Ahmanson's conversion to the Democratic Party, following decades of donating millions to conservative think tanks and causes, certainly qualifies as a "shocker" in political circles. "What!!!!!" has been the typical response as I've sought reactions.

A few Republicans have e-mailed Ahmanson, but he hasn't gotten around to responding yet. He figures most are curious to understand his thinking. Some also may worry whither goest those deep pockets, though Ahmanson's contributions to individual candidates are relatively modest. As one conservative philanthropist put it: "He's more issue-oriented than party-oriented."

Thus, it isn't possible to draw conclusions about the direction of the Republican Party based on Ahmanson's joining the "enemy camp." He did make some observations about the GOP, however, and sees the party's current problems as tension between "the upscales and the downscales" -- the upper middle classes and the lower middle classes.

"If I were in the GOP, I'd advocate the party should be downscaling." Heading, that is, toward a populist position.

Yes, he liked Sarah Palin all right, but he favors Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. "I'm now a blue dog Democrat for Bobby Jindal in 2012."

On Barack Obama, it's too early to tell, he says. "He may do well or he may not do well."

Ahmanson was disappointed, but not surprised, by Obama's overturning of Bush administration restrictions on abortion and embryonic stem cell research.

It is probably safe to say that when Democrats decided they needed to start talking more about faith and take God back from the GOP, they hadn't quite figured on landing Ahmanson. But Ahmanson is certain he'll find friends among Democrats who believe, as he does, that conservative ideas are not exclusively Republican.

On the other hand, he says that Democrats who have contacted him think he will be disappointed to find a lack of support for his views. Says Ahmanson: "We'll see how tolerant they really are."