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Republicans for Obama vs Republicans for Obama (Updated)

By bmerry on | From therealbarackobama.wordpress.com

^{Barack “Reagan” Obama}

Well, whether they know it yet or not, former Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and former Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), who are touting Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as “the presidential candidate who represents the traditional conservatism that they feel has been forgotten” under President George W. Bush, are in for a slight surprise.

Leach and Chafee were joined in a conference call announcement by Rita E. Hauser, a former member of Bush’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, The Hill reported August 12, 2008:

The three Republicans backing the Democrat are part of a group called Republicans for Obama that will be launching a website in coming days to lay out differences between the two candidates, Hauser said. More Republicans are expected to join the group, she said.

During the call Leach twice put forth Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.)¹ as a running mate for Obama.

The problem?

Well, an organization calling itself Republicans for Obama has been in existence as a “grassroots organization” since 2006. It even has a website, blogs, a forum and everything.

Republicans for Obama co-founder and director is John Martin, a law student and U.S. Navy Reservist who resides in The Bronx, New York. The deputy director is Kenneth Wehking, who heads the Colorado chapter. The forums moderator is Erik Paterson and the blogger-in-chief is Barbara [Lisa] Gordon. Press is handled by Randall Leverette, a former student at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The web master, Evan O’Donnell, “designed the Republicans for Obama site and is responsible for its day to day operation.”

So, are we going to have a Republicans for Obama faceoff, a good old-fashioned rumble? Inquiring minds want to know these things.

And then again, maybe no problem

Regarding the “new” Republicans for Obama, Mark R. Levin at NRO’s The Corner wrote August 12, 2008:

Lincoln Chafee is no longer a Republican and has been backing Obama for a while now. Are these three “Republicans” the best the Obama campaign could pull together for their big announcement? If so, what a bust.

So, it’s possible that the “old” Republicans for Obama has nothing to worry about from the “new” Republicans for Obama after all. Or at least they can wait this one out for awhile.

Update: ¹ Ed Morrissey, Obama loses Hagel, Hot Air, August 12, 2008: Hagel will not be running mate and will not endorse.