The Obama Republicans

In 1980 we saw the rise of the "Reagan Democrats". They were the phenomenon that flipped presidential elections to Republicans for the next 25 years. The intellectual conservatives (both real and pseudo, neo and paleo) alone couldn't do it. The psycho wing (Christianists, survivalists, racists, sweaty geek-boys and prissy-girls in mom's basements furiously making horse's asses of themselves on-line) alone couldn't do it. Even together they couldn't do it. They needed the bloc of working and professional class voters who would normally be at home in the Democratic party, in fact they had been for decades. They still sent Democrats to Capitol Hill. But the GOP peeled them away for Reagan.

And now, we've begun to see the rise of the Obama Republicans.

For example, the Financial Times just endorsed Obama. This is like Rolling Stone endorsing a Republican candidate. They said:

[A] campaign is a test of leadership. Mr Obama ran his superbly; Mr McCain’s has often looked a shambles. After eight years of George W. Bush, the steady competence of the Obama operation commands respect.

Nor should one disdain Mr Obama’s way with a crowd. Good presidents engage the country’s attention; great ones inspire. Mr McCain, on form, is an adequate speaker but no more. Mr Obama, on form, is as fine a political orator as the country has heard in decades. Put to the right purposes, this is no mere decoration but a priceless asset.

Mr Obama’s purposes do seem mostly right, though in saying this we give him the benefit of the doubt. Above all, he prizes consensus and genuinely seeks to unite the country, something it wants. His call for change struck a mighty chord in a tired and demoralised nation – and who could promise real change more credibly than Mr Obama, a black man, whose very nomination was a historic advance in US politics?

The intellectual conservatives like Colin Powell, Christopher Buckley, David Frum, Peggy Noonan and John Cole, besides being disgusted with the barking mad wingnuts, they seem to be yearning for simple competency - is that so much to ask for? they ask. Please, can we try having someone competent and intelligent as president this time? Top of their class material? Constitutional law professor material? President of the Harvard Law Review material?

Please, we want the smart guy!!!

Andrew Sullivan calls them "Obamacons" -- Obama conservatives. They seem to be coming from the professional and intellectual class so far, though Matt at fivethirtyeight.com has reported more than one incident of pollsters in deep red states being told, "well, I'm votin' for the ni**er." Even though it took a clue-by-four to the side of the head to get their goddamn attention, even some dixiecrats finally figured out that Republicans aren't good for them.

However... I am cautious of these smart conservatives supporting Obama. Their nefarious plan, I think, is using an Obama presidency to undermine the psycho-Republicans and drive them from the party, or at least from the leadership of the party. Which means the intellectuals have to take the psychos out into the wilderness where they can be beaten into submission. And they want progressives to help them do this, and take the blame for it so they don't have to.

At this point, it seems like the wingnuts out in the "real America" are set on elevating Palin as the new de-facto leader of the Party. And if the Obamacons are smart, they'll go ahead and let them try to peddle Palin's damaged goods in a general election in four years.

And when that time comes, I predict the Obamacons will help the Democrats beat down the Christopaths and Dittoheads, destroy the Palin wing of the GOP, and drive the final stake through their rotting hearts. So after that, in 2013, the intellectual conservatives can take back control of the GOP. That's the plan, anyway.

Right, Andrew?