It’s been fascinating to listen to the reasons prominent Republicans are giving for endorsing Obama. Sometimes I wish they’d be honest: I just couldn’t stand people thinking I’m not in the in-crowd much longer. I think peer pressure, even for adults, has been a factor in the out-migration of some of our more elegant Republicans. I can think of at least one jumper who must be enjoying his Shakespeare Theatre events much more now that he’s publicly embraced The One.
Peter Robinson highlights Wendy Button, a Democrat and a former speechwriter for Democratic candidates, who’s jumping on the McCain-Palin bandwagon-and Robinson, a former Reagan speechwriter, says it’s “A Trade We’ll Take.” She can express reasons-real reasons-why she has made what must have been a hard decision:
“Governor Palin and I don’t agree on a lot of things, mostly social issues. But I have grown to appreciate the Governor. I was one of those initial skeptics and would laugh at the pictures. Not anymore. When someone takes on a corrupt political machine and a sitting governor, that is not done by someone with a low I.Q. or a moral core made of tissue paper. When someone fights her way to get scholarships and work her way through college even in a jagged line, that shows determination and humility you can’t learn from reading Reinhold Niebuhr. When a mother brings her son with special needs onto the national stage with love, honesty, and pride, that gives hope to families like mine as my older brother lives with a mental disability. And when someone can sit on a stage during the Sarah Palin rap on Saturday Night Live, put her hands in the air and watch someone in a moose costume get shot-that’s a sign of both humor and humanity.”
As for the Niebuhr dig-take that, David Brooks!