ealizing that Maria Shriver of the Kennedy clan would be attending the Republican convention at Madison Square Gardens, accompanying her husband, the Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, it set me to wondering whether she was going to vote for the re-election of the President. I doubt it, but of course I have nothing to substantiate that thought, other than to say I can't imagine any member of the extended Kennedy family crossing over to the G.O.P. She's probably simply being a good wife and supporting her husband in his fame.
I've been married to a Republican for going on 39 years. In the last election she voted for Vice President Al Gore. This time the Democrats get her vote again as she is supporting the Kerry/Edwards team. I shan't explore her reasons for changing, that's her business, but her logic is impressive. When we read this morning, over a first cup of coffee, that Maria would be with her Arnold, she asked me what it would take to get me to vote for a Republican for president. I would have thought that my answer would have been long and rambling and somewhat inconclusive ...a little disingenuous, perhaps, until I came across a full-page advertisement in the morning's edition of the New York Times, headlined "A Call to our Grand Old Party: Come back to the mainstream". It's placed by a group of former Governors, Senators and public officials, all of whom are Republicans of repute and in good standing, who are obviously very concerned about what has happened to their party and its leadership. They are saddened by their partisan ideology which, they claim, has increasingly led moderates to leave the party and they make all manner of worthwhile recommendations that, if accomplished or attempted, could easily convince me to vote Republican, provided the selected leader was worthy of the office. They call on their party to restore fiscal responsibility. That's sorely lacking in the Bush administration's first four years. They want "pay-as-you-go" budget discipline. They call for embryonic stem cell research to put the potential health of millions first. They are against this administration's continuing to weaker environmental laws. And they point out ,appropriately ,that Teddy Roosevelt and other Republican leaders have certainly tried to in the past.
These men are beginning to sound like Democrats...or is it simply good Americans? Or both.
They call for the appointment of mainstream federal judges. (As an aside, can you imagine how conservative the Supreme Court will be if we have four more years of Bush leadership?).
Let me quote two more of their demands, as they state them, simply:
Make America safer - and protect cities and towns, still vulnerable three years after 9/11, by securing chemical and nuclear plants and shipping containers.
Rebuild our alliances - with real partnerships and restore America's standing in the world.
If the Republican party would return to the mainstream of yesteryear, in those ways then I feel the party might regain the trust of a divided nation and earn a vote of confidence in November.....and then, if they had a different candidate, I might be able to switch party affiliation.
That would please and surprise some of my friends ,who view the world, our national interests and our society through different eyes.
My first hope? That this Republican convention will run as smoothly as the Greek-hosted Olympic Games.