Is it useless to put a candidates sticker on your car...

[Stuckinthebush]

...if you live in a state (Alabama) that doesn't have its primary until way after the nominee has been decided by the other states?

I just put a Dean sticker on my car, but realized that it may be pointless. By the time Alabama Dems get to vote (in June, I think), the thing will be over.

What are your thoughts on this?

[molly]

1. I'm going out to put my Kerry sticker on

[Stuckinthebush]

2. Where are you, Molly?

Is your state one of the ones that has an early primary?

[molly]

6. I'm in Delaware

I'm not exactly sure when the primary is

[whoYaCallinAlib]

3. I've got my Kerry sticker on my car.

I have no problem letting people know where I stand.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. Sure...I don't mind people knowing where I stand

but as a campaigning tool, is it useless?

[gristy]

10. Put up that bumper sticker!!

It is a wonderful chance to preach to the non-choir. Your audience is people on the road who almost certainly have not put ANY thought yet into the election next year. The more they see your (Democratic) candidate's name, the more they'll start considering the Democratic candidate next fall. You want to establish a CREDIBILITY w.r.t. the Democrats. You want your audience - other commuters - to realize that others on the road are following the campaign, have taken a stand, and that stand is DEMOCRATIC!

[molly]

11. Well,

I have my Jack Markell and Carl Schnee stickers still on from the last state elections - along with my husband's DOD stickers on the left front window and a JOE sticker in the right front window - I'm READY!

[displacedtexan]

5. ANYONE BUT BUSH

along with my gore sticker (still gets good response in traffic)!

[trof]

7. OK, personally

I don't think bumper stickers matter.
Period.
I don't think a bumper sticker with a politician's name on it ever changed anybody's mind. I've never seen a lot of one guy's stickers and thought "Gosh, lotsa stickers there. I think I'll vote for him."
Same for lawn signs and highway signs.

Maybe a sticker with some kind of message, that might make you stop and think (for those who think, a dwindling segment of the population IMHO).
I think a Bush*-Cheney, or a Gore-Lieberman sticker has about the same persuasiveness as an Alabama or an Auburn sticker.
"This is MY team. This is who I'm for."
Oh, gee.
Isn't that nice.
So what?
Now...Impeach Bush*...yeah, I could go with that.
Hiya Stuck
:hi:
Just my thoughts.

[Stuckinthebush]

12. Valid points

How about displacedtexan's ANYONE BUT BUSH sticker next to my Dean sticker?

That says - I want Bush the hell out of there and my personal choice is Dean.

BTW - still checking on that investment property.

[trof]

19. yeah

ABB sends a message, I think.
And imagine that you're fairly apolitical, but you're probably gonna vote anyway (I DO NOT understand that, but there you are), and you pull into the Wal-Mart lot and every other car/truck has an "Impeach Bush*" sticker.
Now THAT would make me stop and think.

pm right here:
If you're a native Alabamian or are just curious about the politics of race here in the 50s and 60s read "Carry Me Home" by Diane McWhorter. She won a Pulitzer for it.Just finished it. Even the "good guys" were bad guys.
whew
riveting

[Stuckinthebush]

20. I hear that is a great book

My father said it was one of his favorites.

It is on my list. Perhaps I'll read it on my vacation to the beach.

[GiovanniC]

22. I Disagree

I don't think that intelligent people base their voting decisions on bumper stickers.

However, there are a lot of idiots out there who will pull the lever for whoever's name sounds most familiar.

[On the Road]

25. Bumper Stickers Have an Effect

at least en masse, and in combination with other publicity. Soak an area with a candidate's name and that candidate gets a big edge. Every bumper sticker is a part of it.

Works just like advertising. It may seem shallow, but it's part of politics.

[tpub]

8. Kerry sticker in Louisiana here

Just put it on last week.

On edit: I think it will help, because a lot of people down here have never heard John Kerry's name, so this will at least get his name registered in some peoples' brains.

[qandnotq]

9. your assumption may be wrong

that Alabama won't matter. it might be a close election.

[Stuckinthebush]

13. There is always that possibility

But I haven't seen Alabama in play yet.

[Kolesar]

14. In Cleveland, a Kucinich sticker is sweeter than an antiwar sticker

Such as: DUMP GEORGE BUSH AND HIS PSYCHOPATHIC WARMONGERING CABAL
and you are less likely to have your paint scratched.

[Stuckinthebush]

15. LOL!

Although I like the DUMP GEORGE BUSH AND HIS PSYCHOPATHIC WARMONGERING CABAL! sticker idea!

:D

[qb]

16. I got lots of laughs over my Harkin sticker

It stayed on my car for 10 years! As a matter of fact, it's probably still on the bumper somewhere in a junk heap.

[revcarol]

17. Two reasons it matters, even if you are in a late primary state...

1) Contributions to a candidate's campaign may be made from any state,
2) gets people thinking about the 9 fine Democrats we have to choose from.

Keeping about 10 bumper stickers for Kucinich in my car. Requests for them every day. Stimulates activism, means people go public with their preference.

[Clete]

18. My thoughts are that I have seen cars scratched with keys

in my area, that had "evolution" and "Darwin" fish stickers on them as well as anti-war stickers. I will stick to wearing a lapel button of my candidate. I hope even freepers draw the line at beating up little old ladies.

[trof]

21. I met a brave lady who shamed me.

I did a whole nuther thread on being the only male at a Dem Women's Club luncheon. However...
In a discussion about getting your car keyed, a 50-something, brass-balls committee-woman said "I got my Dean sticker on my brand new Lincoln Town Car and I have NO problem. quote-FUCK EM!-unquote".
Boy, do I like ladies like that!

[Clete]

24. Bravo for her and I do applaud her.

However, if she can afford a new Lincoln Town Car, she really can afford to say that. I, on the other hand, have a car that dates back to the last century :-)and it will probably be the last car I will ever own so I have to take care of it.

[osaMABUSh]

26. I have the solution for vandalism because of stickers

I add / remove my stickers at will. I can do this because I have affixed cut magnetic sheet to my stickers for easy removal. You can pick up magentic sheet cheaply at any craft store.

Believe it or not, everday that I commute to work (and on trips) I put an anti-Bush sticker on my car (in my garage) in the morning and remove it when I get to work. I do the reverse on the way home. It really isn't an inconvenience. It makes me feel good - especially because I can put on any sticker - stickers that I wouldn't on my car forever. When people see a BUSH CHEATED sticker they might think: "Wow, I feel that way too but I would never be able to live with one on my car; that guy has some guts"

The idea is to get our message out anyway we can.

If people see enough anti-Bush stickers, letters to editor, etc. they will start thinking it's OK to not to like the President and before you know it his approval will be in the toilet and he'll be back in TX come Jan 2005.

People have various reasons for not using stickers - vandalism, leased vehicle, car is too nice, what would the neighbors/family think?, etc. Well, this solves all those issues.

[ArkDem]

30. Does anyone else remove them.

It sounds like it would be easy to steal.

[osaMABUSh]

23. Use ANYONE BUT BUSH or such for the best effect

Like an earlier poster said "ANYONE BUT BUSH" sticker has the best effect. Let's face it we all have a fav dem candidate but our priority, our mission is to get * the hell out.

I have a No W sticker (W with a line thru it) plus a BUSH CHEATED sticker plus others that I use. I also have a democraticunderground.com sticker so folks can go here for more info.

I rotate my stickers based on what's in the news and my mood. I affix cut magnetic sheet to my stickers for easy removal.

[Ilsa]

27. A local candidate told me

that every bumper sticker is worth $100 in advertising. I guess Elections R Us told him that. I wonder if it is true everywhere.

[mandyky]

28. I understand how you feel

I live in KY and by the time we have primaries, many candidates are out already.

I too am a Dean supporter - I think putting a bumper sticker gives you a chance to talk to people about Dean, or have them see it and look him up online.

[ArkDem]

29. Yes but go to New Hampshire on weekends

.

[Ellen Forradalom]

31. Iowa is closer to Alabama

You've been wanting to pay a visit to Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City, anyway, haven't you?