Conservatives Voting for Obama: In Their Own Words

There are a number of people in my life -- some family, some friends, some colleagues -- with whom I have never agreed upon anything political. Ever. These are my political opposites. My bizarre-o twins. And they have been my adversaries in countless debates; the kind nobody ever wins, but nobody ever seems to tire of, either.

Sadly, politics have become sort of a new sports league in modern culture. We don't really listen to each other's points of view so much as we pick a side and root for it. And just as with our favorite sports teams, our faith in our parties can become blind. I have had about as much success convincing my Republican father-in-law of my liberal points of view as I have had convincing my father, an Ohio State alumnus, to root for Michigan.

But over the last few months, something unprecedented has happened. Almost all these folks have told me that, for the first time ever, they are voting for the same candidate I am: Barack Obama.

Now, these are not casual conservatives. These are people who, each in their own way, are deeply committed to their conservative beliefs. For most, this will be the first time they have voted for a Democrat in their entire lives. And when taken as a whole, they represent a fair cross section of the Republican Party. Some younger, some older. Some fiscally driven, some culturally driven. But almost all, up until now, have been intractable. Yet here we all are, staring down the barrel of a remarkably nasty presidential election, all in a rare moment of agreement. I figured this simply could not be an anomaly. Perhaps this was a groundswell.

I started asking around and found a number of my liberal friends were having a similar experience. So we asked these folks if they would appear on camera and share with the world why they changed. It seemed to me that the most convincing argument a conservative on the fence could hear might not come from a liberal, or even from Obama himself, but instead, from one of their own; a conservative who had crossed over. So we turned on the camera, and they did the rest.

I fully expected the results to be compelling and convincing. And they are. What I didn't expect was the emotional wallop these unscripted interviews deliver. A combination of deep disillusionment with the last eight years, disappointment in John McCain's candidacy, and an undeniable draw to Obama brought these people to a political decision that was deeply personal and courageous. It became clear to me that these were more than interviews. These were confessions.

This is what democracy is supposed to be. These people actually listened, considered and were open to the possibility of change. They didn't support a candidate. They actually chose one. And while I'm happy this year they are voting for "my team," they also inspired me to be more open in my own political life.

I thought we were making an ad campaign about Obama. But I think we ended up making an ad campaign about the essential ingredient that makes democracy work: an open mind. We don't belong to our political parties. Our political parties belong to us.

Go to www.ConservativesForChange.com to see all of the videos.

Comments

[MorpheusXNYC]

I now have hope for this country's intellectual potential again..

[mercuryguy]

da mn good video clip!!

No-Drama / Obama'08

[mercuryguy]

damn good video clip!!

No-Drama / Obama'08

[marasgram18]

folks here is something interesting I saw on Matthews last night the last time we had a ticket for president where there was not a Bush or a Nixon running either as president or vice president was 1928. That is astounding think about it

[sonshine]

I thought I heard a if Liddy Dole loses it'll be the first time since 1928 that there wasn't a Bush or a Dole in public office. Oh well. Either way it's a good thing.

[jcadv]

maybe i missed the point? what about '96: clinton/gore v. dole/kemp? or '76: ford/dole v. carter/mondale?

[Smirk]

You didn't miss the point. When Mathews said it, I knew it had to be wrong.

[MOregon]

This is soooooo heartening! For too long the Republicans have been projecting that the "evil" is all over there - anywhere but in their own party. Perhaps the in essence two-party system has allowed for this dichotomy, but now we have a chance in Barack Obama to get beyond this circuitous ridiculousness and work for the common good of this nation and our neighbors.

Very good video!

[EgbertSouse]

Eric, thank you for a great post and video.

The next time I feel annoyed watching or listening to a commercial, instead of ranting, I'll remember this post and your video, and smile.

[legalactor]

Welcome to the club!

I was a lifelong Republican until two events happened.

The first was the local Young Replicans endorsing Pat Buchanan and saying that David Duke was okay to vote for back when the first Bush was running for re-election.

The second was an editorail by Ann Rifkin telling the audience on a "Nightly Business Report" segment that America has traditionally treated it's workers like crap. I had to think a minute, but I realized that she was right. This was back in 2004 or 2005.

Nothing coming from a Republican mouth, including from my sister and brother-in-law has conveniced me that the GOP is run by a bunch or self-serving Fascists. They need a long-term time out to re-think who they are and what they stand for.

[eliot99]

Add me to the list. Lifelong registered republican and retired military. Voted republican in every election since 1976. Obama already has my early vote here in Georgia.

[mdatucson]

Thank you for your vote and thank you for your military service :)

[BadgerinNJ]

Wow! Common denominator? These Republicans are smart, educated, and articulate. And obviously open minded enough to do what's right.

[hotstuff]

So are those at republicansforobama.com! There's a lot of us out there. So when you blog at huffo be kind to all, not just Dem's.

[alexis d]

"Sadly, politics have become sort of a new sports league in modern culture. We don't really listen to each other's points of view so much as we pick a side and root for it."

On one level, I agree with this- it is what we have, to some extent, become. On another, I think there is a national hunger for more authenticity in our public discourse. In spite of bloviating punditry, bad behavior by his adversaries, and a media that WANTS to turn it into entertainment, I believe Barack Obama owes his success more than anything to authentically leveling with the American people.

That is the untold story, untold because to acknowledge that truth, the media would have to acknowledge that they truly play a more marginal role in the public's relationship with its elected leaders than they pretend to. How many times, this year alone, have they pronounced x or y to be the "prevailing conventional wisdom" only to be proven wrong by events? Perhaps it's not that "we were all wrong" so much as they were telling the public a story, and the public wasn't buying.

[KTM]

Very interesting. My sister, a life-long Republican now in her mid-forties (sorry sis!), is voting for a Democrat for the first time in her life: Barak Obama. She lives in PA, and there seems to be a trend. Of course, she's a fiscal conservative, not a whacked-out social conservative, so she's witnessed the fleecing of America by the Republicans these last 20+ years and sees great potential in Obama. Trickle-down, Reagan economics just didn't fly, and she's understanding that now. As proud as I am of her vote, I won't rub it in!

[Fremon]

The Republican ideology was based on pure faith that people would act along their principles. This was very seductive as it preached fiscal responsibility, smaller government, and the markets to self correct for the better. It was based on an ideal rationality of how humans would act and what would work. What failed was how humans would act. For example, the richer people became the more benefits would trickle down; Reagan and the Republican presidents that followed increased the debt of this country more than all the others combined; a budgeted surplus that Clinton had was to be given back to the people and mostly the rich, so don't save (Remember Cheney saying that Reagan proved deficits don't matter; trickle down so where did the average worker benefit with no increase in wages and loss of jobs; under Bush the average person would get back $1000 more per year which was eliminated by the tax code and increased state taxes that followed (so who benefited); increase the military spending and waste as the B1 Bomber and the Osprey when we didn't have enough money to up armour the Humvees for Iraq; morality? more Republican have been caught for corruption and having sordid marriages and sex lives then Democrats; Deceit? Lies to get us into war that was one of choice. and Nixon; So really how did the Republicans in power serve the interest of the people at large rather than wedge groups for guns, God, and against Gays.

[JDHART]

Would you people talk to my brother-in-law? He still hasn't caught on.

[lvdragonlady]

Do what I do and send the link in an email to him.
Let him decide without any pressure.

[H8Fauxpublicans]

finally a breathe of fresh air in this campaign from people who know how to think. How "Country First" of them ;)

[Spesabsquemetu]

This is a captivating video and captures exactly the kind of comments being heard in various parts of the community. I would add that small business owners have also compared health care, and tax policies and determined that they will do far better with Barack Obama and that this country is in desperate need of change from 8 years of the McCain-Bush doctrines that McCain voted in favor of 90% of the time that Bush was in office, that have ultimately caused great harm and suffering all across this nation.

All it takes to bring about change is VOTING.

VOTE FOR CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN!

Obama/Biden '08, '12

[tersan]

The nightmare is ending, and the long, important dialogue for the soul of this country is beginning.

[jeffp26]

Yes, and we can have that conversation with intelligent people, like the ones in this video.

Not the ones who knee jerk.

[lvdragonlady]

It is not over yet and we have to keep working to make sure everyone's votes and that the votes are counted. It will be over on Nov 5 and not one day sooner.

VOTE
DRIVE SOMEONE ELSE SO THEY CAN VOTE.