Good News from the Dixie Front!

[Maddy McCall]

I was pumping gas at the corner store today, at the main intersection in my rural little hometown. As I pumped, a man came up to me and asked me where I got my Kerry-Edwards sticker. I told him that I ordered it on the internet, and I had plenty of them in my trunk, along with yard signs and buttons.

As I gave him the sticker and yard sign, I was approached by several more people, and then several more, and then several more. In what should have been a 5 minute stop at the store, but what turned into a 30 minute stop, I gave out EIGHTEEN YARD SIGNS and all of the bumper stickers I had--over twenty five.

People are enthusiastic here about beating Bush. They are ANGRY. One white veteran came up to me--and I just happened to have one VETERANS FOR K-E sticker left--and he said that his benefits have been cut, and since the VA hospital on the coast is closed and now they are all going to Jackson for medical care, he can't even receive the medical care he deserves, that he has to wait months and sometimes a year, to see a doctor! He was PISSED! I ran my errands, and on the way home, I passed his home, and he had placed his sign in his yard and the sticker on his truck.

You guys, don't count us out. The last poll in this state (Mississippi) said that we are only "weak" Bush. Our governor, that pigboy Haley Barbour, recently tried to cut 65,000 people off of Medicaid. They still will be cut off, but it will happen in January instead of October, because a judge intervened. People here are starting to see the light, that Barbour didn't just pull that policy out of his ass, and he even blamed it on federal policy after the boom came down on him.

We may not go blue--I'm pretty sure we won't, but I can dream :-) --but we will at least be pink. Bush can't take it for granted that Mississippians blindly support him.

There is nothing more exhilarating that driving on the roads in my home county and seeing just as many Kerry signs in front of people's homes as Bush signs. The funniest thing that has happened to me yet was when an elderly white man who I have known all of my life called and asked me to bring him a sign. He said that even though all of his children stay on his back trying to convert him to a Republican, he is a Democrat--he said, "My granddaddy was a Democrat, my daddy was a Democrat, and I will die a Democrat."

I was shocked to find this out, and was happy! Don't count us out.

[johnnie]

1. Great!!

Thanks for sharing this. I sometimes think that a lot of the southern states that they seem to be giving to bush just might surprise some people. I'm up here in Ohio and I also think that it is going Kerry. I would love to see a landslide across this great land of ours.

[rocktivity]

2. Lawsy, Jchild, I'm a Jersey girl!

I don't know nuthin' 'bout pumpin' no gas!

:headbang:
rocknation

[calico1]

5. LOL. I forgot.

Its illegal to pump your own gas in Jersey, isn't it? My best friend lives there and when she came to visit me once (I'm in CT) she needed to fill her tank to go back home. I went with her to show her how! LOL.

[Maddy McCall]

7. Why is it illegal?!

I've never heard that before. I guess it's good--it widens the job market.

[rocktivity]

13. I think it was job-market related

Without employees pumping the gas, they'd have no reason to keep their prices up!

:headbang:
rocknation

P.S. You can't pump your own gas in Oregon, either.

[calico1]

34. Yes, it has to do with keeping jobs

from what I have been told.

[sandnsea]

21. Oregon too

Funny thing, our gas prices are no higher because of it and we still have gas stations. And our waitresses are also paid minimum wage plus tips, and we still have restaurants. And business owners who make oodles of money too. I don't completely understand the unemployment rate, outsourcing of tech jobs is all I can figure.

[Bandit]

3. Let's hope they were truly for Kerry and not just Bush* supporters

wanting to relieve you of your signs. :shrug: They do that sort of stuff you know.

[Maddy McCall]

4. I know these people.

I am aware of that tactic. I know where these people live--its a small rural county, and everyone knows everyone.

I am planning on riding around this afternoon and seeing if the signs are out. And these are people who I will see again. There is no anonymity here.

Edit: and let me add that the reason I was there 30 minutes giving out those signs is because each one of them wanted to talk about Bush! They all were angry--and it's not the kind of anger you can fake.

Also, the mix was surprising to me...half whites, half blacks. The war is the NUMBER ONE ISSUE they discussed. Also Medicaid and state issues, though.

[Harlan James]

6. Such Great News!

This is what I expect we'll be hearing right up until Nov 2. People everywhere are now really concentrating on this election, and finding that deep in their hearts that they really can't find it in them to vote for Bush.

My wife was at some kids' function talking with a friend of hers who is a Republican, but just can't vote for Bush. This woman is just going to sit it out and not vote at all. I'll bet there is a lot of that going around.

[magnolia]

8. Mississippi....

...may not go blue...but all your effort will help increase the popular vote. In a close election, every single vote, from every state...counts!

[Maddy McCall]

9. I agree!

We are doing a huge GOTV effort, on top of everything else.

Thanks for your comment! :-)

[Lilli]

10. Thats awesome!

Thanks so much for posting that.

[Rowdyboy]

Just remember, homegirl, Clinton took 44% of the vote here in 1996

I think Mississippi may well be "pink" this year...Never say never..

[Maddy McCall]

14. Hey, Rowdy! Let's hope it's even closer than that...

You know, there wasn't an "evil opponent" the likes of GWB when Clinton was running. This year, though, the most polarizing Republican EVER is running against Kerry...so we might see an even closer election than that. The GOTV efforts are the biggest I have ever seen.

Let's keep our fingers crossed and pray!

:loveya:

[Rowdyboy]

11. delete-dupe

[Rowdyboy]

12. delete=dupe

[merh]

15. I think the repukes in Mississippi are worried!

They are doing everything they can to seem like nice guys! They are also trying to scare the voters about base closings, etc.

The last electoral college map I saw reflects that Mississippi is PINK - maybe we will be a nice lavender!

I think folks will be surprised about the #s in MS!

Thanks for the report jchild! Down here on the coast, there are more K/E signs than B/C!

[Maddy McCall]

18. Hi, merh!

glad to hear from a coast resident! Here, the Republicans are going around in pick up trucks stealing signs. We are all aware of it, and are keeping a close eye on our signs.

We just may pull it out and carry blue. That would be the most phenomenal political coup to happen in my lifetime. :-)

[merh]

23. There has been the stealing of signs, but folks just go get new

ones to replace the stolen signs.

I think we may surprise folks! Harrison Co. had 6500 new voters register, Hancock Co. 400, Jackson Co. 2500, George 300!

Whatcha think, are folks anxious to be heard?

[Maddy McCall]

36. That is GREAT!

I have no doubt that the coast will go Dem. :toast:

[merh]

35. Hi jchild -- I will watch for you on DU election night as we

monitor the election results - maybe we can celebrate the changing color of our state!

[Skinner]

16. Great post.

Like you, I'm pretty sure that Mississippi won't go Blue. But I think this is indicative of what's going on in the country. I believe that there is an invisible army of extremely enthusiastic people who are going to make a big difference for us on Election day.

[Maddy McCall]

17. Thanks, Skinner!

If Mississippi DOES go blue, though, you have to change the color of the state avatar to blue. :-)

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. Good going!

[Z_I_Peevey]

20. I'm curious about northern Mississippi

simply because so many of my people come from there, specifically Hatchie Valley between Tupelo and Ripley. All my older relatives were FDR Democrats. Is that area still Democratic or have they succumbed to GOP slime?

[Maddy McCall]

26. The coast, some SW Miss. counties, and the NW MS counties...

are all voting pretty Democratic.

But the north part of the state, outside the Delta and river counties, is pretty heavily Republican, sadly. :-(

After the election, I am going to compare 2000 results to 2004 results and see if there are any shifts. Hoping to see some big shifts.

[dustinl]

28. ne miss is still republican

dont know why, but here in northeast miss. it seems like every car has a b/c sticker and every house has a b/c yard sign. even some of the hundreds of churchs have b/c signs. i am the only person on my highway that has a kerry sign and there are at least 30 b/c signs in the 10 mile stretch to fulton

[Maddy McCall]

29. Churches with B/C signs? Why would they want to give up their

tax free status for Bush?

And welcome to DU, dustinl! :toast:

[Love Bug]

44. Why don't you take picture of those churches with * signs

and send them to Americans United for the Separation of Church and Sate (www.au.org) along with addresses? They go after churches that abuse their fax-free privileges.

[byronm]

45. in pa as welll

The church's here have HUGE "Bush / Chenney" size - i'd say about 10 feet wide, 4 feet high.. (lancaster, PA)

[RevCheesehead]

22. Bravo!

I found out our local HQ is out of pins, so I ordered a 100-pack for distributing to ANYONE!

I picked up a few yard signs, and stopped by at a home where a Kerry sign was stolen. I told the guy, "I missed your Kerry sign, so here's another for you." The funny part was, this kid was coming by for his piano lesson...and his mom was waiting in the van. She looked at me and asked "do you have any more?"

I try to give away signs, pins, and bumperstickers whenever I can!

[Maddy McCall]

24. Good for you! We are the true grassroots of this election!

:cheers:

[Roland99]

25. More good news out of KY!

Well, I posted the other day about a receptionist at my daughter's doctor office liking my K/E button and a real estate agent loving it, too.


Well, today, at lunch, I hit the Skyline drive-thru and had some K/E bumper stickers on my seat (handed one out to my step-brother's father-in-law last night as he's a K/E fan) and the girl working the window asked if they were bumper stickers. I said they sure are. She asked for one and I handed her one. She was smiling big time and even jumping up and down a little and showed the girl standing next to her who smiled, too!

[Maddy McCall]

30. Fantastic!

I'll go be the headquarters and pick some up, and do the same the next time I hit a drive-thru! Excellent!

:toast:

[Roland99]

31. Do you know where that is, by chance?

These are some I'd bought online but I'm down to 2 left!


Or...maybe I'm assuming you're in KY which may not be the case. ;)


Oh wait...you're in MS...n/m. ;)

[Maddy McCall]

37. Yep, I'm in Mississippi.

Sorry I can't help you out. :-(

[calimary]

27. Congratulations, jchild! What fabulous work -

I've given out extra bumper stickers to people, myself, when I've been out running errands. One was when I was pumping gas at the neighborhood self-serve about a week ago. One guy was actually swearing at the pump on the opposite side of me: DAMN GAS PRICES! We GOTTA get bush OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE!" I hollered over at him - "are you registered to vote?" He hollered back, as he steamed over to the cashier's booth: I'm not squandering it - too many people DIED so I'd have the right to vote - I ain't gonna pass it up!!!"

Also had one of the dads at this week's Boy Scout meeting - one who'd staunchly argued with me previously against Democrats (mainly because of Clinton) inform me he was gonna have to do an about-face. Came up to me, patted me on the shoulder, and said "you'll be glad to know I've decided to vote for Kerry!" Seems his thing was the incumbency. He said he believed one term was never enough to get a job done, or even started, so he always supported incumbents, especially presidents - since they needed a full eight years. Except... not THIS time.

MAN! People are fired up. I love these stories. I love this story! You made my day, jchild!

Besides, I NEED to hear stories like this one. PARTICULARLY like this one. Sometimes I find myself just shaking my head in despair about some of the attitudes coming from people in the South. Granted - it's not ALL the people in the South, by any means. But it just SEEMS like it's far more prevalent there. And I know I'm oversimplifying, and falling prey to generalizations that the media certainly helps to foster. I know it's wrong and that I shouldn't go there or react that way or fall for it. I haven't visited that part of the country in a long time, so it's easy to make assumptions based on what you hear and read, second-hand. I apologize for that.

Accounts like yours are VERY helpful!!! It not only perks up my morale, it helps to remind me to be more vigilant about my own misconceptions.

[Maddy McCall]

38. Wow! What a sweet post, calimary.

Your post just made MY day.

I think many people who don't live here would be shocked to see the racial interaction that is pretty standard here. I am not saying that racism has been eradicated here...I don't think it has been eradicated ANYWHERE in the US, but Southerners confront it every day.

In many ways I am proud to be a Southerner.

Thank you for your post. :-)

[calimary]

47. Thanks, dahlink!

But really. I'm rawther guilty of falling victim to the old stereotyping demon. I went off the deep end here about a week ago, in a ridiculously stupid rant provoked by some overreaction by some Southern Bible-thumpers to Halloween being on Sunday, and made at least four DUers justifiably disgusted with me. It was just one of those days (daze?), but that's not presented as an excuse. At any rate, I've been doing penance ever since...

[Maddy McCall]

48. You are forgiven.

I agree with you, though, that some of the Southern Bible thumpers are infuriating. :-)

[calimary]

53. Hugs!

More power to this thread, in any event. It's actually NOT a "thread." It's a public service.

[pezcore64]

32. right on!

things actually dont look that bad here in KY

i see more n more signs n bumper stickers the closer we get to the election date( i guess some refrained outa fear )

ive had mine up and on since the end of august :)

[Maddy McCall]

39. Yay for Kentucky!

More than anything, I would like to see a trend of southerners abandoning the Republican party. This may be the beginning of many coming home to the Democratic party.

[stevietheman]

49. Kentucky may dump a Republican Senator at least

I don't think Kerry will or can win in Kentucky, but the Mongiardo-Bunning Senate race is close. With almost everyone now knowing how crazy Bunning (R) is, Mongiardo has the polls tied. So, with the undecided vote, Mongiardo may just win.

[Bake]

61. I'm voting absentee in KY for two reasons

One, it might be close in the Prez race, and I want Kerry to get all the votes he can there, and

Two, we've got a real shot at getting rid of Jim the Wacko Bunning.

My daughter, who is in college in NY, will vote absentee in KY also.

By the way, that's absentee, as in, WITH A PAPER FUCKING BALLOT!!

Bake

[Longhorn]

33. My story pales in comparison

but my husband called me awhile ago and was very excited because he just saw a "Republicans for Kerry" bumper sticker -- here in Texas! It's one thing for Kerry to have Democratic support -- we're not too far from Austin -- but to be a Republican in Texas means you're pretty dang conservative.

We had just been chatting about the election before he left. I told him that Kerry is going to win and he seemed skeptical. I told him I know things that he doesn't (because of this board!) and that the undecideds are going to break for Kerry at least two to one and we're going to win. So he was very encouraged to see that bumper sticker moments later!

Thanks for sharing such a great story! And even more important, thanks for having all those Kerry supplies with you to pass out! :yourock:

[Maddy McCall]

40. Excellent!

I think that many Republicans are going to break with the party over the war and the huge deficit.

What troubles me the most, though, is to see a white family that lives in a broken-down mobile home, one receiving disability, the other working at WalMart, sending their kids to public school, with a Bush sign in their front yard! They are the ones who need a Kerry administration the MOST. But they will vote for Bush because he "doesn't kill babies." They will never vote Democratic, for any reason. That's what's sad.

Well, tell your hubby that I loved hearing that he saw a sticker like that! Wouldn't it be WILD if Kerry carried Texas? Like I said before, I can dream.

Signed, a native Texan,
jchild

[moondoggie]

41. And the last man standing will be John F. Kerry!

n/t

[wryter2000]

42. Yeeehah!

You go, Mississippi! :yourock:

[Tsiyu]

43. beautiful story

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing the story and for your generosity. You made my day!

[byronm]

46. Keep it up!

In Lancaster i have given away 1,000 yard signs, 100 pins and 250 bumbper stickers.

I went on floats in parades, gave stuff away in my neighborhood and sent stuff out with all of my friends who were more than happy to show there support.

Go Kerry!

[j_carters_neighbor]

50. Good work!!! Keep fighting!

Even now that it is becoming obvious that we will win, we have to keep spreading the word. I keep a lot of Campaign material in the trunk as well, it seems like I get asked about it alot myself, it would break my heart to turn away another supporter.

[BamaLefty]

52. Southerner for Kerry

What you are doing is truly awesome! I have plenty of Kerry/Edwards supporters in my town, with the majority of them being union workers and minorities. I sure have a Kerry sticker on my car.... and yes I pump my own gas. :)

:kick:

[Soth]

51. Concurrence from a fellow Southerner!

Excellent jchild, absolutely excellent! It's great to think the traditionally red Southern states may actually be much closer to swing states than some people imagine.

I speak as a Virginian, resident of another typically Republican Southern stronghold. But we're very very close this year. I was impressed when Kerry actually took the time to visit us! That plus your good news really gives me hope for the Wafflehouse...er...Southern states.

[faithnotgreed]

54. fantastic! i love that you had all those signs and stickers. plus

the group of people gathering at the same time allows them, and others in the community, to know howmany people feel the same way! bush must go!

and prayers for veterans and soldiers and their families. manymany suffer under this administration, but they may suffer most of all

thanks jchild! incredible story

[blm]

55. Your story is sweeter than chocolate.

Thanks for being there.

[SSX]

56. doing what I can

Just left the Democratic Headquarters in Jackson, Ms. Three cars in the lot. Not exactly a hub of activity. Got me some yard signs and a bunch of asst. bumper stickers to put on my truck( yeah, go ahead I can take it). The girl in the office did say they were out of Kerry/ Edwards Official bumper stickers due to a run on them. Promising.
On another good note, it took almost 2 months to get my voter registration card from the circuit clerks office. When I called about it they said they were swamped as evidenced by this section of an article from the Oct. 13th Clarion Ledger:
The anticipated turnout of more than a million Mississippians to the polls Nov. 2 has left some circuit clerks buried under mounds of voter-registration forms and the clock ticking to get the names onto the rolls in time.

"People were having voter drives until the very last day. They waited until the last minute to bring their forms to us," said Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn.

She said her office saw 4,000 to 5,000 people register to vote in a short period of time. Dunn, who oversees 15 clerks in Jackson and three in Raymond, said she has shifted some clerks from the legal staff to deal with the extra workload and paid some overtime. She expects to have everybody on the rolls by Friday, at the latest.

[missouri dem]

57. Landslide

I worked at our Democratic headquarters this morning and had 3
different republicans come in and visit. They were all looking for a reason
to vote for Kerry. I think that all 3 had already made up their minds
but just wanted some reassurance that they would be safe from godless
muslems or that their taxes weren't going up. Yesterday had a lady
come in and say that she was an independent but usually voted republican.
She wanted a signs and bumperstickers. I figured while I had her i
would talk up the rest of the dem. ticket. She said oh don't bother I
will be voting a straight ticket.
The undecided are breaking and all toward Kerry. Unless rove can
manufacture a terra attack it will be a landslide.

[Laelth]

58. Cool tool!

Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections is an excellent resource for exactly the kind of data you want. It tells you which county voted for which candidate in recent Presidential elections.

Here's the picture for Mississippi in 2000. Colors are backward (Red=Gore; Blue=Bush). It's interesting that the 2000 election defined our major parties' colors for the foreseeable future--glad we got blue!



Great story, jchild. Thanks for that.

-Laelth

[Hoosier]

59. Outstanding! Indiana may be close as well

Don't get me wrong, as a betting man I wouldn't put cash down on K/E carrying Indiana over B/C unless I got some UNREAL odds. But I think it will be close...maybe 6-8%.

That is a f-ing victory in Indiana!

God, it's hard to live in this backwards-ass state!


PEACE & ready for the LANDSLIDE!

[Laelth]

62. Indiana?

Indiana going blue?

When was the last time that happened? 1964? Happy days indeed if Indiana goes blue!

Kerry on! :smoke:

-Laelth

[dave502d]

60. Nice story,thank you.

[liberalpragmatist]

63. How great would it be if Bush's margin was less than 10?

Perfect.

Actually, winning would be even more fantastic.

But realistically, only a 6 or 7 point margin would be fantastic.

And in President Kerry's 2008 landslide reelection, the pundits will be stunned when he carries Mississippi AND Alabama!

[missjudy6]

64. Nicely Done JChild!

We could use some of that here in New Orleans, wanna come help?
If/when Kerry wins Louisiana, it will be in spite of not attributed to the efforts of our local Kerry HQ. Serious lack of direction and organization.
And I'm afraid for the open senate seat. People seem to have conceded Vitter (ugh!) victory.
So happy to hear of your progress especially now when I've hit a discouraged point in the curve that is campaigning grassroots.
Motivational!
Keep the faith!


PS I always feel so sorry for Mississippians for having that asswipe for governor.

[Flammable Materials]

65. Driving through rural Tennessee ...

We passed through a five-mile stretch of houses and farms ... and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM had a Kerry/Edwards sign in front of it. Not ONE BUSH SIGN TO BE FOUND.

Granted, there's plenty of "Shrubbery" to be found in Tennessee, but I'm feeling REALLY good about the vote in the Volunteer State.