Just talked with the clerk at the nearby lakeside bait/gas/conv store, she

[karlrschneider]

mentioned that one of her friends called and told her where to find video of one of the beheadings on the net...she wasn't interested in watching anything gruesome like that and told me her nephew is working for Halliburton in Iraq, and he dragged his wife along. This lady voted for Chimp in 2000...I said "we need to get that sonofabitch out of the White House" - she said "Yes, he's nuts." I think there are a lot of people in this very 'red' area that are fed up with Chimp but won't easily say it out loud to anyone. (She and I are good friends)

[NEDem]

1. I'm hearing the exact same kind of things in this red state too

maybe, just maybe, people have woke up.

[nostamj]

2. there are a LOT of them...

ashamed of their prior vote, but not willing to admit in PUBLIC, even in 'polls'....

however, in the privacy of the voting booth?

[endnote]

3. That is one reason not to mock Republicans in general.

You see? It is harder for people to admit to a mistake when they are being mocked. Some kind of pride....

[karlrschneider]

4. You're absolutely right.

:-)

[dave123williams]

5. That's why voting is private.

[LiberalFighter]

6. It didn't use to be.

I do know from reading about James Madison and an Indiana "Blue Book" votes were in public. In early Indiana voting was held at the county seats and they would go down the list and the voter would give their response orally.

[BayouWoman]

7. Your convenience experience was better than mine...

I went to a convenience store nearby to stock up on snacks for the debate. As the middle aged woman checked me out, she commented on the snacks. I told her I was for stocking up for the debate. She asked, "That's tonight?" I answered yes. She said, "I don't watch them." I then asked, "But you do vote, right?" She shook her head and said, "No. I don't understand all that stuff." She paused, almost embarassed, "Though I probably should." I said, "It IS very important." She said, still embarassed, "Yes, it is. But I just don't understand all of that stuff."

I was sad and angry and didn't know what else to say. So I took my things and left. Where do you even start to get through to someoe like that?

[gratuitous]

8. Give that person your brightest smile

And say, "Well then, why don't you just vote for Kerry? You don't have to vote any of the rest of the ballot, you know."

Good story to begin the thread, by the way. Talk to people you come in contact with. There are a lot of waverers out there, and by talking up Kerry (no need to talk down Bush; most people can see what's wrong with that guy), you give them "permission" to vote for Kerry.

[juajen]

9. Really it's better if she doesn't vote

Atleast she admits her ignorance. That's the first step to learning. Give her a very simple book, perhaps? I have a friend, pug, of course, who will not admit that anyone knows more than she, and she is abysmally uninformed. I'd honestly trust the truly ignorant before the ones who think watching Fox News a couple of nights a week informs them.

[BayouWoman]

10. That was pretty much what I decided...

better she not vote at all.

But it was still discouraging.

But coming back to DU always cheers me up. :grouphug: