Can We Get Lincoln Chafee to Speak at the Dem Convention?

[liberalpragmatist]

The article on Miller implied otherwise (from www.thehill.com):
"Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), asked whether he would attend the GOP convention in New York, replied, 'There are Rhode Islanders going, so I have to make an appearance.'"

But he certainly doesn't sound like he's gonna vote for Bush if one looks at what he told salon.com:

http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2004/03/26/moderates/index.html

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(p.2) When George Bush was elected in 2000, moderate Republicans thought he was on their side. But that illusion was dispelled in his first few months of office. "When the president was elected, everyone was looking for a breath of fresh air -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- for the good of the country we wanted a bipartisan effort," Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., tells Salon. "We were all so weary of partisan trench warfare, and now it is deeper than ever."

"The president's agenda has been so different from his campaign rhetoric," Chafee says. "He is pushing ]u]an extreme agenda, from the abandonment of Kyoto, to banning access to abortions for service members overseas."

***

Also, I've heard that in a NYTimes interview, he couldn't find any area of agreement with Bush. Any hope we could get him to switch or at least pull a Miller? You know, calling himself a Repub but caucusing and openly supporting Kerry and the Democrats?

I suppose the only thing barring this is that Chafee is a fundamentally decent human being, unlike Miller, who is a turncoat without the decency to switch parties. Chafee is too polite - he would either completely switch or else he would just stay (mostly) silent.

[Padraig18]

1. I expect Chafee to pull a Jeffords.

I seriously think he'll caucus with the Democrats next time. He is clearly unhappy with his party....

[Hippo_Tron]

3. I think if he were going to switch he would've done it this time...

A 50/50 senate would've made it much more difficult for the Republicans to get their agenda through.

[stellanoir]

2. I'm one of Chafee's constituents. . .

He's been a fairly good senator. He voted against the war. I can't substantiate this but if memory serves, he refused to be *'s chairperson in this state. Out Gov (R) took that position after Chafee declined.

I sincerely doubt that he'll pull a Jeffords. Bare in mind that the majority of Vermonters are Independants. The majority of R.I. ers are Dems. but Chafee arrived at his position due to his dad, who had a serious following here. So the circumstances are quite different. Also Chaffee is up for re-election relatively soon.
I don't think he can switch parties largely out of reverence for his father's memory, but I think he can continue to be a moderate voice in the Senate.

Also. . .it's kind of cool that he took a job for several years shoeing horses in his twenties out west. He's a bit eccentric but in a fun way. . .unlike many who are to the manor born.