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Interview with Silverio Salazar: Making the Jump From Hillary to McCain

August 25th, 2008
By JAZZ SHAW, Assistant Editor

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This weekend I had the opportunity to interview Silverio “Silver” Salazar. Silver is the cousin of both Senator Ken Salazar (D-Colorado)and Congressman John Salazar (D- Colorado 3rd). He is a former supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton but is now endorsing John McCain’s presidential bid. I found Silver to be an engaging individual who is deeply-passionate about government and the future of his community, the state of Colorado, and the country. He offered some interesting insights as to his political views.

JAZZ SHAW: I see from a previous interview that you haven’t actually left the Democratic Party. Do you view the party today as still being mostly in line with your basic political ideology, or is it moving further away? Or are your views perhaps changing over the years?

SILVERIO SALAZAR: I’m glad you asked me that. When asked why I’m still a Democrat, I tell people that I haven’t left the Democratic Party and I’m not leaving it. The Democratic Party is leaving me. Some of our local legislators – and the Democrats are in control of both the state house and senate - have done things which are not in the JFK and FDR mold of Democrats. They increased fees on license plates and said it wasn’t a tax increase. It was a “fee increase.” What? They also tripled the fines for driving infractions. I support enforcing the law, but when you triple the fines, who are you hurting? You’re hurting the poor, the single mother who has to drive to work to support her kids. It hurts the Democratic base. Democrats are supposed to help the working class, but now they want to tax you. They voted against the Bush tax cuts.

JS: You were previously backing Hillary Clinton. I’m sure a lot of people must have wondered this already, but given how close the policy positions of Clinton and Obama are, and how different McCain is to both of them, what positions of McCain’s did you find most appealing to draw your support?

SS: Clinton was the best qualified, knowledgeable and ready to lead on day one. When she didn’t get it, I looked at the person with the best qualifications to lead on day one. Senator McCain’s positions on taxes, off shore drilling, abortion, immigration all attracted me, but mostly his compassion. When it comes to energy policy, Obama will say anything to get elected, so you don’t know what he thinks about oil drilling and domestic energy production from day to day.

JS: Obama wound up picking Joe Biden as his running mate. I’m wondering… what do you think of Biden in terms of his qualifications to lead, and if Obama had chosen Clinton, would that have drawn you back to the Democrats this fall do you think?

SS: I love Joe Biden. I’ve been doing press conferences for the last few months, and he said that Obama is not qualified to be president. He’s a lot more qualified than Obama. The ticket ought to be flip flopped. Even if he picked Hillary for the running mate, it would have been too late to draw me back. With him at the top of the ticket, I just can’t support it.

JS: Obama has gained a reputation as something of a flip-flopper, hasn’t he?

SS: If Obama really wants to do something good for the country, he should flip flop that ticket and put Biden on top.

JS: What do you see as the principal challenge facing the next president? And what do you like about how John McCain will approach that challenge?

SS: There are two things, actually, not just one. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will have to be settled so we can walk out of there and call it a win. We have too many marks in the loss column right now. Second is the economy. McCain won’t be able to fix things in the first couple of years, but I think he will do it over a period of time, and his plan will fix the economy faster than Obama’s. Wages need to rise to meet costs while keeping taxes low and McCain will eventually do that. We’re working for the future here, not a short term fix. I’m looking for a solution for my kids and my grandkids, not something that claims it will right the economy tomorrow.

JS: I’m curious what you think about Joe Lieberman. Some of the Democrats clearly feel a bit betrayed by Lieberman, particularly this year. Do you think we need more people like that in both parties – people who are willing to go their own way, or is party unity and the need to get the entire party platform advanced usually more important?

SS: We don’t need more people like Joe Lieberman, but we need more self thinkers like Senator McCain. He thinks and acts on his own two feet. You need to vote for what’s good for your constituency and your country, not just what’s good for your party. Obama looks at the polls and that’s the way he flows. You’ve got to do what’s right for the people who elect you.

JS: I read one quote saying that, in the past, you’ve also supported some Republican candidates at the state and local level. Have you ever supported a third party candidate? And what do you think about the impact of third party candidates, such as Bob Barr for example, in the presidential election process?

SS: Third party candidates are a distraction unless we get a party that’s big enough to make a difference. I liked Ross Perot, but I knew it was a wasted vote to support him. If somebody could organize a good third party which would be able to make a difference, then that would be good for the country. But the way things stand today, voting for one of the third party candidates is just throwing your vote away.

JS: As a follow-up to that, how do you view the dominance of the two-party system in general? Are we getting enough choices or does it act as a limiting factor in voter options?

SS: We have to work together and be able to cross the aisle for moderate solutions to problems. Vote for what’s best for your country and not for your party.

JS: Are there any other House or Senate races you’re keeping a particular eye on and supporting a candidate?

SS: The race I’m watching most closely is Udall and Schaffer here in Colorado. Udall is so far ahead in the polls because of the number of Democrats in the state. It’s the way they do things. We have so many safe districts in Colorado that, for some of them, any Democrat you throw in is going to win. In two of them, any Republican will win. I’m not supporting either of them. We already know who will win.

JS: I’m guessing you’ll be supporting your cousin, John Salazar, though?

SS: I don’t need to support John because he’s going to win. That’s how the districts are set up. I asked them once why they even bother putting John’s name on the ballot and they said, “So they will remember we’re here.” There’s no need to support anyone in a situation like that because John will win anyway. And Ken isn’t up for election this year.

END INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Salazar has been working to help bolster John McCain’s numbers, with a special focus on denting the traditionally-solid support which Democrats enjoy among the Hispanic community in Colorado. (John Kerry pulled 60% of that voting demographic in 2004, while Al Gore carried 66% in 2000.) Silver’s discontent with the direction the Democrats have taken this year may not endear him to his family, but is likely not uncommon among disaffected Hillary supporters.

e-mail the author: jazzshaw@gmail.com
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This entry was posted on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 7:12 am and is filed under Third Parties, Democratic Party, Joe Biden, Republican Party, Voting, Colorado, Newsweek Blogitics, Libertarians, Hispanics, At TMV, Moderates, 2008 Elections, Politics, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, State Politics, Original Reporting. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Viewing 32 Comments

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    "The Democratic Party is leaving me. "- no he's just a disenfranchised Hill-raiser. A vicitim of his own self-delusion. The irony is that if Hillary got the nomination, Obama supporters probably would have jumped behind Hillary . Florida and Michigan be damned- they knew what they were doing when they jumped the gun.



    So , feel free to vote for a guy who will stack the SCOTU with more ant-choice, someone who knows "how to win wars" but doesn't know how many properties he(Cindy) owns.
    If Obama has Republicans supporting him, why not Dems. American politics is a half step away from a dog and pony show anyway.
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    "The Democratic party is leaving me."

    Bah, that's what "Zigzag Zell" Miller said. That's probably what Lieberman is saying. The thing is, that's probably what Jim Jeffords said about the Republican Party. If anything, some of the worst "self-thinkers" have come from the Republican Party. Maybe you remember those neo-cons? I don't know how many are still around, but if there ever was an example of the blind leading the blind, that would be it.
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    I tell people that I haven’t left the Democratic Party and I’m not leaving it. The Democratic Party is leaving me.

    In my case I left the party as well. I think Remember November above sums it up quite nicely.

    The things that were once important to this country have taken a back seat to the new wave of progressives sweeping the Democratic party. Abortion. Gay rights, Gun ownership, higher taxes.

    The lunch pail democrats are pretty well paid individuals. My cousin exemplifies that. He just died a while back at age 65. Blue collar working democrat who left his only daughter 2.4 million dollars in his well funded UNION 401k.

    But whats more important to the new wave of democrats is abortion and gay rights and seperation of church and state.

    The ironic thing is while these things might have some importance they seem to overwhelm the attitudes and focus of the new progressive wing of the Democratic party, while at the same time seem to be disaffecting many old guarde Democrats who make up a considerable percent of this party.

    Progressive is not why I was a democrat. I have not left the party. It has left me.
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    To sum things up. If you ask a non progressive democrat you are going to find that Abortion, Gay rights, Gun ownership, tax cuts for the rich is pretty far down on the list of why they support the Democratic party. This I believe is what this new wave of progressives are failing to address in their zeal to put a progressive on the supreme court which really does not matter an iota to the old guard democrats.

    I was once asked here what I thought about supreme court justices being nominated and my response was "I think they are ALL good men and women and that no matter who is selected they will do their best to do what is right for their country." I believe that and will go to my grave believing it.

    This new wing of the democratic party is making that the focal piece of their run for the White House and it truly is turning off a lot of us old guys and gals.

    "Old white haired dude" No where more relects the lack of respect for even those in their own party and shows the division that even the democratic party is facing as the new wave of progressives dont try to slink into power but try to storm into power.
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    Besides being a cousin to some Democratic office holders, what roles and qualifications does Mr. Salazar have in the Democratic party (meant sincerely and not snark.) Why do his views matter? Maria Shriver supports Obama but her husband doesn't, I support Obama but most of my family are right-wing wack jobs. My brother in law used to work for Spence Abraham. The fact that different family members hold differing views isn't exactly news.

    Plus, I really don't get what he seems to have against Lieberman. If he likes McCain and not Lieberman because of guns, the war and economics it is hard to see why he isn't Republican.

    P.S. I used to be Republican because I believe in small government and the Constitution. They left me behind.
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    He says the party is leaving him while he supports views on issues such as taxes and abortion that are identical to Bush's??? Please. What BS.
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    I think you might have been taken in, Jazz. Is there any proof at all this guy ever supported Clinton. Consider this from July 7 of this year.


    McCain will also get the votes of some Colorado Democrats.

    "I'm going to vote for him and I'm going to campaign for him," said Vietnam veteran Silverio Salazar.

    The longtime Pueblo resident said he has been a registered Democrat for 32 years.

    When asked why he supports the Republican candidate Salazar replied, "Iraq, Iran. You hear about North Korea and all the problems that we're having and that’s what scares me about an inexperienced person getting in and being President."

    Democratic candidate Barack Obama will be working hard to counter Salazar and to get the votes of Colorado Republicans and Independents.


    So Mr. Salazar was at a McCain town hall meeting in early July loudly proclaiming his support for McCain and mentioning nothing of having supported Clinton.
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    And is this really a question?


    JS: Obama has gained a reputation as something of a flip-flopper, hasn’t he?


    Given that if the media was doing its job instead of playing softball with the McCain campaign McCain would have a reputation as a liar what is the point of that question other than repeating once again a favorite GOP talking point? Seriously.