RI-GOV

Independent Chafee's Ad Features Clip Of Obama Praising Him (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | October 26, 2010, 4:46PM

President Obama and RI-GOV candidate Lincoln Chafee (I)

Finally, we have a candidate this election cycle who will proudly feature his ties to President Obama in one of his ads -- and he's not actually a Democrat!

Lincoln Chafee, the former Republican Senator and now independent candidate for governor of Rhode Island, has a new ad that uses old footage of President Obama vigorously praising him. And of course, this ad follows a dust-up over Obama's noted lack of support for the Democratic nominee in the race, state Treasurer Frank Caprio.

The ad shows video that is clearly labeled as being from March 1, 2008, in the run-up to the Rhode Island Democratic presidential primary in which Chafee had endorsed Obama. (Indeed, he had changed his registration from Republican to independent in 2007, and could vote in the Dem primary.) The ad shows what appears to be then-Senator Obama attacking Hillary Clinton's insistence that her vote to authorize the Iraq War was more about strengthening President George W. Bush's hand diplomatically.

"Real change isn't voting for George Bush's war in Iraq. I knew what it was, Lincoln Chafee knew what it was," Obama said, as the crowd applauded. "You were voting for war. That's why I opposed this war, Lincoln opposed this war, and if Lincoln Chafee could stand up--"

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Frank Caprio

RI-GOV Dem: Obama Can Take His Endorsement And 'Shove It'

Jillian Rayfield | October 25, 2010, 11:38AM

Rhode Island Gov. Candidate Frank Caprio (D)

Frank Caprio, a Democrat running for governor in Rhode Island, doesn't really care that President Obama hasn't endorsed him. "He can take his endorsement and really shove it," Caprio told WPRO Radio.

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Bob Bennett

Republicans And Democrats Mourn Bennett's Defeat

Brian Beutler | May 10, 2010, 5:51PM

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT)

Republicans and Democrats are unanimous: the end of Bob Bennett's career is a loss for the Senate--perhaps for the country. In fact, it is with almost a sense of reluctance that GOP leaders say they'll support the eventual winner of the Republican primary in Utah--likely a Tea Party-backed insurgent candidate with no experience in politics.

Part of that sentiment, no doubt, has to do with the myopic and inward-looking culture of the Senate itself. Bennett, for better or worse, was part of the club, and the club protects its own. But Bennett--no centrist, he--was, by all accounts ousted thanks to conservative anger over of a handful of instances in which he worked with Democrats, or cast difficult, but perhaps necessary, votes. He voted for TARP, for instance, and he co-authored a far-reaching health care reform bill with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).

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RI-GOV

Poll: Lincoln Chafee Ahead As Independent For RI-GOV

Eric Kleefeld | March 2, 2010, 10:36AM

Former Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), independent candidate for governor of Rhode Island

The new Rasmussen poll of Rhode Island gives former Sen. Lincoln Chafee, an ex-Republican and now independent candidate for governor, a solid lead in the race against his Democratic and Republican opponents.

Chafee was tested against Republican John Robitaille, a businessman and former aide to term-limited GOP Gov. Don Carcieri, and against two Democrats, Attorney General Patrick Lynch and Treasurer Frank Caprio. With Lynch as the Democratic nominee, Chafee has 38%, Lynch 24%, and Robitaille 22%. With Caprio as the Democratic nominee, it's Chafee with 37%, Caprio 27%, and Robitaille 19%.

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