Former Republican Praises Obama

At Huff post today, I read this piece by Frank Schaeffer.

Aside from his general optimism, he makes two points that I have not heard enough about. Maybe these will work in persuasion, in GOTV, in getting our own grandmothers and other fellow White Americans over their reluctance.

One, Obama is a really nice guy.

Two, he is very brave. He is calm and cool when every day he goes out knowing that he is in real physical danger.

As Schaeffer points out, the Presidency is dangerous to White presidents. Obama was appointed Secret Service protection earlier than anyone else running for president. Police arrested a man with a gun in his car near his home.

Now, as the election heats up, like steam escaping from a river rock in a bonfire, we are seeing cracks form and hearing loud ugly pops in the body politic. The McCain surrogates can not let go off vicious and inflammatory charges. People have been yelling threats at McCain-Palin rallies to the tune of "terrorist" and "kill him!"

The economic crisis, as it spreads into consumer confidence drops, reduced consumption, and possibly a deeper recession will exacerbate people's fears and invoke zero sum gain thinking.

Yes, McCain was resolute in his POW experience. But Obama shows his own courage in the face of threats of violence.