A Smart Republican Speaks Out

I've got a lot of respect for Michael Cudahy. As veteran of old politics for the Republican party, Mr. Cudahy ran 8 state campaigns for George H.W. Bush, but lately, he's decided to come out in favor of supporting Howard Dean's presidential campaign. As the founder of Marquette Electronics, this 78 year old Wisconsin Republican doesn't exactly fit the stereotype of of a liberal Dean supporter. That's why his endorsement is so intriguing.....

As we have all witnessed, Republican media strategists have been very effective at scaring the living daylights out of the citizens of this country, and driving down overall turnout. It is a process which, if not stopped soon, may very well become impossible to reverse.

And then -- we might find ourselves well down the road to being a Banana Republic governed by strutting, angry ideologues -- interested more in maintaining their political power than in enacting thoughtful bipartisan policy.

Mr Cudahy continues....

This is not a question of party registration. It is a matter of right and wrong. It is a question of thoughtful policy development that addresses the needs and problems that are facing the majority of people in this country.

I have campaigned all over this country and I have enormous confidence in the basic common sense of the American people. I believe if you speak to them rationally they will listen. I am convinced that one of the reasons that the Dean campaign is gaining such traction is because unlike everyone else they have thrown the rule book away and are beginning to intelligently address the problems that are threatening the nation.

I also believe that they understand that they represent a potential home for millions of disenfranchised traditional Republicans who -- like myself -- are no longer welcome in their own Party.

Governor Dean projects a complete unwillingness to be afraid, and that is the key to taking these people out. From what I am hearing from friends inside the Republican Party, they are deeply concerned by the Dean campaign because they do not know how to deal with it.

You can read the rest of this article at:

http://www.greaterdemocracy.org/2003_08_01_gd.html#106203463665230544

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