Please be gentle and civil with those of us who are scared

[Mike 03]

As I said in another thread, I vividly recall the week leading up to election day in November 2004, and how positive we all felt about the turnout. I remember testing electoral maps over and over again in the two weeks before that election, and being unable to figure out a scenario in which Kerry could lose. And I remember the horror of the outcome.

And not to mention 2000 and Al Gore.

So, to me, there is nothing funny about people worrying about the turnout of this election. Obviously, things look good.

But as Obama has been saying, this is the important election of our lifetimes. Everything is at stake. So much has been lost and squandered under Bush.

Naturally, I'm sure we are all hoping for the best, and yes it looks good, but it infuriates me sometimes when people make fun of anyone who is worried about the outcome of this election. I never ever want to go through the heartbreak I experienced in 2000 and 2004 again, and frankly, it would be much worse this time, because Obama is one of a kind.

He's not another Kerry. There will never ever be another Barack Obama. If he loses, I am giving up on politics.

That is how seriously I take this. It's no joke. And no matter what the polls say, I'm scared as hell.

[billyoc]

1. No. Show some mettle.

[CreekDog]

2. do you see a difference in polls between then and now?

[...of J.Temperance]

11. Yes but Governor Roy Barnes of Georgia had a 12% lead in 2002

And looked what happened there.

I'm just, before 2000 we didn't even have to think about this sort of thing.

I wish it were next week already.

[CreekDog]

16. but you said you were looking at polls from 2000 and 2004

i'll ask again:

do you see a difference in polls from 2000 and 2004 and now.

[...of J.Temperance]

23. Sorry, I should have said that would be a comparision with Pennsylvania

Where Senator Obama has a good lead, and where McCain has bizarrely decided that he has a chance of over-turning Senator Obama's lead.

So I used Governor Roy Barnes in Georgia in 2002 as an example.

The fact is, there are people who are always going to be a bit scared UNTIL SOMETHING is done to get rid of the electronic voting machines that cannot be audited and ALWAYS seem to flip votes from Democrats to Republican, I rarely have heard of those machines flipping Republican votes to Democratic.

There is a difference in the polls, moreso from 2004, on the EC map, but still a bit of fear stays with me, I've tried to shake it off, but it lingers, I wish it didn't, but it does.

I'm just being honest is all.

[...of J.Temperance]

3. It's okay, because I'm a bit scared as well

I'm scared that something could "happen", I know that McCain cannot beat Obama in a fair and legitimate election.

[Trajan]

4. I gotta tell ya ...

Between the 'Concern about Concern "Trolls"' and the general universal malaise of a people under stress: DU can be one ugly place at times ...

I have learned to hide my own fears, just to placate the DU meanies ... I mean: WHO wants to be attacked ?

So in a way: Just like in most social organizations: The angry haters rule the roost with their negative behaviors ...

I say anything I want: But I tell no one here of any worries ...

Who's to know what they will do .....

But; After all that has happened; I share your concerns ....

[...of J.Temperance]

14. There's nothing wrong with being a bit scared, people are human after all

People shouldn't be shouted at OR called names just because they admit they're a bit scared, as I already said, before the 2000 election nobody even had to have this thought at the back of their minds.

[Trajan]

22. I've seen 'concerned' posters get ripped to shreds here ...

It's more a satisfaction of gratuitous, egocentric need by the responders than a necessary correction of the original posters ...

Yeah ... People are just human, and human beings fear ....

Attacking them has always been wrong .... But who am I to say ? - I don't run this place ....

(Please don't hit me again ...)

[...of J.Temperance]

26. Well I think

That people shouldn't get attacked for voicing that they're a bit afraid, we are the party of tolerance and we're also the party of compassion, so I think people need to show a bit of restraint before attacking people for just saying they're a bit scared.

[depakid]

21. It's a pack mentality

and goes to show a LOT about the character (probably IRL, too) of the posters who attack or come up with the shallow or petty sarcastic things like "thank you for your concern" and such.

None of this behavior is new or unique to DU. It's been going on with message boards since before there was a world wide web- when the online population consisted largly of computer geeks.

[Trajan]

27. Yes Indeed ....

Some perspective is required when you visit an internet forum ... It is FAR WORSE in places like Yahoo chat .... So DU still rocks, if you traipse over the rough spots such as this 'kill the concern' phenomena ...

How are you Depakid ? ... I understand you are in NZ ? ....

We miss you here ....

[depakid]

37. You should have seen some of the old prodigy boards!

Things weren't as polarized back then, but a lot of the other behavior was the same in many ways.

I won't even deal with the youtube or yahoo nonsense- those places are basically chaos.

ps: back in Oz (and sanity) in less than 3 weeks. Perhaps a meet=up after the election would be cool.

[Genevieve]

5. "There will never ever be another Barack Obama.''

Not in my lifetime.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Damn the concern trolls, full speed ahead.

[wvbygod]

31. Dodge the recursive concern, exit victoriously ahead

And don't forget to redouble your efforts.

[DevonRex]

7. No. If the election is stolen we fight. We march. We protest. We file

lawsuits. We strike. We will not be cowed. All peacefully, of course.

But we WILL win as long as everyone VOTES.

[Slit Skirt]

8. the biggest fix for fear is to take action

go help the campaign they need help more than ever this week

[Peacetrain]

9. Mike.. Look me in the baby blues..

Its going to be okay.. really.. it is going to be fine..

The best cure for fear is volunteering to phone bank and talk to other people who are unsure and help them to over come it.. okay..


**patting on back** We are going to win this one

[liberalmuse]

10. It's okay to be scared.

There is a lot at stake right now. Don't let the assholes tell you otherwise. Fuck 'em.

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. Data for your mettle - 364-157 O EV this year, 260-254 K this date last year. NT

[Merlot]

13. Scared or scarred by the elections?

I'm more scarred. There is so much at stake, I prefer not to be scared or live in fear. It's not easy. After what we've been through, any one who isn't at least apprehensive is not paying attention.

I had two dreams in one night where Obama lost by 5 EV's. I'm trying to stay calm, but my subconscious is still working things out. (and looked it up on the EV map, the state in play with 5 votes is West Virginia)

Good luck to all of us. And since luck favors the prepared, I think we're doing good. No one could be more prepared than Obama, as we've seen during the past year.

[EFerrari]

15. You have to be where you are.

Let's stay together if we can. :)

[stray cat]

17. Al Gore should have won in 2000 and he lost to W - I think votes matter

[Smuckies]

18. Excellent post. I am scared and

When I simply say things like "I'm not so sure I like how the poll is looking" people call me a "loser".

[nosillies]

19. Don't be afraid of the schoolyard bullies

There is so very much at stake here that we must stay concerned and vigilant and fight as hard as possible until the very end. With the potential demise of the middle class, our children's futures, the continued death of soldiers and so much more resting on the outcome of this election, we would be foolish not to worry about its outcome. I have been in borderline third-world countries at election time, and seen the hijinks that occurred and that were allowed to continue. Our country, at this point, is no different.

[stray cat]

20. Since it isn't competitive I'm not going to waste my time voting

:bounce: After all any time off I have to make up, I hate waiting in line and I would have to look up where to vote because I just moved. :sarcasm:

[AlCzervik]

24. i'm scared but i'm also pissed. I understand people are both or just the former

but there are days here when it is so full of concern that it overtakes everything else.

You're not alone.

[stillcool]

25. I get scared..but ..

fear sucks..

[Minimus]

28. I'm volunteering my butt off and I still have my moments of terror.

I think some fear is good. It is a wonderful motivator.

Hang in there Mike 03 - and if you get too overwhelmed PM me and I will do my best to calm your nerves. Alleviating your anxiety will help me keep my anxiety in check. :hug:

[melonkali]

29. Worried about PA --ripe for GOP fix, McCain positive he can win there. n/t

[JimWis]

30. It's ok to be a little nervous. Because we have never needed

a win as bad as we need this win for Obama. If posting your concern helps one feel better, no problem. Just stating my opinion on it.

[Liberalboy]

32. I'm right there with you...

...and I agree, if we can't win this one, I'm done too

[fadedrose]

33. You and me both.....

Al Gore not winning was a shock.....my first great disappointment was Howard Dean's loss in Iowa, when I think the DLC sent its people down to defeat him with "unelectable" nonsense.... then, unbelievably, another shock, Kerry not winning. Gore & Kerry did not lose, they merely didn't win.

Won't relax till Inauguration Day....

[scheming daemons]

34. We weren't ahead in the polls in the final week in 2004... you're remembering wrong

We were 2 to 4 points behind in most polls then.

Don't be revisionist.


Go to RealClearPolitics and look at what the polls were then.


Bush was leading...both in pop vote and in electoral vote... in most of the polls.



Now... look at 2008. Find *ONE* poll that has McCain leading.

Just one.


Try it.



You can't.



Relax.

[scheming daemons]

35. Fear is a paralizer. Arm yourself with facts, and you won't be scared.

There's no way you "vividly recall in November 2004" that you were "unable to figure out a scenario in which Kerry could lose."


In reality... Kerry was behind in most of the states he needed to be ahead in.


The RCP poll of polls got 49 out of 50 states correct (only missing on Wisconsin - an error in KERRY'S favor).


If you paid attention in 2004, you would've know Kerry was going to lose.

[Trajan]

39. It must be wonderful to be so secure ...

Hey ... Maybe you can correct everyone of their flaws ....

[fourvahl]

36. I'm with you

I'm scared too. I know I've been convinced something in the past was going to happen only to have something fly out of left field and ruin everything. Part of the unnerving feeling is due to how the Repubs are trying to have votes thrown out like in Ohio. Didn't happen but ....I am fucking scared too! Not just to lose Obama but the alternative is a freak as VP and a war monger like McCain.

[cliffordu]

38. Are you doing anything to support the candidate??

Phone bank? GOTV???

[DeepModem Mom]

40. K&R