Does Anyone Else Sense Something Big Coming in November??

[Hoosier Democrat]

Normally, I am probably one of the biggest pessimists you'll find in terms of looking ahead to elections. A few months ago, I would have thought Kerry was probably doomed. Over the last month or so, however, I'm starting to notice little things here and there that are really catching my attention. Some examples:

1. I live near the Indiana/Michigan line. Just north of me is some of the most Republican areas of Michigan. Democrats usually don't even bother running candidates here. yet, on many of my drives up to the Shore, I'm seeing LOTS of Kerry/Edwards yard signs and bumper stickers. Some of these are even in yards with Republican signs for local candidates.

2. I took my boys to a skateboard park over the weekend. While they skated, I sat at a picnic table in the "Parent's Corner" and read a book. As I was reading, two kids (probably 18 or 19) came up and sat down on the other side of the picnic talbe to put on their rollerblades. One asked the other "So, did you register to vote yet?" To which the other replied "Hell, yeah, you think I want Bush back. I don't think Kerry's that great, but that retard has to get out." I mean, these kids looked like a couple of stoners. Who'd have even thought that they knew HOW to register let alon do so.

3. Electoral College Polling. Sure, the national polls are showing it fairly close, but look at the individual states. Virginia has become a toss-up!! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the last time Virginia went Dem (aside from the 1964 fluke) was 1948 for Truman? Plus, Kerry is within single digits of Dumbya in South Carolina! WTF??

4. My best friend is a career military officer who has always voted Republican. We usually rib each other a bit about our respective voting patterns, but we remain good friends. Last time he was over, he told me he was voting for Kerry. I thought he was joking. He was serious and told me that he would still vote straight Republican this fall EXCEPT for Bush. He feels that Bush has completely screwed up the military and needs to go. He also told me that he was just one of many officers who feel this way.

I don't want to get too optimistic, but I think I smell change a-comin on the wind. Do I hear a giant sucking sound??

[NJCher]

1. these are good signs

and especially in Indiana territory!

The skateboard guys gave me a good laugh.


Cher

[MasonJar]

2. I had dinner with a friend last night who votes Dem now, but

whose whole family usually votes Pug. Her brother has already been to Iraq and will be going back. This year all of the family is voting for Kerry.

[On the Road]

3. There's a Groundswell

no doubt about it. The polls are underestimating the effect, because Democrats are energized and Republicans are conflicted. Election night will be a surprise to a lot of people.

[MsUSA]

7. I think a lot of the Repubs are a two issue voter......

abortion and gay marriage, not going to win with that. I'm getting a tad excited too, not over confident, but just a bit uplifted with the huge crowds Kerry/Edwards are generating. I saw on the news the clip of Pickles' visit to Minnesota, and yup as discussed earlier, she looks as if she does smoke, lotsa wrinkles around her lips.

[DemWitch]

4. I've said the same thing

For whatever the reasons, there are alot of folks that are tired of the road that Shrubya has led us down. Some due to the economy, tried and true republicans finding themselves laid off from thier 18 dollar an hour job all of a sudden wrangling carts for 8 bucks an hour at Wal-Mart. Some due to the War in Iraq, republicans that are wondering what the fuck their children are now in harms way for. Some due to our position in the world, some republicans wondering how we went from one of the most respected countries in the world to the most dangerous. That combined with the Democrats finally being able to stop eating thier own over thier differences has definatly made for a, as another poster put it, Perfect Storm, for Democrats to make a solid advance this November.

Gawd, it feels good to feel optimistic...

[quaoar]

5. I have made the analogy on other posts

That this is the year of the Perfect Storm.

The election won't be close. And we stand a good chance of taking both the House and Senate if we don't screw up again by writing off "red" states.

[quaoar]

8. And BTW

I'm in Alabama and I have seen a lot more Kerry stickers than Bush stickers, for whatever that's worth. Didn't see any Gore stickers in 2000.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Put it this way - * is trying to market chicken ca-ca as chicken salad

but you can only do that for so long with most people.

Yeah, something tells me (knock on wood) that this election will not even be close.


:kick:

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. sshhhh!

don't tell the media about this, we need a massive turnout to take back the House and Senate...

[Batgirl]

14. I might be a bit more optimistic

except for the certain knowledge that the Repubs always cover their bases, and that even now there are Scaife-funded elves sitting around making plans for Kerry's future impeachment.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. Which is exactly why

we need Congress.

[Lindsey]

15. Last night I was on the phone with a friend who isn't political at

all but she's still progressive in her beliefs (she's a lesbian, pro-choice, etc). She said she hasn't voted since she was 24 (she's now about to turn 44). She said, "I need you to help me vote, register me, tell me what to do, etc." Then she added, "I haven't voted in 20 years so you it's bad to get me to vote. I think this it's going to be unbelievable the number of people that vote this year. I can't believe what this idiot has done to our country."

[ochazuke]

10. It's irresistable force vs. imoveable bush

Yes, I think the electorate has soured on the shrub and will turn him out BIG TIME. Virtually no Gore-2000 voter is going over to dumbya while there are countless anecdotes, like yours, of bush-2000 voters who won't get fooled again (no, no).

But, consider these two things:

1. The Republicans will do anything to hold on to power.
2. The only way bushco can win is to pull Osama out of a hat or whip up massive fear near the election. (There's the possibility of smearing Kerry, but that hasn't worked yet, and probably won't.)

So, isn't it a near certainty that the 'thugs will pull the Mother of All Dirty Tricks? The October Surprise that all conspiracy theorists are expecting.

[OnionPatch]

11. I've seen similar things

A friend of mine I haven't seen for years visited the other day. She has never been at all interested in politics and her eyes would just glaze over at the mention. Fast forward two years. I saw her and when she asked what I've been up to I told her I was one of those official Bush haters and working my butt off to unseat him. She got all excited and started rambling on and on about how awful he was and how she was doing all she could do too! So it's all good. But everytime I get optimistic I think about the electronic voting machines. I don't understand why Dems aren't in the streets by the millions protesting these machines. They are about the only thing that stands in the way of us ending this long, national nightmare.

[in_cog_ni_to]

12. I wish he wouldn't vote staight repub

because without a Dem majority in the House and Senate, Kerry's hands will be tied. :( I am happy he's voting for Kerry though. :hi:

[Warpy]

13. Most people, even the partisans, know Bush is a moron

However, he's still got the partisans voting for what they think is an agenda of smaller government,lower taxes, and an imperial military. That he's completely abandoned this agenda in his first four years is completely lost on them. They think they know a lot of things they really don't know, thanks to lazy and corrupt news media.

Most of them, though, will likely stay home or cast a protest third party vote. I have a feeling that the Bush team are in for a major surprise in 2004, especially regarding the military vote.

The major problem remains Congress, and whether or not enough GOP idiots will be swept out of office on the strength of the Kerry vote to make a major difference in how much of the Bush idiocies he's able to overturn.

[tandot]

16. I just saw that one of our bosses has a "Veterans for Kerry" bumper sticke

on his pick-up truck. He always looked like a Bush guy to me.

[MallRat]

17. Best example: johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/

Sure, it's a rather faint endorsement, but if it gets conservative swing voters to pull the lever for Kerry, I'm not complaining.

:-)

http://johnkerryisadouchebagbutimvotingforhimanyway.com/

-MR

[Gruenemann]

28. wish the guy would finish all his pages...

I was originally sent this link by a 'pug who'd just decided to vote Kerry.

[getbushoutplease]

18. agree something big

for what it's worth, I voted Republic for many years and this year I've finally answered that voice of reason in the back of my mind and have registered Democrat. It's like a lightbulb came on. Too many questions, too many concerns. We have to replace this man in the whitehouse. I know I'm not alone, several of my friends have changed their political affiliation as well. And many of my friends who would have voted Green or Independent are voting for Kerry just to get Bush out. Also, I believe that a significant percentage of Americans who would normally not vote, will get out and vote this year, especially after Fahrenheit.

[GoneOffShore]

20. Thanks for coming over

And
Welcome to DU. Congratulations on your first post.
:toast:

[lancdem]

19. Thanks for posting this

I live in a very conservative county in Pennsylvania. My mother was telling me she's seen several Kerry-Edwards signs in an affluent neighborhood near where my parents live.

[GoneOffShore]

21. You hear that sound correctly.

Was talking to a friend yesterday who works in Scranton in the Fed Building. He was there when the Kerry-Edwards campaign came to town. He'd never seen anything like it before in the wilds of Pennsyltucky. The whole area up there is pretty heavily Reps but not, it would appear, this year. Of course, Spector will probably beat Hoeffel (though I would like it to be otherwise) because of his pork barrel politics. But hey, he brings money to PA and he's generally a social moderate. I won't be voting for him though. Time for new blood and a Democratic/Progressive majority in the Senate.

[Obamarama]

23. You are right on, Hoosier!

I live in that conservative Republican area in Southwest Michigan. You are right....lots of Kerry support around here. This both pleases and astonishes me.

[quaoar]

24. With all these stories

About people who have never voted before being determined to register and vote, has there ever been a better time to take back Congress, as well?

If we are going to take back Congress, are we ever going to have a better shot at it than right now?

[Nadienne]

25. I, too, see this change.

One of my very republican sisters is eager - eager, I say! - for a Kerry/Edwards victory.

Another of my very republican sisters is not sure she will support Bush. She sends me e-mails all the time that make fun of Kerry... but she still might vote for him.

I'm pretty sure my wealthy employer hasn't donated to the Bush campaign, although the Bush campaign keeps calling...

[zbdent]

26. I'm hoping for 79 days of celebration

culminating with the inauguration.

[Tardisian]

27. Huzzah!

"The times, they are a-changin'"

Can't you feel the music now?