Once 'The Obama Of Alabama,' Now A GOP Headliner - Polidicks

[IMG]http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/08/17/ap10060101563-c59a319b285e3e14dea7f2e5444dae86e0c7054c-s51.jpg?[/IMG] [QUOTE]Four years ago in Denver, Artur Davis took the podium at the Democratic National Convention to speak up for Barack Obama. "I am honored to second the nomination of the man whose victory tonight takes us closer to becoming what we know America can be," he said. But now, as President Obama seeks re-election, Davis is on the list of scheduled speakers for the Republican National Convention. The former Democratic congressman from Alabama, who tried and failed to become the state's first black governor, is now a Republican resident of Virginia. And this time around, he will be calling for the president's defeat. [B]From Supporter To Detractor [/B] Davis and Obama have known each other since their days at Harvard Law School. Davis was an early supporter of Obama's presidential campaign — the first member of Congress from outside Illinois to endorse him. He was one of Obama's most prominent supporters in Alabama and helped the future president win the state's Democratic primary. But now, Davis says he is disenchanted with the man he helped to victory in 2008. "Let's not forget, four years ago, Sen. Obama said, 'We're the ones we've been waiting for. We have the capacity to change and to break this gridlock' — and I think, unfortunately, some of the president's own policies have pushed us further apart." Davis voted against the president's signature achievement, the health care overhaul, which he said was pushed across with "an aggressive, party-line ... take-it-or-leave-it strategy." In 2010, after four terms in Washington, Davis gave up his safe seat in Congress to run for the Democratic nomination for governor in Alabama. He lost by 24 percentage points. NPR spoke with Davis in June, shortly after he announced he was leaving the Democratic Party to become a Republican. "When I look at where I lean on the issues that people are debating today, when I look at where I lean in the questions that are most important to me — the economy and education — I see more alignment, more philosophical compatibility, with the Republican Party than I do the Democratic Party," Davis said. He says there is no tolerance among Democrats for center-right views, such as his own. [B]A Political Turnaround [/B] Democrats have questioned whether Davis' conversion to the GOP is less a question of dissatisfaction with party ideology and more a matter of sour grapes after losing his bid to become Alabama governor. Davis' biography is an up-by-the-bootstraps story. He was raised in Montgomery, Ala., by his mother and grandmother after his parents divorced. He says that while African-Americans have traditionally supported the Democratic Party, Republicans can change that. "I think that if Republicans talk about growing this economy, talk about overhauling education, and, frankly, govern and operate in an inclusive manner when it comes to race, I think that's the best way to make the case to black voters in the next 10 years," he says. His role as a headliner at the Republican convention later this month marks a remarkable 180-degree political transformation for Davis. And he carries an important message for the GOP, telling undecided voters that if this man, who was once dubbed "the Obama of Alabama," is now behind Mitt Romney, you can be, too.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.npr.org/2012/08/17/159014520/once-the-obama-of-alabama-now-a-gop-headliner[/url]

Reminds me of that 13(I don't remember the age) year old conservative from Georgia that became a liberal.

Looked at the guy; I dont see it. Looked at his wife; Now I see it.

[quote]"I think that if Republicans talk about growing this economy, talk about overhauling education, and, frankly, govern and operate in an inclusive manner when it comes to race, I think that's the best way to make the case to black voters in the next 10 years," he says.[/quote] As long as the republican party says "we're going to take money from you and your children's education and give it directly to the people already making more money than you" then black people aren't going to start voting republican any time soon. Middle class people voted Republican because they wanted lower taxes. Now the Republicans have given up the charade and are basically saying "yeah, we're going to take away your benefits, your medicare, your children's education, AND we're going to raise taxes on you, and give all the money saved directly to the rich. Vote for us!" and unsurprisingly it's not working.

It's working well enough that they're still backed by half the voting population.

does this guy look [i]really[/i] familiar to anyone else? I've never heard of him and don't live in Virginia or Alabama but damn does he look familiar

All I can think of is the Alabama's current Governor who should really just have duct taped over his mouth.

[QUOTE=Swilly;37304767]All I can think of is the Alabama's current Governor who should really just have duct taped over his mouth.[/QUOTE]Robert Bentley? Yeah, he's a prat.

He looks nothing like Obama. His wife could play double for Michelle Obama, though.

i think that "Obama of Alabama" thing is supposed to mean "all black people look the same". Racists.

I don't see any physical resemblance between them and the Obamas. On an unrelated note, nobody's made a Will Smith joke. I'm proud of you, Facepunch.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;37304249]It's working well enough that they're still backed by half the voting population.[/QUOTE] Considering the wide margin that Obama got elected by, I wouldn't be too sure about that.

[QUOTE=lavacano;37305387]i think that "Obama of Alabama" thing is supposed to mean "all black people look the same". Racists.[/QUOTE] sweet hood alaboma

[QUOTE=Key_in_skillee;37304040]As long as the republican party says "we're going to take money from you and your children's education and give it directly to the people already making more money than you" then black people aren't going to start voting republican any time soon. Middle class people voted Republican because they wanted lower taxes. Now the Republicans have given up the charade and are basically saying "yeah, we're going to take away your benefits, your medicare, your children's education, AND we're going to raise taxes on you, and give all the money saved directly to the rich. Vote for us!" and unsurprisingly it's not working.[/QUOTE] as much as i love your scrooge-esque simplification of GOP policies i'd like to contest your statement that "it's not working" - obama's not that far ahead in the polls.

[QUOTE=Doctor Zedacon;37304873]Robert Bentley? Yeah, he's a prat.[/QUOTE] Ditto on the entirety of the Pennsylvanian current administration. Especially after the, 'Year of the Bible' bullshit.

[QUOTE=BoysLightUp;37311321]as much as i love your scrooge-esque simplification of GOP policies i'd like to contest your statement that "it's not working" - obama's not that far ahead in the polls.[/QUOTE] That was the case when he was running against McCain too if I remember correctly, but he still won by a wide margin.