Explain it to me again, Obama supporters. Why is it okay

[TheDebbieDee]

for repukes to vote for Sen. Obama, but it is destructive to the Democratic party if repukes vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton.

[lisa58]

1. It's not...

...people should vote their conscience - no matter what party.

[ericgtr]

5. I completely agree with this.

[msongs]

2. ALL hail the new messiah, who's marketing strategy doesn't want competition nt

[babylonsister]

3. Depends on the motives. If rethugs are voting for Clinton because

Limbaugh told them to, that's pathetic. It's sabotage.

If they are voting for Clinton, or Obama, because they recognize a change is necessary, I think that's fine. If folks are anti-war and realize McCain just wants more of it, where are they going to turn?

[peoli]

4. Because they are voting for clinton to subvert Obama.

[Justyce]

8. and vice versa.

[calico1]

16. But when they vote for Obama it's because

they like him and intend to vote for him in Nov. right?

[hedgehog]

19. My niece and nephew are natural born right wingers. They are both out

working for Obama. They like him and intend to vote for him in November.

[calico1]

21. I don't doubt that.

What I do doubt is that all Republicans who voted for him in the primaries did so for the same reason.

I just find it interesting that when some Hillary supporters point out the possibilty of Republicans crossing over to vote for Obama to influence our election the Obama supporters claim that they are doing so because they all like Obama and will vote for h im in NOV. Yet they will use the same argument about Republicans voting for Clinton. That it is only to influence the election.

[Sulawesi]

6. well...

Regardless of who votes for whom, I think it is OK to crossover if you agree with the candidates message and might vote for them in the GE. I think it is not OK to crossover in order to help a candidate that you think your party to beat in the GE...How's that?

[Bigleaf]

7. I personally don't care. They can vote for her for whatever reason they want.

Having said that, I think we can all agree that Obama appeals to more Republicans and Independents (not for the purpose of sabotaging our party come the general election, I am talking real appeal) than does Hillary and that IS a good thing.

[alarimer]

31. And that is what bothers me most about Obama.

I don't want him to have to throw a bone or two to right-wing supporters, such as throwing away gay rights or something. Fuck the right wing and any right-wingers who support Obama. They (and Obama) need to understand that we are Democrats and will not abide a Democratic President kowtowing to any right-wing assholes just because they voted for him. I hope he throws THEM and their UnAmerican ways under that damn bus. So far the support of so many Republicans for Obama worries me a great deal. I think they expect (and may get given the rhetoric Obama has used) something in return. I think Republicans voting for Clinton are doing so because they think she will be easier to beat so they are making a little mischief with the process (another reason I support closed primaries) but with Obama, they might actually get something in return. I want Republicans run out of town on a rail. Those fucking assholes are why we are in this mess to begin with. Actually I want them to suffer. I certainly do not want to work with them

[Bigleaf]

32. Like it or not, Bush (and now McCain) have driven a lot of these Repubs over to take a look

at what we are offering and believe it or not, some like the "change" message Obama is putting forth or they like Hillary for various reasons. Not all people crossing over are shit-disturbers. I've heard many personal stories of people who are fed up with the Repubs and want to now join the good fight. Shit, I'm sure there are some posting on this board. I don't agree with Hillary but if a Repub votes for her, so be it. Same for Obama. I don't make the rules. In the open primaries/caucuses, you are free to vote for whoever you want. I don't believe either Hillary or Obama owes anybody anything but to be honest to Democratic values and lead with integrity.

[quiet.american]

9. They will vote for Clinton to skew the primaries, but will vote for McCain in GE.

That's really the bottom line. Republicans who support Obama through the primaries by and large plan to vote for him as well in the general election.

Repbublicans, or rather the ditto-heads, who voted for Clinton in the primaries did so because Limbaugh issued a command from on high. Some may not even have understood why they were doing it, except that if it came from Limbaugh, they knew the plan was somehow to hurt the Democratic Party, so they were in.

Rest assured that when the rubber meets the road, Republicans who claim to support Clinton will gleefully vote McCain. Obama has a much better chance of keeping Republican support through the general election to defeat McCain.

[TheDebbieDee]

15. How do you know that? Can you look into their minds and read their thoughts?

How can you tell if they are sincere or not?

[quiet.american]

23. It's not a matter of mind-reading.

Republicans who support Obama show up at his rallies, his phone banks, his volunteer headquarters and often, you'll hear them say, "I've been a Republican all my life, but there's something about him I like -- he's got my vote." They're putting in time, thought and money before the general election to support him.

There's a difference in the Republicans who "support" Clinton. You don't see many of them out in daylight -- it's all "undercover" - why? -- the motives are different. They're not interested in making her president, but in putting her, their "arch-enemy" up against McCain - because the GOP powers-that-be know there's nothing in the world that will bring out swarms of Republican cockroaches to vote for McCain like the spectre of another Clinton presidency.

[murbley40]

22. Republicans.......

Republicans are playing with our primaries and caucuses. I know at least 30 republicans who crossed over and voted for Obama, just because they did not like Hillary and intend to cross back for the General.

[quiet.american]

24. Wow, you know 30 Republicans? :) nt

[Emit]

10. Most of the Rpublicans I know who supported Obama were serious in their support

They'll vote for him in the GE. Many of Clinton's Republican supporters from this past week were allegedly voting for her just to "bloody Obama" according to Rush et al.

[GarbagemanLB]

12. exactly

[TheDebbieDee]

18. How do you know that? Can you look into their minds and read their thoughts?

How do you know that they are sincere?

Maybe they were calling you a "sucker" as they spoke words of support for Sen. Obama........

[Emit]

26. Well. I'm married to one!

And the other three are close, too. I have relationships with these people. They are sincere in their support. They liked Obama before I supported Obama, in most cases.

We've already had our caucus. I know who caucused for which candidate. They caucused for Obama. Two switched part affiliation to do that, and neither have any intentions on switching back to Republican.

[GarbagemanLB]

11. PLEASE link to an organized Repuke campaign to vote for Obama in order to cause Democratic chaos?

[Mooney]

13. It isn't.

People should be able to vote for whoever the fuck they want to vote for.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

14. For the same reason

Hillbots have been screaming about republicans voting for Obama for months yet let hill slide on this...

[peace13]

The only problem that I have with it is, be careful who you vote for.

You may just be electing the next President of the United States. The rthugs that voted for Hillary in Ohio hoping to beat her in the fall with McCain may be very surprised when the media machine swings to Hillary again and she actually becomes the president. Without the game playing by rthugs Hillary would have lost in Ohio. I worked the polls in a very heavy Obama district and we still saw people 'playing politics' as they called it. Peace, Kim Hussein

[MonkeyFunk]

17. because

they can't stand the audacity of a woman who dares to run against Obama.

[Abacus]

20. People should vote for

whomever they feel is the best candidate. If that's Obama, then I have no principle problem with that, though practically it would probably have an effect of pulling the party to the right. I find it irksome, however, when people try to taint the process by voting for whom they feel is the worst candidate -- I doubt that was the intended outcome when the constitution was crafted. Limbaugh wasn't telling people to vote Clinton because he wants her to win the GE.

[EmilyAnne]

25. Its not OK for them to do that in the primary, but according to the rules they can.

In the GE, Republicans will be more likely to vote for Obama than Hillary. That's just the way it is. Sorry that you don't like it. If Republicans who are appalled, finally, by their own party switch over in the GE, they may very well go on to become lifelong Democrats. We can't get anywhere if the elections are always going to be 51-49. We've been stuck in political gridlock for far too long. We need to get more and more people to switch to our party. I just don't think Hillary can help out in that department.

[JackORoses]

27. Because the ones who vote for Obama will vote for him again in the Fall

The ones who voted for Hillary last Tuesday did so to damage the Democratic Primary.

[TheDebbieDee]

34. "Because the ones who vote for Obama will vote for him again in the Fall."

Says who? How do you know that? Can you prove that?

[JackORoses]

35. They were voting for him when their votes still could have affected the Republican Nominee

Once McCain became the de facto nominee, the Limbaugh Army was free to meddle to their hearts content.

And they did so in Texas and Ohio.

[JimGinPA]

28. A Vote For Obama Is A Vote Against McSame - A Repub Vote For HRC Is A Vote Against Obama

It's fairly obvious.

[RoadRage]

29. Delete - DUPE

Delete: Dupe

[RoadRage]

30. THIS IS WHY:

It's totally fine for the 30% of Republican's who on average have been voting for Hillary all along. Those Republicans are similar to the 70% so far that have been votinf for Obama - for the same reason: They think that the person they are voting for would make the best president.

The problem comes in TX & OH.. where Clinton was previously getting 30% of the democratic Republican vote.. and got 50%. A SUDDEN 20% spike doesn't come out of thin air.. especially since she had done nothing to garner additional Republican support. No new conservative platforms were thrown out by her campaign.. no new promises to suddenly turn pro-life or anti-gay.

Nope, the only thing that changed between her 30% support days to her 50% support days was one little thing: Rush Limbaugh.

First - this is not Hillary's fault (other then she possibly could have rejected & denounced this "support"). But, in all honesty that probably wouldn't have done much good. The issue is not the fault of Hillary or her supporters - but the problem is that a much larger portion of Republicans voted for her in these states merely to keep the "game" going - not because they think she would make the best president, and SPECIFICALLY because THEY WILL NOT VOTE FOR HER IN NOVEMBER. The "additional" republican support is a farse, and will harm our party in the long run. THAT is why it is destructive to the democratic party.. it keeps this race going by people who have no vested interest in the race other then to soil democrats while their candidate sits clean.

[TheDebbieDee]

38. Where are you getting these numbers from?

30% of repukes on average voting for Hillary and so forth.

What study are you quoting? How do I know that you are not just pulling this info from the crack of your a$$?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. Motivation.

Some republicans cross the aisle because they're sick of republicans. Essentially they're converting to democrats.

Other republicans are coming over to upset the primary. They're cheating. Kind of like trolls on a message board.

Seems pretty obvious when you think about it.

[PerfectSage]

36. Some are fed up with the gop and vote Hillary or Obama

That's okay.
Some vote for Hillary or Obama because they think thy're easier to beat in the ge.
Some vote for Hillary so the Dems have more time to self destruct.

Some would like to vote for Hillary to see the Dems selfdestruct, but hate the idea of another Clinton presidency too much to vote for Hillary.

That's my take after a superficial look at Free Republic.

[VotesForWomen]

37. irrational cult devotion of O supporters. nt