Republicans Having Tough Time Defending McCain

Republican Congressman Gilchrest Endorses Obama

CNN: Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, the Maryland Republican who lost a heated primary challenge earlier this year, said Friday he's endorsing Democrat Barack Obama's White House bid.

Gilchrest, who has served in the House for close to two decades, told a Maryland radio station Obama and his running mate Sen. Joe Biden have the experience needed for the job.

Why Some Republicans Support Obama

Republican foreign policy has been extreme.

Republicans For Obama Uniting

Update: 8-12, Republicans crossover. Welcome!

MSNBC: The three Republicans -- former Iowa Rep. Jim Leach (who formally endorsed Obama today), former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee, and former White House intelligence advisor Rita E. Hauser -- announced the formation of "Republicans for Obama," which will launch a Web site in the coming days that will be a clearinghouse of information for Republicans who want to learn more about the Illinois Democrat. The site will highlight the differences between Obama and McCain on the issues and let them know where they can go to see the candidate and how they can help in his election effort.

"From my perspective, this is simply not a time for politics as usual," said Leach, arguing that the portfolio of issues that will be passed on to the next president would be as daunting as any since World War II and would therefore require "inspiring, new, political leadership" and the kind of change he believes Obama's platform offers.

Hillary's crew won't unite but Republicans for Obama are. 
The group plans to launch a website this week.

NYT: Led by a former Bush fund-raiser and a former U.S. Senator who bolted the G.O.P. several years ago, a group of current and former Republicans disenchanted with Senator John McCain and supportive of Senator Barack Obama are banding together to start a “Republicans for Obama” effort.

Rita Hauser, a New York philanthropist who raised money for both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, is helping to organize the push to draw Republicans away from Mr. McCain and will serve as a spokeswoman for the group, alongside former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee, of Rhode Island, who was one of the most moderate Republicans in the Senate and became an independent after he lost his seat in 2006.

Obamacans

obama had support from red people, blue people, purple people, every people, in exit polls.

But there was a slight uptick in what the Illinois senator has dubbed "Obamacans" on Tuesday. Eight Seven percent of voters in the Virginia primary described themselves as Republicans -- and 70 percent of those polled voted for Obama. cnn

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next up, feb. 19, when hawaii (caucus) and wisconsin (primary) take their turn.