War Wears on Voters in Minnesota Suburbs

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/2004/la-na-voters16apr16,1,1929608,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines

The wrinkles in Pearl Dick's 81-year-old face folded into a grimace of anger and disappointment as she scolded President Bush.

"I voted for him, but damn it, I'm not happy with what he's done" in Iraq, she said after noontime macaroni at a diner in this Minneapolis suburb. "You know, let them fight their own battles, for chrissakes. Why should we go over there and do it?"

The gravel-voiced retiree said the killing of U.S. troops was "making me sick." So after years of voting mostly Republican, she was leaning against backing Bush this year.

"That's what's really been hurting me: Every day, it's a Marine, and it's from around here. And it's not a day goes by that a soldier doesn't get killed."

In Coon Rapids and other suburbs of Minneapolis and its twin city, St. Paul, the political damage that Bush has suffered because of the upsurge of violence in Iraq is unmistakable.

And we need to email LA Times about this glaring error

In 2002, they elected Republicans Tim Pawlenty and Norm Coleman to replace Ventura and Wellstone respectively, and the GOP picked up seats in the state legislature.

[yardwork]

1. What did they expect?

I'm relieved that more people are seeing through the moron's lies, but really, where were they before?

[Eric J in MN]

2. That isn't a mistake

They're saying that Paul Wellstone's seat went to Norm Coleman.

Yes, we couldn't vote for Paul Wellstone, but Norm Coleman still took the seat.

[RamboLiberal]

4. I see what you mean after rereading it

Still a bit of bad writing IMHO from LATimes - makes it sound as if Coleman defeated Wellstone. They should've clarified it I think.

[kainah]

7. Actually, wasn't Wellstone's name still on the ballot?

Maybe I'm wrong but I was thinking that the ballots were already printed and that Wellstone's name was on the ballot so that, yes, technically, Coleman "defeated" Wellstone. Which makes Coleman a step above Ashcroft, I guess, since Ashcroft will forever have the distinction of having lost to a dead man!! (Mel Carnahan)

[Nobody]

9. There were already printed

We voted from supplemental ballots with Mondale's name. Any absentee votes for Wellstone were not counted. If Paul had lived one more day, the absentee ballots for Paul would have counted and the DFL wouldn't have had to get a replacement post haste.

[tom_paine]

16. Quite a coinkydinky, that, eh?

Murderers.

Cui bono?

[whodiedandmadeUSgod]

3. I'm a Minnesotan

I keep hearing comments like these from family and friends. Hopefully these people will actually follow through and vote Kerry. Who knows maybe they will even start to see through Norm Coleman!

[Stuckinthebush]

14. Welcome, WhodiedandmadeUSgod!

:hi:

[shockingelk]

5. Bigger glaring mistake

"They also lean regularly toward Republicans, choosing Richard Nixon (three times), Gerald Ford (once) and Ronald Reagan (twice) for president."

None of those presidents won minnesota. The last time MN voted for a Republican president was Eisenhower in 1956.

Indeed, because MN was the ONLY state not to vote for Reagan in 1998, we have the longest running record of voting correctly in presidential elections.

Maybe the author was looking here and didn't notice red and blue have the opposite of their usual meanings:
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/

[jpgray]

6. Perhaps they're referring to the specific suburbs themselves?

Minnesota is, I think, the most consistently Democratic voting state in the country for president.

[kainah]

8. Most consistently Democratic voting state

Doesn't that distinction belong to Massachusetts? They were the only state to go for McGovern in '72, I know.

[jpgray]

13. '84 Mondale, MA went for Reagan. (nt)

[leQ]

11. what i did notice was the switch of the colors blue & red

seems kinda subliminal in a way, but i'm sure it was just ignorance on the webmaster's part.

[cornfedyank]

12. yah ,but we have floyd of rosedale.

FYI floyd of rosedale is a bronze statue of a prize winning hog that goes to the victor of the u of iowa vs. u of minnesota football game.
enough B U _ _ S H _ _.
wage peace---it's cheaper.

[dflprincess]

20. Actually, Nixon took Minnesota in 1972

McGovern only carried Massachusetts.. '72 was the last time Minnesota went Republican in the presidential race.

[dusty64]

10. I'm glad some

are coming to their senses, but still WAY too many refuse to see the truth.

[riverwalker]

15. Norm Coleman

Is a closet Neo-con. I remember when he went to Israel to promote "tourism" during the start of Intifada 2. He was totally oblivious and ignorant of the whole situation. He is a lightweight airhead, and Neo-con wannabe.

[Coventina]

17. TOO LATE YOU SACK OF CRAP!

YOU VOTED FOR THE INSANE CHIMP!

WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?

on edit: changed insult to the old lady, decided first one was too vulgar.

[Mountainman]

18. Sweat retort, why not welcome another vote for Kerry instead?

[Coventina]

19. BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DYING RIGHT NOW!

Because of these slimy Bush enablers.

I'm sorry, but their second thoughts are TOO LATE!