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I called my cousins in Pennsy (9 voters) to try to make sure they will all be voting Obama Biden. This branch of the family is a very good hearted, family values bunch, but not intellectual or educated beyond high school. Some of them really had a hard time getting that diploma, too, despite very best efforts. They are not gun people, but they are deeply religious, although they don't talk about that much. I would not say they are "bitter," but they are scared and frustrated.
One of then is a Navy vet and very loyal to the Navy, so I had been especially concerned that he might vote McCain because of that. I had also been concerned about possible racism as members of our family have been known to make disparaging remarks about one minority or another. Neither of those things kept any of them from choosing Obama-Biden, though. So, why did they choose correctly?
They understand how badly Bush has hurt this country, so they tuned in for the third debate and followed it very closely.
They noticed that McCain did not give substantive answers to many questions, but Obama answered his questions directly. (Note: It was not Obama's specific answers they mentioned, but the fact that he responding directly with substance.) They were very frustrated by McCain's ducking issues. They were angry about all his focus on fake Joe the fake plumber (but they did believe that Joe was about to buy a business).
They believe Obama is more concerned about "the middle class" than is McCain. Though they consider McCain well-educated, they believe Obama is also well-educated and much smarter. They think Palin is a total maroon and should not be a 72 year old heartbeat away from the Presidency. (I prompted NONE of this. it came pouring out from them as soon as I asked who they planned to vote for.)
So far, so good.
On the down side, though one of them said that she will vote Obama, she "heard" that Michelle is a Muslim who does not like white people and also that she's been comparing herself to Jackie Kennedy Onassis. I set her straight on all three lies. By the time I spoke to her, I was getting tired, and I did not think to defend Muslims in general. Another day.
She also asked if I thought Michelle had the capacity to represent the country well when she traveled abroad with Obama. I told her that Michelle was not only a Princeton grad, but was an attorney. And not only was she an attorney, but she met Barack after she had been assigned to mentor him at Sidley Austin.
Although she was going to vote Obama-Biden anyway, I figured she got the bs from her Pennsy friends or neighbors and may be able to set them straight if I gave her the facts. She also had not heard about Backwards B Girl, even though the incident occurred in her state. When I told her, she did not react, except to say, "Stupid." No outrage. No tin hat.
Nine cousins meant a lot of hours on the phone, but I felt so much better when I finished. "Bitter" factory workers in Pennsylvania get it. Even if they are not "elite," they get it. Even if they are not totally liberal as to minorities, they get it. They don't know every detail and have bought into some of the bs, but they get it.America is in trouble and it needs the smart guy who gives direct answers in debates, instead of bs-ing about fake Joe.
Nine voters, each of whom has co-workers, neigbors and friends in Pennsylvania who vote. And each and every one of them gets it.
It took hours and hours because I had not spoken to any of them in a while and the cousin catch up was inevitable. But, after all those hours, I finally exhaled. I don't think I have really done that since I first chose Obama as my primary candidate in 2007.
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