I converted a couple Bush fans to Kerry today

[zulchzulu]

I was at a family event today and was doing a visit with some friends of friends. The scene was a boat ride on a lake with one guy, Eric, who feels like he's about to get laid off due to the company closing shop and moving their production offices to Mexico. His buddy, Stan, had just returned from Iraq. There were other family members as well as we got aboard the motor boat to head out on the lake to water ski, drink beer and listen to the guy's choices of country western tunes. It was what you'd initially call redneck central (on face value) except there was a twist. Nobody can afford a boat, a lake home and such if they really were a redneck.

Anyway, as the sun started beating down, I grabbed my John Kerry For President basecall cap and put it on. We had been talking about Stan's streak of bad luck. He had served in Iraq for 17 months and came back to find out that his wife had cheated on him and left him. He had come back and had to hitchhike home (about 100 miles) because she or none of his family picked him up. He looked beaten down and was drinking beers like water. Eric was playing Darryl Warley tunes and other stuff that was geared to meet a jingoistic tone as he blasted the music as the boat steamed across the lake at no less that 20mph at most times.

When Eric and Stan saw my hat, they both became very angry. After all, they didn't know me at all. I was a friend of a friend. Stan started railing that Kerry was a flip-flopper and the usual tirade one who only had a political diet of Limbaugh or Hannity would spew. Eric was the same way.

I asked them if they really wanted to know the truth and see for themselves why someone like me would be adamant about the fact that Kerry was the only answer this election. They reluctantly complied.

I asked Stan if he agreed with the war. He said it sucked, but wasn't as bad as the media was saying. Stan had worked in Kuwait and was in Baghdad for the rest of the time helping set up telecommmunications mostly. He had seen combat in the earlier phases and witnessed death, although he teared up and didn't want to really get too deep into it. He did think Bush was an asshole after some further conversation. I told him about Kerry's plans as well as the nuances of the IWR. He agreed with the explanations after some screaming and such. It was painful. But in the end, he said he would give Kerry a better look and even respected the fact that Kerry was a vet.

Eric was listening and we talked about how he might lose his job. I told him that Bush had been horrible and he agreed.

I asked both of them what issue they cared about and healthcare, the environment, the war and fair taxes were the main issues. I told them if they were better off than four years ago and got a resounding "no".

I was reminded of how Dean had talked about the guys with confederate flags on their trucks. That was too over the top for me then, but if you look at people like Eric and Stan, you find behind the stripping away from Hannityisms their minds might be polluted with, there are many commonalities with even liberals like me.

After a few more beers, we all agreed Kerry would be a good president. The "I voted for it before I voted against it" explanation was the easiest way for them to see the light.

I told them both that Kerry voted for the $87B IF the tax cut for the top 2% was rescinded and rolled back to pay for the money. That and the fact that at no time in human history has there been a tax cut for a civilization at a time of war. Then the fact that Kerry and Edwards voted against the $87B as a protest vote knowing it would pass anyway.

That was the kicker. They understood. I think they were onboard. Both live in Springfield, Missouri and all of us were hangin out in Branson. What a friggin' trip.

Now if only the Kerry campaign would address that issue in a simple, clear ad with Morgan Freeman doing voiceover, there would be a LOT more people who would go for Kerry.

[otohara]

1. Kerry Should Do A TV spot

explaining the $87 billion vote - that line in the GOP ad where Kerry says I voted/Before I voted against - is very effective, no matter how misleading.

Good start with your new friends - hope they vote for Kerry

[craiga86]

2. I did the same recently

I talked a gun-happy hunter who was talking up Bush, obviously uneducated on the issues that make a difference. He has filed for bankruptcy, and his parents get government money. To me I can't understand why he would even consider Bush, but I can understand that he hasnt really looked into it. So I have spent alot of time, especially at work explaining to him that he doesn't benefit from this ax cut, and that when you cut taxes it basically banks on the idea that the rich are going to reinvest their gains back into the economy. Not only that but he will lose government assistance, or atleast the government will have to more some sort of cuts due to the Federal Tax Cut. Just recently he told me that he had switched his support to Kerry instead of Bush. I live in North Carolina by the way, maybe everyone here can start to spread the word.

[sandnsea]

3. On that tax cut

He wasn't even talking about rolling back the whole tax cut for the top 2% at the time. It rolled back the tax cut for the top 1% and only the last phase of the tax cut that these people haven't even gotten yet. That's right, there's more tax cuts to come for the top 1%. It's a 10 year plan. For Bush, his buddies getting MORE tax cuts was more important than our troops getting that body armor because he threatened to veto it. The campaign really does need to turn this around on Bush. I think they will at the right time, they usually do.

[RummyTheDummy]

4. My family has a lake house about 3 hours SE of where you were

And your post reminded me of the many afternoons and late nights I've sat out on the water with my friends, drinking beer and solving all the world problems. We've had conversations just like this.

Great post!

[flpoljunkie]

5. I thought Bill Maher gave the best answer for Kerry switching his vote, an

answer to the "I voted for it, before I voted against it" criticism.

Maher's four word answer: "IT WAS A DIFFERENT BILL!"

Yes, and not only that, President Bush had threatened to veto the bill if any of the $18 billion set aside for Iraq reconstruction was in the form of a loan--many of the Republicans, along with most Democrats, wanted half the $18B to be in the form of a loan!

In other words, Bush's support for the $87 billion to support the troops was not unconditional, either!

And let's not forget this Bush administration initially sent the troops to war in Iraq without the proper body armor or uparmored humvees!

This vote is, of course, a straw man issue--designed to divert attention from the facts--they sent our soldiers into battle and a neverending occupation without the proper equipment.