Bob Ehrlich not so keen on Obama
We've been reading all sorts of the tea leaves over the last year or two in an effort to figure out of Bob Ehrlich is positioning himself for a rematch with Martin O'Malley. Count his op-ed in today's Washington Post as a big vote for "No."
Ehrlich blasts Obama's inaugural speech as fomenting class warfare and leading to "a full retreat to limited economic horizons and a collective national guilt trip." When it comes to Obama's stimulus plan, new pro-union legislation, an end to Bush-era detention of terrorism suspects without due process, "a future of limited horizons rather than growth and opportunity, and plain old divisive class-warfare rhetoric," Ehrlich asks to be counted among the loyal opposition.
That is perfectly understandable. Ehrlich is, after all, a Republican and an alum of the Gingrich revolution of 1994. It's just not particularly well tuned to the opinion of most Marylanders who, so far, are giving Obama sky-high approval ratings. Ehrlich's ability to get elected statewide in Maryland is dependent on his ability to pitch himself as a moderate. Going after a popular new Democratic president in a Democratic state doesn't seem like the way to do it.
Comments
Bob Ehrlich Who ?
Posted by: Donnie Abbott | January 22, 2009 8:46 PM
I would expect nothing less from Mr Ehrich. His election was a fluke. But somehow he thinks Maryland supports his positions. The attacks that have begun coming from the Republican right does nothing but show why they are little more than a regional party and fading.
Posted by: Robert | January 22, 2009 9:23 PM
"Becoming more moderate" as used by the Sun and the rest of the left wing mainline media, is code for being a liberal. Republicans don't need to do that to win. Contrary to the babblings of the left, America didn't vote for a socialist agenda in November; it voted against a failed Republican Party.Check the polls on a host of issues and you'll see that Americans are predominately center-right on most things.
If Obama and his misguided minions tried to ram a leftist agenda down the throats of the people of this country, he'll find that out.
Posted by: mikezpen | January 23, 2009 1:57 AM
Agree with mikezpen. There is no mandate for socialism. Obama has put our Country on the glidepath to destruction. No more than 6 months until we crash under his fraudulent presidency.
Posted by: Jim | January 23, 2009 8:00 AM
The 2 posts by Republicans shows how delusional they are. After the election the New York Times published a US map that showed the voting trend in the election, county by county. It showed not who won the county, but rather the increase or decrease of the vote for the Republican or Democratic candidate for President. So, if Mr Obama's vote % increased from the Democratic vote in 2004, the county was labled blue. If the Republican vote % went up, it went red. Its an interesting analysis tool.
The red/pink on the map traced down the lower portion of the Appalachians and swung up towards Oklahoma. The rest of the map was a shade of blue. For the Republicans, this is not the trend line of a vibrant, relevant national political party. It is the death rattle of regional party.
Donnie Abbott says it well, "Bob Ehrilch Who?"
Posted by: Robert | January 23, 2009 8:59 AM
The Gingrich revolution of 1994 was a formative experience for Gov. Ehrlich, and I think he's banking on the possibility that President Obama and the Democrats might tank two years hence as badly as President Clinton did in 1994.
Should that come to pass, he'll look prescient and his electoral viability will be restored.
To the extent he hope for President Obama's failure, however, he's betting against his own country and the well being of the electorate he hope to court, which is never a winning strategy. - Steve Lebowitz
Posted by: justdafacts | January 23, 2009 4:37 PM
I'm a foreigner but am interested in US politics as it affects the rest of the world! Obama is very intelligent and seems to have a very good plan forward, a plan that bridges the gap between the rest of the world and the US, believe me when I say that the US has many friends (including me), but many of the policies of the Bush administration failed to meet the expectations of the American people and the rest of World.
Regardless if you are a Republican or a Democrat, the USA has a huge responsibility in its shoulders as the biggest economy and most powerful country in the world today, I do hope that Obama is able to meet his promises to get economy and peace back on track including mutual respect between nations.
Just remember that Clinton left government with a track record of the greatest economic surplus in history and Bush has left US citizens with the largest debt in history, how can you have both peaks in such a short period of 8 years?
The beauty of democracy is that the people of a country choose the way forward based on the pro's and con's of each candidate/party. The American people have spoken through their vote and I'm particularly glad of the choice made.
Can someone please explain who Bob Ehrlich is?
Posted by: Pablo Neumann | January 23, 2009 11:44 PM
Mr Ehrlich is the former (one term) Republican Governor of Maryland, and also former Congressman (a position he left to run for Governor.)
Posted by: Robert | January 24, 2009 9:17 PM