Mighty Clinton Juggernaut Toppled, Republicans Now Boarding Obama Express

Last Thursday night the world witnessed a spectacular feat that many imagined could never possibly happen. A first term, junior United States Senator from Illinois successfully toppled Hillary Clinton, the queen bee of the Clinton machine, sending shockwaves through the political world.

I have experienced firsthand many wonderful, victorious election nights over my political career that filled me with a sense of personal accomplishment and excitement; thrilled to see that the process worked, excited that the right candidate had won, and occasionally enthused when a dreadful candidate had lost.

No feeling can possibly match the joy that I had within my political soul last Thursday, when Hillary Clinton did not give a victory speech after the Iowa caucus vote. She was the sure bet, the horse that wouldn’t lose the race, the one you had to bet your money on. And she lost. Since last Thursday the air is fresher, the song of the birds is more melodious, the sky is clearer. Things have just felt right.

The reason for excitement isn’t just that Hillary Clinton lost the Iowa caucus. It was that Barack Obama won. Machine candidate Hillary Clinton didn’t lose to another machine candidate. She lost to a newcomer who proved that working hard and delivering a message matters just as much as who you know and how long you have known them.

I personally can’t say that I agree with Senator Obama on many issues. Project Vote Smart gives him only a 13% rating from Citizens Against Government Waste in 05-06, a 7% score from the Club for Growth in 2006, an 18% score from the John Birch Society in the same year, a 17% mark from NFIB in 2005, 15% from Americans for Tax Reform in 2006, and an unfortunate 100% score from both NARAL and Planned Parenthood over the past several years.

The major difference that makes me take notice of Barack Obama is that while the others are wedded to the policies and politics of the present, Obama has decided to instead talk about the future. George Will put it best in his column last Sunday: Obama “is the un-Edwards and un-Huckabee—an adult aiming to reform the real world rather than an adolescent fantasizing mock-heroic ‘fights’ against fictitious villains in a left-wing cartoon version of this country.”

When Oprah Winfrey stood with him several weeks ago and asked where she and others in the audience would be if they “waited their turn,” she was not making a racial argument like so many of the tone deaf pundits assumed. She was talking about the traditional way that the Democrat Party crowns candidates from city councilors to state Senators and from Recorders of Deeds to Governors. In other words, the system that would allow for a Hillary victory.

She said that this year was going to be different, and if the nation is lucky enough, she will be right. And some Republicans may be along for the ride as well.

“Obama offers a unique combination of intelligence, energy and optimism that cannot be found in any other candidate,” says Kenneth Wehking, Deputy Director of Republicans for Obama. “Obama offers hope to break the gridlock in Washington and create a new spirit of cooperation to tackle serious problems facing America.”

Wehking and his organization, which was co-founded by active-duty solider John Martin, believe that if Obama wins the nomination, “more and more Republicans will hear his message of cooperation and be convinced he is the best hope to lead this nation.” The organization plans on asking open-minded Republicans “if they want to continue to haggle over the issues that have divided this Nation for decades, or would be willing to suspend debate on those if it meant Washington could move forward on more pressing issues that really make a difference in our lives,” says Wehking.

Mike Huckabee’s recent victory in Iowa could be a harbinger of good news for the Obama campaign’s chances to sway Republican voters. “By characterizing himself as THE candidate of faith - I think at one point he [Huckabee] strongly implied that Jesus is the source of funding for his campaign - he’s looking more and more like Bush reincarnate. Nobody wants another Bush. People are tired of religion being used as a weapon to divide us and control our policy decisions,” said one active member of Republicans for Obama.

Wehking concurs, adding that Huckabee “represents the demagogues from the far-right and will turn off the most intelligent, free-thinking Republican voters.”

One active Republican for Obama also senses that Mitt Romney’s nomination would likely drive Republican votes towards Obama. Romney “comes across as cold, aloof, too smart for his own good. All business and almost robotic. That kind of candidate never ever wins the general election,” according to the activist.

When asked if their endorsement of Obama might turnoff fellow Republicans, Wehking aptly noted that “one of our greatest Republican Presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, also split from the party when he saw special interests had taken over the party.”

“With Romney and Huckabee at the forefront of the election, it’s looking more and more like the GOP is happy to stick with the status quo,” said one member of the organization. “Republican voters, if they have to, will turn to Obama as the agent of change and unification.”

Only time will tell if Obama can accumulate support from across the aisle. Republicans are still very much split between candidates with no true unifying candidate in view. Obama’s strategy, regardless of the Republican nominee, must be to slay the giant—this one happens to have the maiden name of Rodham—before doing battle for the hearts and minds of the Republican electorate.

If Iowa was any indicator, he may be up to that challenge too.

Nathan Shrader is the founder of Bull Moose Partners, a GOP activist, and a candidate for Republican Convention Delegate in support of Ron Paul.

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