Former Republican Chafee to address Democratic convention

[highplainsdem]

Source: Washington Post

Lincoln Chafee, the Republican-turned-independent who currently serves as the governor of Rhode Island, will address the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night.

Chafee served a single full term in the Senate (as a Republican) before being unseated by now-Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D) in 2006. He won the governorship in Rhode Island as an independent in 2010, after leaving the GOP in 2007. During their time in the Senate together, Chafee and Obama formed a bond.

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Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/08/31/former-republican-chafee-to-address-democratic-convention/

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More from the Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2012/08/31/ris_gov_chafee_to_address_democratic_convention/

Chafee's office said he is scheduled to speak between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday at the convention in Charlotte, N.C. Chafee's address will come shortly before a speech by first lady Michelle Obama.

The former Republican is a co-chairman of Obama's re-election campaign. In a Friday statement announcing the convention speech, Chafee said Obama has been "a friend to Rhode Island."

"His policies have brought valuable benefits to the people of our state during historically difficult times, and I am proud to explain to the convention audience why I -- a former Republican -- and lots of people like me are supporting the president's re-election," Chafee said.

Chafee served in the U.S. Senate with Obama. Chafee left the Republican Party in 2007 and backed Obama in his 2008 presidential run.

[DonCoquixote]

1. It's nice to offer these former GOP warriors

Like Chaffe and Crist a place to be, but let us not forget the fact that the Blue Dog invasion helped ruin a lot of our chances to do what is needed. Offer them a blanket, warm meals, and lodgings, but make it very clear that they are NOT going to run the house.

[Blue_Tires]

2. Chafee is a good guy

I got to meet and talk with him a couple of times...He's in that mold of old-school socially liberal New England republican (of course when Bush Jr. came along, the GOP began to systematically force them out), and he's actually to the left of a lot of mainstream moderate dems, especially on environmental issues...

[JudyM]

6. +1 As a former RI'er, everything I've read/heard about him seems like he's got integrity

An issues guy, not in the pocket of lobbyists/corporations, though i'm sure many have tried. i give him credit for standing out there on his own, with everything being so polarized.

It'll be interesting to hear what he has to say... and he may be a more persuasive speaker than hard-core lefties, for those undecided voters in the viewing audience.

[valerief]

3. Nice, but are any hard-core liberals going to speak, too? nt

[Mary in S. Carolina]

4. Another Former Repubican

Several former Republicans have jumped off the Tea Party Republican Bandwagon and are now voting for President Obama - including myself; lets keep the momentum going. Note - several of my Republican friends are not voting this year, because they refuse to vote Democrat, but they also refuse to vote for Romney/Ryan/Koch/Rove/Palin/Limbaugh/Blah/Blah/Blah/Hate/Hate/Hate.

[JudyM]

5. Welcome to DU, Mary in SC

Glad to have your perspective among us!

[BlueMTexpat]

7. Welcome to DU, Mary!

And when he was in the Senate, Chafee was a better "Democrat" than most of our Blue Dogs ever were, whatever letter followed his name.

After leaving the Senate, he also left the Republican party and is now an Independent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Chafee