More Repubs endorse Obama (Updated)

The latest Repubs to abandon a sinking ship are:

1) Ben Bernanke:

According to the Wall Street Journal, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, is "endorsing" Obama. The WSJ came to this conclusion when Bernanke, on Monday, endorsed the Democratic version of how to go about stimulating the economy. In other words, Bernanke blessed the program proposed by Democrats in Congress and Mr. Obama to spend another $300 billion to get things moving on main street.

Bush and the Repubs are agin' it.

What's interesting about this is that it's unusual for the Federal Reserve chairman to become so directly involved in political matters, especially with the general election just a couple of weeks away.

The Huffington Post suggests Bernanke hopes to keep his job when Barack Obama is elected president.


2) Dr. K. A. Paul

I've never heard of this guy and would not consider his endorsement of Barack Obama of any consequence until I read that some consider him to be the "world's most popular Christian evangelist. Damn, I thought that was Billy.

Paul, born in India, lives in Houston and according to CNBC, is "a long time spiritual advisor to many Republican leaders and the world of big business." He gave three reasons for his endorsement:

a) Paul thinks the current administration has delayed the second coming of Jesus by Bush's Iraq war policies. The Iraq war forced many missionaries out of their posts with their work unfinished and everyone knows that Jesus ain't coming back until the gospel had been preached to the whole world.

b) Paul has noted that respect for the United States has dissipated around the globe. "Senator Obama," he said, "can change this trend and help restore our country to where we are once again respected around the world."

c) Paul's third reason has to do with Bush's economic failure. McCain, he says, represents a continuation of Bush's failed economic policy. "Senator Obama can restore confidence and vibrancy to our economy.


3) The Goldwater Clan

This is the most interesting one to me. I lived in Arizona when Barry was a senator and when he ran for president against JFK. At the time, Goldwater was considered a far-right wingnut, a danger to the world, and likely to begin a nuclear Armageddon. He was also powerful; powerful enough, as a newspaper owner, to shut down a rival paper in Phoenix by threatening businesses who placed ads in that rival paper. Many trucks drove around Arizona with a sign showing the words, "Goldwater, my..." and a picture of a donkey.

We've come a long way. The Bush administration and the Republican Party has fallen so far off the edge of center that Goldwater has been rehabilitated into some kind of gentle, moderate politician - a visionary, if you will.

Goldwater's granddaughter, C.C. Goldwater, wrote an article for the Huffington Post, explaining that she and her siblings and a few cousins "will not be supporting the Republican presidential candidates this year." CC talks about her grandfather's "honesty, integrity" and his stress on constitutional freedoms. "We reject," she said, "the constant intrusion into our personal lives, along with other crucial policy issues of the McCain/Palin ticket."

There's much more, which you can read here.

4) Scott McClellan - Bush's former Press Secretary said today he is supporting Barack Obama for president.