I watched opening night with a die-hard Republican

[Nightjock]

I did not plan to. Paul (his name) called me and said after seeing Fahrenheit 9-11 he wanted to hear what the Dem's had to say.

Which was shocking to me because whenever he talks politics all he does is repeat short Republican talking points like a parrot.
I have been friends with him for 30 years. We grew up Republicans but in 1998 I started paying attention to politics (instead of sound bites) and realized the elephant party was full of crap.

so....After seeing Fahrenheit Paul told me he was "not sure about Bush anymore" but two weeks later he was spouting the Republican lines that the whole movie was "Opinion not fact."
(That made me so mad I did not talk to him for days.)


To remain friends with him I told him we can no longer talk politics because "You are brainwashed."

So after he called and practically begged me to come over, I reluctantly got out of my cozy recliner and went to his small apartment out of curiosity. Paul did not know it, but I thought of him as my own little "petri dish" experiment. If he had anything nice to say about Gore, Carter or Clinton it would be a miracle. And it would give me hope for any other Bush supporters or undecided voters.

After Al Gore he turned to me and said, "he was o.k. But I don't want to hear what a jerk Bush is or what an asshole I am for supporting him. I want facts. I want to know why I should vote for Kerry.That's all you guys do is bash."

A small heated debate started but stopped for Jimmy Carter. After JC, he turned to me and said "I always liked that guy but I still don't have anyone telling me FACTS. I know John Kerry is a war hero and a good guy but that was 30 years ago.Why will he be better than Bush?"
Another short argument-debate ensued where I presented facts and he defended with White House spin.
My face turned beat red and I told him I was leaving and he begged me to stay for Clinton.

During Gore and Carter there were times where we would talk during the speech. There was none of that for The Big Dawg.

After Clinton made me one big goose bump for 25 minutes I was feeling great and did not even care what Paul would have to say. I just knew that Bush would be gone soon even though 40 % of the country are "Pauls".

So when Paul turned to me and said "That's what I wanted to hear! That's the best argument I have heard yet why I should vote for Kerry." I was floored! He went on and on about seeing things more clearly. As I left, he told me he is leaning HARD toward voting for Kerry and he could not wait to hear more tommorow night!!!!!
I responded, "Yeah right. I heard that after F9-11"

He was adament. "No, I really mean it. It was better than anything I expected." He went on to tell me about how he has no health insurance, was dissatisfied with the tax cut he got, how he knows Iraq is a mess and on and on...

I had to concentrate driving home because I could not believe what I had just seen. Out of the fog of Fox "News" and the spoonfulls of Bush Bullshit where Paul said "Thank you sir may I have another!" my good friend was seeing the light.

There is hope for everyone my DU friends. If Paul can change, anyone can.
Don't give up on friends and relatives who seem hopelessly lost or ignorant.We have the most powerful ally on our side. The truth.
God bless America and rescue us from this tyrant!!!

[sangh0]

1. IMO, Clinton was the only one who presented the choice we're facing

The others criticized Bush*, which definitely needs to be done, but someone has to give people a reason to vote for Kerry. CLinton did the heavy lifting last nite.

[opihimoimoi]

4. I got a bunch of Pub Friends who now see the light..are they ever

disapointed and pissed....that they got taken to the cleaners...
They plan to vote Kerry..

[Cha]

12. Mahalo! It's always wonderful when friends "see the light"

especially about something so critical as our Country!~

[opihimoimoi]

16. It took almost 4 years to see W is a fraud.... and he pulled a con job

on America, flipped and flopped expediently

[Warpy]

9. Carter's speech was equally tough

but dealt with the squandering of international good will after 9/11 and his idiotic alienation of all our friends and allies. These are things that the disconnected, sound bite spewing suckers for propaganda don't think affect their lives, so of course the criticism didn't sink in.

That's what was so great about Clinton's speech, pointing out the really stark differences in policy between the two parties now, and that "Their way doesn't work! Our way works better!" I think that really did get to a lot of people, because Bush's way is affecting their daily lives and it doesn't work.

It's too bad they can't have him speak every night.

[erpowers]

15. Your Right

I thought Clinton gave a great speech. He did what the others did not do so well. He clearly presented the differences between the two parties. He also gave people reasons why they should vote for kerry and the Democrats. For a while now I have thought that the reason that Democrats do not win more elections is that they do not tell the people what the Democratic Party stands for. Last night Clinton did just that.

[Steely_Dan]

23. I Totally Agree!!!!

Clinton's speech was one of the best I've heard on the differences between Dems and Repubs. Outstanding speech. It reminded me a little of Mario Cuomo...Now that man can give a speech.

-P

[Fridays Child]

2. Good! I love these stories of conversion.

And there are more and more of them, all the time. As for Bill Clinton's speech, it should be the clarion call for the campaign. It was magnificent.

[giant_robot]

3. Great story, Nightjock.

I'm happy for you and your friend Paul. Let's hope a lot more like him see the light.

[cheezus]

5. There's no real need for Bush bashing

America already doesn't like him, they just need to know how much better the alternative is!

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Wow! A republican who actually LISTENED to Clinton!

Kudos to Paul! This is exactly what this convention is SUPPOSE to do! You gave me hope, Nightjock! This is an excellent post and is exactly what I needed to hear today. Thank You!

[Cha]

7. Your account of your and your friend, Paul's journey

last night was riveting! I felt the same about Big Dawg's speech although I was already voting for Kerry. No matter how much the reichwing press try to shoot it down ..the Dem Convention started out with a bang last night and Big Bill was our star quarterback!

Let us know if Paul stays the Course!

[fob]

8. Reinforce and remind him that different speakers make different

points in their speeches. He was looking for 'facts' as you say, but tell him to just listen to the speech and he will hear the facts. Clinton's speech was set up perfectly by the preceding speeches by Gore, Carter, etc. If it was just a list of reasons to not vote for bush* by speaker after speaker, it would be a tuned-out snoozefest.

Good job with Paul and reinforce, reinforce, reinforce!

[Nightjock]

17. I have been hammering that theme for a while now

I think that was part of him coming around.

[Killarney]

10. THAT is why Clinton is so good

He has the uncanny ability to take complex issues and boil them down to short, easy to understand talking points. He's interesting to listen to and he's damn convincing. He rocks.

[zbdent]

11. Until it convinces him to turn off Clear Channel and Faux

he'll probably be back to "Clinton's penis" stuff in the two weeks again.

[Nightjock]

18. It's possible but I don't think likely

I have known him for a long time. Except for politics we have so many things in common he is like a blood brother.
And I know him. It takes a Moses-like parting of the sea for him to admit he is wrong.
That is why I felt compelled to share this story with everyone.

[supernova]

13. What was it BC said that worked so well?

was it the "If you want ____________; then vote for them" lines?

I'm curious what your friend saw that switched on the light in his head.

[Nightjock]

19. I think Farenhiet softened him up and than a combination of things

I give him articles from all over and rebuffed Republican arguments with printouts from this website.
He reads many stories but he also reads The NY Post.
He used to read Ann Coulter all the time and quote her!
I gave him Al Frankens book and after reading it he NEVER reads her now.
There are many other little things but I don't want to bore you.

[emulatorloo]

14. Great story -- if need be, follow up w a viewing of OUTFOXED

if he is a Fox Head.

[Nightjock]

21. BINGO!

I already told Paul he has to watch it and told him I will bring it to his place after I get it back from another brainwashed friend ay work.

[msmcghee]

20. That's the lesson to learn.

The Dems know that there are huge numbers of votes out there from ex-pukes who are persuadable with the right approach. Telling them they are jerks for voting puke last time is not the way to do it.

Your friend was already sold - he just needed the facts to justify it. See my sig line. It's totally true about 99% of the pukes.

Letting them feel good listening to a great orator like Bill Clinton talk about a better America, salted with a few facts, is how to do it - and it worked as your post shows. Unless the pukes come up with something really amazing, I predict a huge landslide for Kerry/Edwards.

Karl Rove, you better go clean your underwear now, I can smell it here. I never knew shit could be digitized.

[Cheneys_former_heart]

22. My rich Repub Aunt changed last night!

She and her husband are very rich and not religious repubs, more like moderates. But they have NEVER voted for a Democrat, and we avoid talking politics just to avoid "unpleasant" conversations. Well, last night my Aunt called me after Clinton's speech and asked me if I saw it. I said yeah, I thought he was amazing. She said---I almost dropped the phone---that she wished the election was tomorrow because she can't wait to vote for JOHN KERRY!!! I asked her why, she said she has been having doubts about Bush since the war, and after hearing the speech by Clinton (of all people) she will vote Kerry no matter what. There is a mighty river that is rising, people: I have not been "working" on my Aunt, she came to these conclusions as a life long repub ON HER OWN. If She has changed, there really is no hope for Bush!

[Nightjock]

24. to quote Keanu Reeves in the only dialogue he can perform in a film

"Whoa!"

That is awesome!

[faithnotgreed]

25. even pat buchanan said clinton played all the right notes incl ones that

appeal to conservatives. he pointed out that great clinton line about the chinese and japanese being our bankers and how can you have any leverage with your bankers?

there are many many people who dont realize what that means when we keep hearing about the deficit. its like this thing thats out there but they have no idea what the truth is behind it. not that i really do either, but i did know that were selling our future to these countries and most prominently to the chinese

[0rganism]

26. Bill Clinton was fantastic last night, now John Kerry has to come thru

Clinton is a tough act to follow, but he set the stage for Sen. Kerry to shine. Come Thursday, it's his turn on the highwire.

[Nightjock]

27. I have no doubt he will hit a homerun

I love the fact the blathering tv talking heads all express doubts.
I hope they undersell Kerry for the debates too.