Melbourne Republican Nominates Obama

It seems one of our own Brevard residents has received the rare honor of nominating the Democratic nominee for President...and he's a Republican veteran.

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From the Florida Today:

DENVER -- Brevard County's Mike Wilson was supposed to be one of the unknown speakers who fill the pre-primetime hours at the Democratic National Convention, but he wound up nominating Barack Obama for president today.

For a registered Republican, who has no intention of changing his registration, it was a rare honor. And it all started with a $5 donation that Wilson made last year, when the Obama campaign ran a little contest offering dinner with the Illinois senator to four donors chosen at random.

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He said Obama would see to it that members of the service "get the medical care that they deserve." He added, "if you do what you always did, you'll get what you've always got."

"America needs new leadership in the White House, and that leader is Barack Obama," said Wilson. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor, as an Iraq war veteran, as a lifelong Republican and as a proud citizen of this great democracy, to nominate the next president of the United States of America, Barack Obama!"

I would encourage you to read the entire article on Florida Today's website before it disappears behind the subscriber firewall.

Other local media are covering this, including the TCPalm, which covers the Treasure and Palm coasts:

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Wilson, 33, an Iraq war veteran separated from the Air Force in 2004, was selected for the honor after meeting with Obama over dinner a year ago. Three donors to the Obama campaign were flown to New Hampshire and were allowed to ask the candidate anything they wanted. Wilson said he was impressed with Obama’s sincerity.

“Nothing seemed canned,” he said.

Of his speech, Wilson said, “Basically, I’m going to share my story. My experience as a veteran. My vision of why Senator Obama should be the next president of the United States.”

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Wilson is not the only Republican who has come out full-heartedly in favor of Obama. Former Iowa Republican Congressmen Jim Leach has endorsed Obama and spoke at the Democratic Convention, current Fairbanks Republican Mayor Jim Whitaker has endorsed the Democratic Senator from Illinois, and former Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee (who was also the only Republican Senator to vote against the Iraq war) is supporting Barack Obama --- just to name a few. The Obama campaign has started a neat page, Republicans for Obama to showcase his support from the other side of the aisle.

While the media obsesses over the false "Democrats divided" narrative, Republicans from all across the county --- and here in Brevard County --- are joining with Senator Obama and speaking up for change.