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The Obamacons Who Worry McCain
Washington Post ^ | 6/26/08 | Robert Novak

Posted on 06/26/2008 3:03:27 AM PDT by MartinaMisc

What is an "Obamacon?" The phrase surfaced in January to describe British conservatives entranced by Barack Obama. On March 13 the American Spectator broadened the term to cover all "conservative supporters" of the Democratic presidential candidate. Their ranks, though growing, feature few famous people. But looming on the horizon are two big potential Obamacons: Colin Powell and Chuck Hagel.

Neither Powell, first-term secretary of state for George W. Bush, nor Hagel, retiring after two terms as a U.S. senator from Nebraska, has endorsed Obama. Hagel probably never will. Powell probably will enter Obama's camp at a time of his own choosing. The best bet is that neither of the two, both of whom supported President Bush in 2000 and 2004, will back John McCain in 2008.

Powell, Hagel and lesser-known Obamacons harbor no animosity toward McCain. Nor do they show much affection for the rigidly liberal Obama. The Obamacon syndrome is based on hostility to Bush and his administration and on revulsion over today's Republican Party. The danger for McCain is that desire for a therapeutic electoral bloodbath could get out of control.

That danger was highlighted in a June New Republic article on "The rise of the Obamacons" by supply-side economist Bruce Bartlett, who was a middle-level official in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations. He expressed "disgust with a Republican Party that still does not see how badly George W. Bush has misgoverned this country" -- echoing his scathing 2006 book, "Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy." While Bartlett says "I'm not ready to join the other side," his anti-Bush furor characterizes the Obamacons.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Nebraska
KEYWORDS: 2008; brucebartlett; bush; colinpowell; hagel; mccain; novak; obama; obamacons
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To: DTogo
While Bartlett says "I'm not ready to join the other side," his anti-Bush furor characterizes the Obamacons.

Bartlett isn't an "Obamacon" which is a ridiculous term. He just didn't like Bush's spending, which of course Obama will increase by huge numbers.

21 posted on 06/26/2008 3:51:11 AM PDT by normy (Don't take it personally, just take it seriously.)
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To: Perdogg
Powell probably will enter Obama's camp at a time of his own choosing. The best bet is that neither of the two, both of whom supported President Bush in 2000 and 2004, will back John McCain in 2008.

If Powell supports Obama it will be only because he wants a black President.

22 posted on 06/26/2008 3:53:00 AM PDT by normy (Don't take it personally, just take it seriously.)
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To: normy

Oh Puleese...the WaPo must have needed to ‘balance’ their reporting, (hoping to divert attention from their poor financials)and Novak fit the bill for the putative Conservative....the only one whose phone # is on the Editor’s speed dial. Faux Conservative for some faux balance for a faux newzpaper!


23 posted on 06/26/2008 4:00:13 AM PDT by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: MartinaMisc
Do opposites attract in politics? If someone is voting for Obama, it's not because they are conservative.
24 posted on 06/26/2008 4:00:25 AM PDT by GBA
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To: Perdogg

Exactly, I wonder if Novak knew about this donation?


25 posted on 06/26/2008 4:02:54 AM PDT by moose2004 (Go Ahead, Make My Day)
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To: iopscusa
For there to be an actual "Obamacon" would mean that person never actually had any core beliefs and I say good riddance to the phony.

Obama offers nothing new, he is more liberal than Hillary on probably every issue and he's a fake.

26 posted on 06/26/2008 4:03:12 AM PDT by normy (Don't take it personally, just take it seriously.)
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To: MartinaMisc
The Obamacon syndrome is based on hostility to Bush and his administration and on revulsion over today's Republican Party

Really?

I thought it was a direct result of the dumbing down of our culture by the media. The fact that attention spans are all of .5 seconds and everyone is more concerned with the cult of personalitry than reality.

A society that was told even by the administration that took it to war, go ahead live as if nothing has changed.

Greatest country on earth, and we have a small percentage of population actually fighting the war and a even smaller percentage that follow it! The rest fat, dumb and happy, it's not hatred of Dubya, that got us B. Hussein.

Obama is a direct result of a lazy society and marketing like this ad that ran on Indiana radio..."He's cute".

Amazing, if wasn't so damn dangerous.

27 posted on 06/26/2008 4:07:03 AM PDT by Kakaze (Exterminate Islamofacism and apologize for nothing.....except not doing it sooner!)
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To: MartinaMisc
Novak uses a few recognizable names here to perpetuate the Obama tidal wave scenario, which will wash across the U.S. and sweep Barry into the POTUS seat. The anonymous conservatives and Christians far outnumber the morons who are caught up in the Barry O fad. Come November, with Iraq a success and home heating prices through the roof, it's going to be a far different story. In my heart, I truly believe that Americans will reject radical socialism as a means of governance.
28 posted on 06/26/2008 4:13:19 AM PDT by ishabibble (ALL-AMERICAN INFIDEL)
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To: Kakaze

Well said! Thank you!


29 posted on 06/26/2008 4:13:56 AM PDT by jazzlite (esat)
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To: ishabibble

...”In my heart, I truly believe that Americans will reject radical socialism as a means of governance”...

They will if they can think independently of the revisionists of current history who are adept at changing the impression of any event only days after everyone witnessed the unfolding of it. I am astonished that this population does not pick up on the “in your face” flip-flops from politicians. Regarding a drastic change in our governance of America, who knows what the MSM will feed to this nation of sheep.


30 posted on 06/26/2008 4:22:09 AM PDT by jazzlite (esat)
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To: MartinaMisc

Should be ObamaCOMS.


31 posted on 06/26/2008 4:24:02 AM PDT by sbMKE
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To: MartinaMisc

Can I introduce the term “Obamunist” for all of his supporters?


32 posted on 06/26/2008 4:42:17 AM PDT by madconservative
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To: madconservative

Actually, I just googled “Obamunism” and it looks like plenty of other people have thought of it...


33 posted on 06/26/2008 4:44:34 AM PDT by madconservative
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To: madconservative

Love that!


34 posted on 06/26/2008 5:34:53 AM PDT by Aggie Mama
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To: goldstategop
Is Bob Novak getting senile?
Did he have the nerve to call Chuck Hagel and Colon Powell conservatives? Chuckie has worked diligently to undermine The Repub party and Bush on the War on terrorism and accused Bush of being a liar. Chuckie and his WIFE have donated to OBama and she is promoting Obama .
Bob Novak has lost it . Where is the Susan Eisenhower reference the Lib media alawys uses, the so called repub that was spamming people on there phones for JOhn Kerry in 2004 ! I read all about how the Obama camp has been carefully peddling this spin about these so called repub for Obama. It's nice that Novak has been suckered by a Obama PR campaign and is now spreading this BS .
35 posted on 06/26/2008 6:33:33 AM PDT by ncalburt
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To: rhombus

Exactly.


36 posted on 06/26/2008 6:36:22 AM PDT by ncalburt
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To: MartinaMisc

My advice to any Republican who votes for Obama is to stay there. Don’t come weaseling back to the GOP after the election.


37 posted on 06/26/2008 7:08:17 AM PDT by driftless2
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To: DTogo
"indeed"

baloney. Bush is the best prez since Reagan.

38 posted on 06/26/2008 7:10:09 AM PDT by driftless2
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To: MartinaMisc
But looming on the horizon are two big potential Obamacons: Colin Powell and Chuck Hagel.

Maybe the MEDIA considers Powell and Hagel to be conservatives, but I don't think conservatives do. I've always thought they were more moderate than conservative.

39 posted on 06/26/2008 7:10:50 AM PDT by SuziQ
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To: DB

There were no GOP ‘overlords’ deciding who our nominee would be this year. There was a wide open primary; the first we’ve had in over a generation, where there was neither an incumbent President or Vice President running for office. There were several conservative candidates, and conservative votes were split among them. Nothing wrong with that; that’s the way it happens in primaries. McCain ended up with a plurality of the votes, so he’s the nominee. We who supported others may not like it worth a dang, but that’s what we have. We can support the nominee, as most of his rivals in the primaries have asked us to do, or we can pout, bitch and moan, and watch the Democrats have the White House again. I, for one, don’t want a Democrat naming the next three Supreme Court Justices. We’re only now getting out from under the liberal judicial activism of the last 30 years, I’d hate to see more of it.


40 posted on 06/26/2008 7:18:47 AM PDT by SuziQ
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