Just a little happy news for your Sunday night / Monday morning. Michael Smerconish, in an article to appear in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday, will explain why after 28 years of voting for republicans, he will vote this year for Obama.
First, some background on Smerconish: He hosts the morning drive-time talk show daily on WPHT-AM (1210) which is the Philadelphia right wing talk radio station. WPHT is also home to Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly, etc. A Philadelphia lawyer turned political commentator, Smerconish is a fill-in host for Bill O'Reilly on the Radio Factor, and a guest host for Joe Scarborough on MSNBC's Scarborough Country. He has often appeared on the Today Show, It's Your World with Neil Cavuto and Hardball with Chris Matthews. He writes an opinion column in the Inquirer's Sunday Currents section.
He starts the article by saying:
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 amid the crowd at an Obama event in North Philadelphia.
Smerconish goes on to cite terrorism, the economy, choice of VP, opportunity and hope as factors that contributed to his decision. Go and read the article, its short, sweet and to the point.
Coming on the heels of the Powell endorsement, this just proves that the rational intelligent republicans out there will see through the McCain's "Country First" facade and truly vote based on what is best for this country. Smerconish is respected by the wingnuttiest sections of America, and while this endorsement may not change of lot of minds there, you've got to admire the guy for speaking his mind and probably burning his bridges.