Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign sent out a press release touting the support of some New Hampshire Republican activists. Two of them cited displeasure with Sen. John McCain’s education agenda as a top reason for supporting his opponent.
Fred Bramante is the past chairman and a current member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education.
I believe that America is at a critical point and that how our nation addresses the issue of education redesign will hold the key to America's future. Barack Obama is committed to reforming our public schools instead of abandoning them. To my disappointment, Senator McCain continues to support the use of vouchers, a divisive approach to education which has gotten us nowhere for decades and will not ensure that our children will live their lives in another American century.
Bramante was an alternate delegate to the 2008 Republican National Convention and the co-chairman of Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s New Hampshire campaign. Huckabee, if you’ll remember, was the only Republican to speak before the 3.2 million-member National Education Association. He was rewarded with the union’s New Hampshire affiliate.
The campaign also quoted Barry Schuster, another New Hampshire Republican who served on the Lebanon School Board.
As a lifelong Republican and father of two, I believe Obama is the best choice for the future of our country. ... I know improving education policy will be critical to the senator because of his own experiences and the value he places on reforming the system.
Obviously not all Republicans are disappointed in McCain’s education proposals. When I was at the Republican convention in St. Paul, McCain’s lines on school choice and getting rid of “bad” teachers got some of the loudest applause of any in his acceptance speech.