Republican cracks deepen: Obama "off to a good start"

[denem]

When top conservatives disserted the McCain/Palin ticket, few here doubted what that meant: The Republican Party was beginning to fracture. Call it snark, naivete or blind optimism, but I see the cracks widening with the remarks of Sen. Mitch McConnell:

Top Republican says Obama "off to a good start"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Republican said on Friday that Democratic U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is "off to a good start" and indicated he was pleased to see President George W. Bush get ready to leave.

"Our members, in one way, are kind of relieved by the departure of an administration that became unpopular and made it very difficult for us to compete," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters on Capitol Hill.

McConnell expressed appreciation that Obama's pick for White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, visited Capitol Hill this week to talk to Republicans ahead of the new Congress convening on January 6, two weeks before Obama is sworn in as president.

"I think the new administration is off to a good start," the Kentucky senator said.

"They're saying, in my view, all the right things ... that they want to govern in the middle and tackle big things."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4AK6DW20081121

My 2c

1. LOL The Repubs appreciated visits from Rahmbo, the consumate diplomat.

2. Bush made it "difficult to compete" - which Bush Republican policies do they want to renounce first? heh.

3. The contrast with the monolithic opposition that Bill Clinton met is striking. No contract on America visable on the horizon for 2010.

4. Naked fear for survival rules: "They want to govern in the middle and tackle big things." Double Plus Good. The same could have been said of Bill Clinton's initial administration. (And for those pessimists out there, will Obama's "middle" be to RIGHT of Clinton? See you in Alaska)

5. To get the sheep to slaughter, first you have get them through the gate. Nice going Rahmbo et al.

And the Republican split? I'm sure the Palinistas and ditto heads will be overjoyed with their Senate leader. ;)

[marshall]

1. Obama is reaching out to the other side

I hope they appreciate it and work well in his administration.