Koch backs Obama, calls Palin 'scary'

[Pirate Smile]

Koch backs Obama, calls Palin 'scary'

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, who endorsed and worked for George W. Bush in 2004, is endorsing Obama today, NY1 first reported.

I asked Koch just now what prompted the move.

"The designation of Palin to be vice president," he said. "She's scary."

He said he was alarmed by the report that she'd triggered a conflict with the local librarian in Wasilla, Alaska by inquiring about the possibility of banning books.

"Any time someone goes to the library and says, 'I want to ban books,' and the librarian says 'no,' and she threatens to fire them -- that's scary," he said.

(Palin at the time said she was just inquiring about the library's policy on banning books, with no aim of actually banning any. "It was a rhetorical quesiton -- nothing more," the McCain-Palin campaign said in a memo yesterday. And no books were banned, the town says.)

In an endorsement statement, Koch wrote that "the issue for me is who will best protect and defend America" and that both parties were strong on terrorism.

I have concluded that the country is safer in the hands of Barack Obama, leader of the Democratic Party and protector of the philosophy of that party. Protecting and defending the U.S. means more than defending us from foreign attacks. It includes defending the public with respect to their civil rights, civil liberties and other needs, e.g., national health insurance, the right of abortion, the continuation of Social Security, gay rights, other rights of privacy, fair progressive taxation and a host of other needs and rights.

If the vice president were ever called on to lead the country, there is no question in my mind that the experience and demonstrated judgment of Joe Biden is superior to that of Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is a plucky, exciting candidate, but when her record is examined, she fails miserably with respect to her views on the domestic issues that are so important to the people of the U.S., and to me. Frankly, it would scare me if she were to succeed John McCain in the presidency.

Koch said he'd visited six states for Bush in 2004, primarily Florida, but also several others. ("Why they sent me to Iowa, I don't know.") He said he'd be happy to campaign for Obama "if they ask me to."

Koch is a member of a set of secular, swing-voting Jewish Democrats who may have been pushed away by the selection of Palin, and his endorsement may be a marker of an opportunity for Obama to strengthen his campaign among older Jewish voters in Florida.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Koch_backs_Obama_calls_Palin_scary.html#comments

[dkf]

1. Wow. He turned around big time.

I swear he sounded like he was on the other side. I guess Palin is scaring the Jewish vote after all.

[KittyWampus]

7. Yup Yup, he heard about the scary Fundie crap...

[flamingdem]

16. Looks like playing up her fundie madness is key to regaining Jews and Catholics nt

[dkf]

21. And people say we shouldn't get into the personal stuff.

HA!

[alsame]

8. Not only the Jewish vote, but also others Repubs who are

not fundies.

[dkf]

11. I hope Palin's fannie/freddie comment scared my boss.

He was really hoping McCain would pick Romney.

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. What!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????? Is this from the Onion?

Well, it does help with some of the Jewish Vote, but I'm surprised by this.

[Pirate Smile]

6. Send him to Florida. Palin mobilized both bases.

[yellowcanine]

17. Yes Florida apparently has moved a bit in Obama's direction since Palin.

http://electoral-vote.com/

But it is Rasmussen, so may not mean so much.

[Ichingcarpenter]

22. Her religion is coming into play as it should

Its only been a short time since she came on board and
her church tapes only got played yesterday.

[yellowcanine]

38. Progressive Catholics aren't going to like her dissing of community service and leaving her Catholic

upbringing in favor of pentecostalism either.

[nyc 4 Biden]

48. IMHO I don't think . . .

. . that her leaving the Catholic church for a Pentecostal church will sway anyone. Voters stupid enough to care about such a thing will be voting GOP anyway because of its appeal to their IQ.

As I've said before 90% of the Catholics I know are Obama supporters. And most of the people I know are real Catholics.

[geek tragedy]

3. Send him to south Florida! n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. Yes!!!!!

:applause:

[sufrommich]

4. Wow,it will big interesting to see Koch's motor mouth

working for us for a change.

[BklynChick]

fucking awesome, I agree send him to Florida!

[flamingdem]

14. hey I'll buy him a plane ticket! nt

[BklynChick]

26. shit, I would drive Ed there myself and I can't stand the guy.

:rofl:

[lolamio]

5. This will carry real weight in the Jewish community. We need him to go to Florida.

I also think this endorsement will sway voters in some of the NYC outer boroughs.

[Perky]

10. LOL I had already Cntl-c'd the article and was going to highlight the very same things,

Great minds.

The most important thing is the older Jewish voters in Florida.

Keep them away from butterfly ballots and we have a shot at Florida.

[Pirate Smile]

24. I hate it when that happens.

:)

[flamingdem]

12. yeah! The Jewish vote! In NY my Jewish friends were inundated w anti-Obama emails...nt

[AnnaLouise]

13. that's good news

that's good news

pics of some of Palin's victims below

[vanderBeth]

15. This is sane people's reaction to Palin.

Now I hope he campaigns in Florida.

[Doremus]

18. Send him to Florida! Jewish Floridians need to know about Jews for Jesus!

[Abacus]

19. I don't know anything about Koch, why did he support Bush in the first place?

How does one decide to support Bush if these are the issues? "civil rights, civil liberties and other needs, e.g., national health insurance, the right of abortion, the continuation of Social Security, gay rights, other rights of privacy, fair progressive taxation"

[BeyondGeography]

20. That's actually very significant for a number of older Jewish voters

Good news.

[high density]

23. I agree with... Ed Koch!?

Scary!

[babylonsister]

25. Ha! No kidding. But I'll take his endorsement! nt

[intheflow]

33. Not scary.

Hopeful!

[TwilightGardener]

27. Good. And about that book-banning question: why would it occur

to anyone to inquire about his or her library's "book banning" policy, unless he or she was interested in having books banned? Unless Palin was a big and famous champion of literary freedom, that we're not aware of.

[Ichingcarpenter]

32. I don't think it has to do with her book banning but with her religion

Its easier for him to talk about her book banning episode than her religion.

[foo_bar]

54. bush's "religion" was never an issue for Mayor How'm I Doin'

Koch's apparent sexuality wasn't compatible with the GOP platform either, but never underestimate the power of self-loathing (e.g., Lieberman). That said, Jews and gays both tend to possess a radar for detecting fascists in waiting, Koch '04 notwithstanding, and the thrilla from wasilla does come across as cheerfully genocidal.

[Arugula Latte]

28. Whoa. I thought that guy had gone to the dark side for good.

[OneGrassRoot]

29. Excellent! Please let us know if anyone sees announcement on M$M. n/t

[intheflow]

30. In related news, the devil was spotted buying ice skates...

:evilgrin:

[DeepModem Mom]

31. "SCARY" is a great word! Thank you, Ed Koch!

This is a simple message, and it's true. Let's get it out there. Palin's beliefs and policies are scary, and the thought of her as Pres of the U.S. is scary!

[Moochy]

34. Banning Books is Fundamental(ist)

Knowledge is the root of all evil, (when your worldview is precariously built on a foundation of lies.)

"Any time someone goes to the library and says, 'I want to ban books,' and the librarian says 'no,' and she threatens to fire them -- that's scary," he said.

I agree that's scary.

[Cha]

35. palin lost them the bush loving koch!

Now palin is saying she didn't want to ban the books?! What will her cult say? That's she's a little chickenshit?

[NewJeffCT]

36. Asking about banning books is a rhetorical question?

Is that like Tony Soprano saying, "You have a lovely family. Wouldn't it be a shame if something bad happened to them?"

[monmouth]

37. The older New Yorkers who happen to be Jewish, love Ed....Florida

looking better all the time.

[applegrove]

39. This is good news. And we needed some.

[flamingdem]

42. 'zackly! nt

[Mooney]

40. Wow.

I thought for sure that he would endorse McCain.

I always hated him, but this is good news.

[MadrasT]

41. Wow. Just wow. This is fantastic news. n/t

[RiverStone]

43. Koch finally pulled his head out

Normally I'd say who gives a shit what this Shrub ass kissing prick says, but better to see the light late than never.

Won't forgive his endorsement for Shrub at the puke convention last time. At least he FINALLY gets it now!

[RNdaSilva]

44. If Koch is feeding you Obama don't bite his hand.

[Bleacher Creature]

45. He's still an ass for backing Bush, but this is VERY informative.

Older Jewish voters don't like crazy fundie nutjobs who speak in tongues, want to ban books, and who don't believe in evolution. They also don't like people who supported Pat Buchanan.

[YOY]

46. He's doin'....better.

What a shock from a schnook!

[bklyncowgirl]

47. I think that Jews For Jesus speaker at her church was a big turn off.

Now hopefully Catholics will be equally offended by the notion that she left their church and joined the Pentacostals to be "saved".

[John Q. Citizen]

49. I wonder how that squares with Joe Lieberman. I wonder if he's suffered any blowback since Palin

was promoted.

[Nikki Stone1]

52. I have a feeling Joe may have gone too far this time around.

We'll see.

[wicket]

50. Holy crap!

K & R

[me b zola]

51. K&R

:kick:

[progressivebydesign]

53. Sweet!!!! This is excellent! I hope the campaign engages him to help!! N/t

[Coexist]

55. kick!