Arne Carlson backs Obama

Posted at 11:25 AM on October 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)

Former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson just endorsed Barack Obama for president. Carlson said he was a "strong supporter of both Joe Biden and John McCain" during the primary season but was unhappy with the direction McCain's campaign took since the Republican National Convention. Carlson said Obama "has laid out for this nation a vision for a national purpose."

I'll post his audio shortly.

Here's the audio:

Listen

Question of the day: Does this bring any added votes to Obama's campaign?

Update: News Cut takes a look at how Carlson has been closer to Democrats than Republicans in recent years.

UPDATE: When asked about Carlson's endorsement, Gov. Pawlenty said this:

"It's no surprise. Governor Carlson has said many years ago publicly that he has left the Republican Party and I think he was dissatisfied and I think he has declared himself an Independent or a Democrat long ago."

Comments (4)

This is a lagging, not leading, indicator of the direction of the Republican Party, a result of a decade of hard core appeals to the base that has finally alienated moderates and independents. Carlson, to be sure, has been and, with this endorsement, will continue to be derided as a RINO by the hard right, but that derision for moderates is what's killing our party.

Posted by Robert Franklin | October 23, 2008 1:30 PM

Does anyone really care? Gov. Carlson has become completely irrelevant.

Posted by Bob Jones | October 23, 2008 3:57 PM

Just goes to show, the Christian fundamentalist wackos can't win 'em all. And now the youth of america is coming of voting age, and they're mighty peed off at the backward politics and policies that have made our country unrecognizable. Mcpain lost this race 4 years ago when he campaigned with that chickenhawk excuse for a president. Now it's time to pay the piper.

Posted by wrath of korey stringer | October 25, 2008 9:04 AM

When Carlson was governor I met him at the Minnesota College Fair for high school students. He was looking for the U of M area, of course, and I pointed him in the right direction.
"What are you doing here," he asked?
"Trying to recruit your best and brightest students to North Dakota," I replied.
"Well," he said, " I hope you have your three day visa stamped."

I have always liked Carlson's humour, his love of Minnesota (including the U) and his pragmatism. All three showed in his endorsement of Obama.

Keep it up, Governor.>

Posted by Tom Riley | October 27, 2008 9:02 AM

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