Smerconish endorses Obama by CJ in PA [Subscribe]
Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 08:23:05 AM PDT
I just heard center-right radio talk show host Michael Smerconish, subbing for Glenn Beck, endorse Obama in the Pa. Primary. Whatever you Kossacks think of Smerconish, it was a gutsy move (he also apparently has a 1500 opinion piece in Philadelphia Daily News today which expands on his rationale). He's pretty popular in suburban Philly, and his statement may just swing a vote or two Barack's way.
I knew Michael in Law School at U. of Penn (we called him "Mike" back then) and, although his politics are largely to the right of mine, I always considered him a thinker and a principled conservative. In my first post on this site, I recommended that Obama go on his morning radio program. He did in mid-March, and was very strong there. Right before then, Smerconish had devoted a week reading passages from "Dreams" and arguing that Obama's lifestory was a quintessential American tale, and generally saying fair (and complementary) things about him.
Smerconish has, and will, take alot of heat from his listeners on this, and he is careful not to say that he supports Obama in the General (he remains a Republican). He does say, however, quite forcefully, that if he could vote tommorrow, he'd vote for Obama, and not because he wants to help McCain: far from it, he believes Obama is the far stronger candidate for the Dems in Nov. His kudos for the guy proves the point: does anyone think that any "right-wing" talk show host would HONESTLY support Hillary?