A view from the reddest of red states - Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain. [View all]

[Mortos]

I live in the only State in America that went entirely against President Obama. The President did not win a single county. I remember the environment at the time and people were openly hostile and very vocal in their opposition to candidate Obama.

Fast forward 4 years. I work in a very right leaning occupation and I am surrounded by republicans. I interact face to face with 30-70 people a day. This year I hear almost zero political talk in the workplace. Criticism of the president is done now in whispers instead of shouts and that criticism is fewer and further between than four years ago.

The people who were once shouted down and openly mocked for their political beliefs, democrats, liberals, blacks, Hispanics, gays are now able to defend themselves and openly state their opinions and do so, sometimes, vocally and forcefully and often with quickly responding backup.

I have personally spoken to two republicans in my workplace who were strong opponents of President Obama in 2008 who are leaning towards voting for him or not voting at all because of their professed and intense dislike or Mitt Romney. I have also heard one of my republican co-workers tout the benefit of Obamacare allowing her to get insurance coverage for her adult child.

There are no Romney/Ryan stickers on any cars in our parking lot. There is one Obama magnet, mine. This is representative of mass drop off in election signs for the republican ticket city and state wide. I have seen about a dozen Romney Signs in my daily 35 mile commute through country, suburban and urban neighborhoods (six of those are in one yard). I have seen a few more Obama signs but there are about equal amounts for both candidates.

There is a palpable apathy towards Romney if not downright dislike. On the democratic side, my friends, family and a surprising amount of my co-workers are fired up to vote for President Obama. I have donated more money to his re-election than I did in '08 and more than I have ever donated to any politician in my life. I proudly wear my 2008 Obama t-shirt to work every day (under another shirt as to wear it openly would be a violation of city policy) but I flash my fellow supporters and, occasionally, one of the few vocal right wingers.

One adamant republican from 2008 texted me during the Biden/Ryan debate and said, "The old man is kicking the young man's ass." She later quietly told me that she couldn't stand Mitt Romney, didn't trust him and didn't think he was for the working class. Another young man who just registered as a republican at 25 told me he didn't know if he was a republican or not but that he didn't like Romney and wanted to know my opinion of him and President Obama. I gave it to him. He agreed with the things I had to say about both candidates.

I have no doubt that Oklahomans will overwhelmingly vote for Mitt Romney but if the apathy towards him in the belt buckle of the bible belt is any indication of national sentiment, he is in big trouble nationwide. If he can't win the trust of right wing, Christian, republican Okies, Romney can't win.