or running for President...
www.politics1.com:
US Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) is cozying up these days with Religious Right leader Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family. According to an email alert message sent out by Dobson to supporters, Nelson spoke with him by phone and "assured" him that he now supports the proposed US Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Nelson reportedly says a May federal court ruling that voided Nebraska's Defense of Marriage law is the reason he changed his position. According to Dobson, Nelson will also help the Republicans by supporting "up-or-down votes on all but one of President Bush's embattled judicial nominees." Nelson is up for re-election in '06, and told his state's largest newspaper late last year he was even considering a run for President in '08.
A bit of editorializing here: I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Nelson switches parties sometime over the next two years (either before or after he wins re-election) -- not that he's much of a Democrat anymore.
I don't know what to think about this one... it all seems a bit contradictory.
First I do'nt hold a big belief in what Dobson says... the man is an extremist who would sell his mother to further his cause...
Secondly... I thought it was the Nebraska Supreme Court who invalidated the Nebraskan Defense of Marriage law and not a Federal judge (I could be wrong though).
Thirdly: thinking about running for President? For which party! I can accept a conservative democrat like Nelson as a Senator from a conservative state like Nebraska (big tent anyone?) but how would he manage to get nominated as the Democratic candidate with those credentials: he can't. Were he to jump ship and change his party affiliation, I don't see how the GOP would accept a "newcomer" as their candidate when they have enough cndidates of their own: they wouldn't. So I think Nelson runing for Prez is bogus.
I just hope that Nelson keeps in the Democratic party. I wouldn't want Sen. Exon having to turn in his grave... to see what has become of his succession. Nelson might be conservative but in my book he is still welcome as a member of the Democratic party. I don't care if he votes for Nebraska first, after all that's his job, but he needs to keep closing ranks with the other dems (of which are also some from deep red states but who close ranks far more easily) on the fundamental partyline issues of the day.
Lastly: a question: why do democrats (Shelby, Campbell, R. Alexander,...) desert the Democratic party to become Republicans but not reverse?
Why don't Republicans from deep blue states change parties but stick to a party they're not exactly welcome anymore...? Whereas in the reverse case, Dems seem not to hesitate to jump ship...