Republican Gov. William Weld of Mass and former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson of Minn endorsed Obama

[Ioo]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/24/MNU113NN0A.DTL

Everyone is jumping the USS McCain
...

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell's broadside on Sunday was only the first of the recent GOP defections. The latest arrived Friday from former Republican Gov. William Weld of Massachusetts, who had endorsed Gov. Mitt Romney over McCain in the GOP primary. Now Weld endorses Obama, calling the Democrat "a once-in-a-lifetime candidate who will transform our politics and restore America's standing in the world."

On Thursday, former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson of Minnesota endorsed Obama and ripped McCain in an essay for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Carlson said he saw in the Democrat "a remarkably disciplined and focused leader who has the potential to become a truly great president."

Just as striking as the tone of the GOP endorsements for Obama was the noticeable chill coming from the state parties in such McCain must-win states as Virginia and Florida.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, whom McCain considered and rejected as his running mate, said he had not appeared in any McCain ads because he wasn't asked. Reports aired that the state GOP is saving some of its war chest for the next election cycle. Similar tensions between the McCain campaign and the state party have surfaced in Virginia.

...

[Soup Bean]

1. Are the Rockefeller Republicans leaving their party?

What happens to the Republican Party after this historic collapse? Will it splinter, with the "elite" George Will types making one party, while a Domionionist Party is created for Dobson to rule? The old Reagan Coalition is in tatters, and the Weld/Powell types are disgusted with the ignorance of the Robertson/Dobson sect. May this version of the Republican Party NEVER rise again.

[BlueManDude]

2. Bill Weld is the only GOPer I've ever voted for

Not that I really the guy but the Dem running that year in Mass was further to the right than Weld was.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

3. It's an open secret in MN that Arne Carlson utterly despises the Reichwingers

and fundies and that the feeling is very much mutual. They tried to deny him the Rep endorsement when he ran for a second term, endorsing a Bachmann-like loon. Arne trounced the guy in the primary and was handily reelected. Arne also endorsed Kerry in 2004. He's an Ike-style moderate, like Bill Weld.