Leach, Outgoing IOP Director and Republican, Backs Obama at DNC

DENVER—Outgoing IOP Director Jim Leach spoke to delegates of the Democratic Party yesterday, giving an evening floor speech at their party convention about the need to bridge political divides and make the United States stronger.

Leach, a five-term Republican Congressman from Iowa voted out in 2006, was introduced to the group assembled at Denver's Pepsi Center by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA). Leach made waves earlier this month by joining a group of three Republicans in endorsing Barack Obama for President.

"Something is akilter in our great republic," Leach said. "It is time that politicians provide more clarity in our call for a renewal in time-tested American values that transcend Democratic and Republican views."

Leach lambasted the modern Republican Party for what he viewed as putting the party before the country.

"In perilous times, the national interest must always come first. Today's Republican Party has abandoned its conservative roots," he said. "I am proud of my party's contributions to American history, but as a citizen, I am proud that the people of this party picked someone like Barack Obama who can transcend the bitterness that has emerged in our politics."

"It is not a time for politics as usual, or run of the mill politics," Leach added. "We don't need more of the same."

In an interview with The Crimson following the speech, Leach said that his strongest reason for supporting Obama was the loss of American prestige abroad over the last decade.

"We have less respect in the world than at any point in our history," Leach said. "We need to pay attention to other countries in order to expand the rule of law."

Leach felt Obama's biggest challenge was to become more familiar to the public between now and November. "This is a historic election," he said, "and there is a great vision on the table. He's just got to go out and convey that message to the public."

—Staff writer Prateek Kumar can be reached at kumar@fas.harvard.edu.