2004.11.03
I can't believe how segregated the nation is, red and blue wise.
And of course, having fairly close elections doesn't push a politician to be a centrist, like you'd hope. Hell no, it just makes them kiss the ass of the extreme edges of their political base.
Assuming this is a win for Bush...yeesh. I can't believe the Dems couldn't come up with a stronger candidate than Kerry...I've said that before, I think for shallow reasons Edwards would have been a better choice. You would think that a middling economy along with the Vietnam feel of Iraq would have made this a walk in the park.
And with stronger Republican control of House and Senate....jimminy frickin' crickets, having one party with the triple threat has never been great for our contry, whether it was Republican or Democrat.
The Republicans are a scary, weird alliance of fiscal conservatives and social conservatives. I'm more or less ok with the fiscal guys but the social ones scare the hell out of me.
Scariest News Quote of the Moment
More exit poll respondents -- about 22 percent -- called "moral values" the election's most important issue then cited the economy, terrorism or Iraq. Those expressing this sentiment backed the president overwhelmingly, 79 percent to Kerry's 18 percent. Bush did similarly well among the 19 percent who identified terrorism as their top issue....moral issues...prolife as a litmus test comes to mind.
Kerry won overwhelmingly among the 20 percent who pointed to the economy and jobs as the most important issue -- taking this group 80 percent to the president's 18 percent. The 15 percent who named the Iraq war as the race's top issue backed the senator by a 3-1 margin.
Article of the Moment
Slate piece by William Saletan Simple but Effective: Why you keep losing to this idiot. George W had a simple message. Kerry had a complex one. That's why George W won. Incidentally, he suggests Edwards would be a good choice for the Democrats to unite behind, just like Republicans got behind W in 1998.
Frankly, I think most of the Red States are full of anti-intellectual, gut-feeling shmucks. They vote on a few issues and on general karma, not on record. Unfortnately their gutfeeling doesn't extend to thinking "hmm...Iraq is a bad, bad idea".
Great weather for quagmire fans, however.