Obama's Looming Democrat Defection

Robin Toner's political memo in yesterday's New York Times proposed: "Obama's Test: Can a Liberal Be a Unifier?" The article notes that Obama's promise to "move beyond the divisive politics of Washington and bring Democrats, independents and Republicans together" seems to be undermined by the fact that Obama's voting record is perhaps the most extremely liberal in the Senate.

An answer of sorts seems to have been provided today by Gallup: "If McCain vs. Obama, 28% of Clinton Backers Go For McCain." Though Clinton has striven to moderate her liberal image, the Senator can hardly be called a moderate. And yet, well over a quarter of Clinton supporters would shift right and discard their party affiliation in support of McCain rather than shift so far left within their party to support Obama. Only 59% of Clinton's primary voters actually confirmed that they would support Obama - 13% remained undecided.

Of course, in the midst of a vitriolic primary season, some Democrats may be affected by the Ann Coulter Syndrome of over-reaction to intra-party rivals. Many Democrats may beat their swords into plowshares and make amends with their standard-bearer by November. Nonetheless, the claim that Obama presents an unprecedented 3rd way in politics, a unifying "purple" candidate, seems demonstrably untrue. Obama is a very liberal Democrat with great charm and oratory finesse - such a combination might prove sufficient for a presidential run, but it hardly portends a revolution in political identities.

UPDATE: The Washington Post leads today with an article entitled, "In Obama's New Message, Some Foes See Old Liberalism." The story recounts that both Hillary Clinton and John McCain have begun to pepper Obama with accusations of concealed liberalism - leading the public to ask, "Just how liberal is he?"