How the "election postponement" trial balloon can backfire on you

[Cats Against Frist]

I've posted on here before about my dad and some of my family. They live in Southern Illinois, where Frank's "What's the Matter With Kansas," as apropos to them, to some extent, as well as the residents of Kansas. The GOP was able to steal them over social issues.

So for the last year or so, my dad and I have been very tense with each other, because he supported GWB, and I supported the Democratic challenger.

Yesterday, the clouds parted. My Dad says to me on the phone, "Honey, I think you've talked me into voting for Kerry."

Now, my eyeballs just about popped out of my head, but I asked, "Why?" very calmly.

He said, "All this stuff about him changing the election. That's bullshit. And I mean, we didn't HAVE to go into Iraq."

I consider my dad to be "Joe Everyman." He's solidly middle class, sort of racist, homophobic, high school educated, somewhat authoritarian, and he takes an interest in politics, but he's not obsessed with it.

I thought this was an interesting answer, on his part.

For one, I really don't think Bush would do something so stupid as to steal the election by changing the date or postponing it. My theory on this postponment shit is this: they tried to parallel it with what happened in France. The common story is that al Quaeda bombed the train in Spain to get the people to vote for a candidate that would not "stay the course," -- the Spanish people voted, and the troops withdrew.

I think all that Bush is trying to do with this is try to get the following meme floated: "The terrorists want to attack our election in the hopes of getting something to happen like what happened in Spain -- a weaker candidate to pull out the troops -- therefore since John Kerry is the democratic candidate, al Quaeda must want us to vote for John Kerry."

But Rove, or whomever forgot the first principle of floating memes. They have to be short, and only require about three seconds of thought.

So, for the people who neither followed Spain or understood what happened, that, as a pretext is irrelevant. It's boiled down to exactly what my dad heard, "Bush wants to postpone the election," which, if you remember, pissed off Democrats and Republicans alike.

Further, my Dad spent a lot of time with his friends this weekend, and he said something to the effect that "everybody is tired of Bush."

I am pretty happy this morning.

[Bluzmann57]

1. Good news!

Glad your dad saw the light. Maybe he'll talk to his friends, co-workers, etc. and explain to them what an a-hole bush is. I think this is the end for bush, Americans aren't as stupid as some may think.

[Kolesar]

2. I think you have a good take on the election-postponement-debaucle

It is a pretty complicated scheme. Congrats on the conversion.

[wildeyed]

3. Good news.

One of my best friends voted GWB last election. We were pretty tense with each other for a while, especially at the beginning of the Iraqi war. She would say "I am supporting the troops" with this kind of thin lipped disapproval of me that just made me want to slap her. But the other day she said basically the same thing, that she was sick of Bush and supporting Kerry. I am glad I did not give up on that friendship.

[VolcanoJen]

4. Cool story!

Oh, and I love your screenname! :D :D :D

[Doctor_J]

5. Lots of stories like this

I am surprised at the polls, frankly, because anecdotally, Kerry/Edwards should win by a comfortable margin.

[iconoclastic cat]

7. The problem is getting people to the polls, I think.

Put down the remote and step away from the television!

[splat]

8. Cell phones skew polls

Think about it -- you can't poll people with cell phones, only people at home with a landline.

[iconoclastic cat]

6. How did you do it?

I'd like to replicate your method!