Fascinating encounters with various L.A. car people this morning!

Guess what's out there, my friends? A growing disgust for the bushies. I encountered this all morning. And NO opposition.

1) Time to get the ol' driver's license renewed. So I go to the DMV in Santa Monica, and wait my turn. I reach the window and the clerk is a friendly, middle-aged African American woman. I started with a joke about - "should I make my (renewal) check out to Arnold?" And she laughes. Then we proceeded. Then, somehow the conversation got diverted - to the war. She immediately began grimacing and talking about how awful it was and how we should never have gone in there in the first place and this is totally screwed, especially considering what's happening now - with a little "man, do you BELIEVE this?" thrown in. Shaking her head in disgust. I didn't even have to prod her - she was right there with it, already. I said November can't come soon enough and she shook her head in more disgust and true dismay, saying we've got to get rid of him, it's just so horrendous now. We parted company (so I could proceed to get my new license photo taken) and signaled a solidarity to each other, sharing our conviction that we couldn't wait to vote for Kerry, and that we had each cheered each other up and made each other's morning. She was smiling, bigtime.

2) So then, I get home and discover I have to take my car into the shop. Down I go to the shop. There was a courtesy shuttle to take a handful of us to our next stops. I had brought my "Worse than Watergate" book by John Dean - assuming (incorrectly as it turned out) that I'd have to sit and wait for awhile. So I get in the back seat, next to another passenger. A minute later, a portly, middle-aged Anglo guy climbs in, squeezing me to the middle. I have my book out. In a moment he turns to me and motions to the book and asks "How do you like it?" I answered that I thought it was terrific, really confirmed everything I already knew. Then he starts in with - "I'm reading Woodward's book right now. Unbelievable." Then he goes on to express astonishment that there are still people who support this schmuck, especially with all the books out from all these credible insiders and they all say the same thing, and that he'd seen Joseph Wilson interviewed last night and that Wilson was so well-spoken and intelligent and articulate. I pointed out that Wilson and every one of the rest of 'em can put sentences together eloquently - and the schmuck just can't. He agreed with me wholeheartedly, expressing amazement, yet again, that anybody can really support bush, especially lately. He said he got a bumper sticker that said "if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." I said I'd just ordered a few "bush KNEW" bumper stickers myself - which I believe were originally designed to reflect our suspicions about LIHOP and/or MIHOP. I added that - funny, they're even MORE relevant now! He nods in agreement. He's dropped off first. The other two men still in the car, both Anglo, one slightly younger, one slightly older, sit silently. Don't know if that means they were a) taking it in without comment but with interest; or b) uninvolved and apathetic; or c) more of those subdued republicans who know better than to mention bush in polite company because of the reaction they know they'll get, or who are seriously distressed or having second thoughts about their previous support for him. One by one they're dropped off. The driver, a middle-aged Asian man, heads toward my stop. We make small talk. When he drops me off, I thank him and bid him farewell, and as sweetly as possible, throw in - "vote for John Kerry." He turns to me with a look of distress on his face and smiles and nods vigorously and says "we NEED it!"

Just thought you'd like to know! bush sure isn't getting much traction here on the Westside. Just perked me right up - a good way to start the day. ONWARD to November!

:thumbsup:

Good on ya for talking to the people in your neighborhood about Kerry. Word of mouth is THE WAY. The media is starting the Goreing of Kerry so we must do this ourselves. :)

Sure wish there were more people talking Kerry up in an official capacity. We DO have to take matters into our own hands. I think much of the media still believes bush might make it, so they're hedging their bets and being friendly toward him. They don't want to risk getting on his bad side if there's another four years of blight.

I'm so sick of backstabbing democrats right now I could spit.

James Carville really gave me a grin this weekend when he said that he'd apply the repug talking point re: Rumsfeld to Kerry -- as in all the liberals and democrats should GET OFF HIS BACK.

I love that the Black Commentator has said that we need Kerry in office, then hold his feet to the fire - no honeymoon. That's the kind of calculated reasoning we need more of! :D

at LA City College. We were reciting various phrases in Italian. One of them was to described somthing we didn't like and this woman blurts out " Io odio Bush!" ( I HATE Bush!) the entire class, including the teacher fell on the floor. Then I asked him how do you write "The Bush Crime Family?" And here it is... "La Famiglia Criminale che siamo Bush!"

I was talking with the driver who took my mother to surgery yesterday and he said he didn't vote at all in 2000, but he can't wait to vote against * in November this year. And that goes for his wife, too.

They're both of retirement age. The only people I know who are really for * are men ages 25 - 40. You know the type - real macho non-thinkers.

Bush's name was never mentioned. It was clear that he was distancing himself from Shrub.

Two other republican members of Congress were present. Neither mentioned * either.

BTW - Sessions had his head handed to him over the jobless recovery and outsourcing.

North Dallas has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs over the last three years.

He looked totally dejected because his meeting had been hijacked by real angry citizens.