Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Well Respected Iowa Republican Supports Obama


One of my memories of moving from Iowa to Washington, is of seeing "Jim Leach for Congress" signs along the hiway as I drove west out of my home county.

Iowa Republican Jim Leach was first elected to Congress in 1977. After thirty years as a Republican Congressman, he's now campaigning for Obama. I think his support for Obama is an important indication of both what a fine Presidential candidate Barack Obama is and how far today's Republican Party has strayed from it's American democratic roots.
The Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA
Leach touts Obama's talents

By Ed Tibbetts Monday, August 25, 2008 11:28 PM CDT

DENVER — Former Republican congressman Jim Leach had hard words for his party and praised Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama in a remarkable address Monday night to the Democratic National Convention here.

Leach, a Davenport native, represented eastern Iowa for 30 years and has been one of the state’s best-known Republicans for more than a generation. Yet, he stood before a convention hall of Democrats urging the victory of the party’s presidential candidate.

Leach, who lost a re-election bid two years ago and now works at Harvard University, said that Obama is a candidate whose talents fit the time.

“Seldom has there emerged a leader who so matches the needs of the moment,” Leach said.

...(link)
You can read the complete text of Jim Leach's remarks before the Democratic Convention HERE.

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