Another Republican rejects McCain (ouch)

[ProSense]

Former GOP senator, vet backs Obama

Alexander Burns

Former Sen. Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), who was the first Vietnam veteran to serve in the United States Senate, is the latest Republican to back Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign, Politico learned Sunday.

Pressler, who said that in addition to casting an absentee ballot for Obama he'd donated $500 to the Illinois senator's campaign, cited the Democrat's response to the financial crisis as the primary reason for his decision.

"I just got the feeling that Obama will be able to handle this financial crisis better, and I like his financial team of (former Treasury Secretary Robert) Rubin and (former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul) Volcker better," he said. By contrast, John McCain's "handling of the financial crisis made me feel nervous."

The former senator added that he hoped the next president would help place restraints on executive pay, and said: "I don't think (McCain) will take action in that area, or he's as likely to."

Pressler, who said that he had never voted for a Democrat for president before, added, "I feel really badly. I just hate to go against someone I served with in the Senate. I voted and I got it mailed and I dropped it in the mailbox, and it tore at me to do that."

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[BlooInBloo]

1. Ow, stop it. Ow, stop it. Ow, stop it.

:rofl:

[Emit]

8. lol!

[Eric J in MN]

2. The current bankruptcy bill has phony limits on executive pay.

Regarding Congress passing meaningful limits on executive pay, I'll believe it when I see it.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Tore at him, after he had dropped in the mailbox......

He did what he felt compeled to do! Country First! :patriot:

[Trajan]

4. Where has Hagel been ?

Pressler is a shock .... But where has Hagel been ? .... I know his wife has already declared for Obama, and that might signal what Hagel's intent will be ...

We shall see ... (or I missed it .. )

[camera obscura]

5. he may be abstaining

If he doesn't endorse Obama, it will look more nonpartisan when Obama picks him for his cabinet.

[scarletwoman]

6. I thought I read somewhere that Hagel said some time ago that he was not going to publicly endorse

anyone. That's what I recall, anyway.

sw

[Inuca]

7. Not officially endorsing, but here is what he said

last Friday

“One of the greatest challenges of our next president is to reintroduce America to the world, and I think Obama and Biden have the power to do that,” Hagel said of the Democratic presidential ticket of Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and Joe Biden (D-Del.). “They both understand that we have lost so much standing in the world today. They want us to lead, and they want us to be strong. They don’t want an America that dictates.”

He cited “character” and “judgment” as requisites for any political candidate, and presented the choice of a running mate as a key indicator of the latter.

“Who do you pick as your running mate? I think Obama passed that test. I don’t think John McCain did,” Hagel said.

http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/56496

Whatever the reason, he seems to want to keep mostly out of the limelight for now. I also read soemwhere (sorry, I no longer have the link) that during the Iraq trip he strongly encouraged Obama to chose Biden.

[DirtyJersey]

9. Not surprising

Hagel and Biden are very close friends, and Palin is the epitome of everything that has gone wrong with the GOP in the eyes of old-schoolers like Hagel.