Local signage reconnaissance

[whometense]

Hey all -

It's been a while, but I thought I'd check in after our annual Yom Kippur trip to the Cape. Lovely, lovely day, two walks on two separate beaches and one walk in the woods, and a slow amble down Route 6A during which I amused myself by taking note of the political signs people were displaying in their yards.

Some of you wonder where the republicans are in Massachusetts? Well, apparently a LOT of them are living on the Cape. Quite a few McCain/Palin signs. A smaller, but significant number of Obama/Biden signs and John Kerry signs. And ONE - count 'em - ONE Jeff Beatty sign. Either no one likes him, or his campaign doesn't have enough $$$$ to distribute signs.

That's all, just a report from the scene. In my immediate neighborhoods (home and work) there's barely a McCain sign to be found, so it was interesting to poke around in a different place. What kinds of signage are you other MA people seeing?

[Mass]

1. I still have to see a Beatty sign in Longmeadow or Belmont.

I have seen many McCain/Palin signs in Longmeadow and a few around here, but a lot more Obama in both cases, and I was happy to see the Kerry signs, particularly in Western Mass.

[MBS]

2. my local census

Well, no surprise to me about those McCain stickers on the Cape. There are real red pockets all through the Cape. My census from 2 hour drive from Boston to upper cape, this morning.

bumper stickers:
•1 John Kerry president (yes, the original one from 2004 primaries): a Pennsylvania car in my workplace parking lot; people just moved to Cape Cod from PA. On the inside back window, could have easily been removed by now; clearly kept there consciously and deliberately.
•1 Kerry-Edwards, back bumper: in pristine shape: on a TENNESSEE car.
•5 Obama stickers. **One of them: Obama sticker PLUS license-plate holder that says: "Proud to serve.US Marine". YES.
•1 McCain sticker, NOT on an SUV (the classic combo), but on a Toyota Corolla.

road signs (upper Cape, part closest to "mainland"):
•6 John Kerry senate (O Beatty!!), in vicinity of Bourne Rotary. I noticed that location and # is greatly changed from 2 weeks ago (theft problem???), but ratio (6-0!) is quite satisfying.
•1 of the Obama-Biden/Kerry signs (they look great, Tay!)
•1 McCain-Palin sign , on lot next door to the Obama-Biden/Kerry sign

[MBS]

5. T-shirts and TV

lunch in my institution's cafe.

Thirty-something white guy in spanking new McCain-Palin shirt. . .I overhead him telling his lunch companions that it "wasn't about his color" but about his "socialism" (yeah, right :puke:). NECN (local cable) was on the TV, running an absolutely putrid negative ad about Obama from John McCain. :scared:

MA is not as "blue" as its reputation suggests. (Blue enough to go for Obama, and thank God for that. But still)

[Noisy Democrat]

3. In Western MA yesterday

In the Greenfield and Northampton areas, I saw several McCain-Palin signs, several Obama signs, and a couple of the new Obama/Kerry signs. No Beatty.

[whometense]

4. Interesting, isn't it?

I would have thought more people would be displaying Beatty signs out of pure pissiness. What's the guess as to why this is so? No money, or no interest? Not that I heard many people discussing O'Reilly - if I brought the name up in conversation it was usually greeted with a blank stare and the comment, "Kerry has a primary opponent??" But no one I've spoken with has shown the remotest interest in even mentioning Beatty.

[cadmium]

6. 3 brief sidewalk observations from Bradford(Haverhill) to Newburyport

#1 Some local signs and most prominently Yellow ":vote Yes on Question 1" signs to do away with state income tax. One Mccian sign visible and until today only one Obama sign and one Kerry sign on my st.

From Groveland to Newburyport on 113 through West Newbury -- Lots and lots of Obama and" Vote NO on Question 1" signs. I'm glad some of the vote NO folks on quesion 1 are getting their signs out (this is the initialtive to totally do away with state income tax.) John Tierney for congress also has a lot of signs out in W newbury

[Noisy Democrat]

7. I saw a lot of No on 1

in and around Northampton yesterday.