Update on my GOP dad and Democrat Mom...

Occh... :eyes:

Background: My folks are the ultimate media consumers, in that everything they see and read is 100% mainstream, surface-level thinking, etc. I find them an interesting barometer, and mostly like to get them talking, rather than interject much.

So pops told me today he would've dumped Bush in November and voted for Edwards, had he been the nominee. His reasoning is that he sees "no difference between Bush and Kerry" on the "really important issue"... specifically, he thinks Kerry and Dubya are cut from the same never-had-to-worry-about-a-paycheck cloth. He liked Edwards because he had known what it meant to be poor.

Pops also can't stand Bush wanting to muck around with the Constitution, and hates everything Bush has done from an economic standpoint (and he realizes, and harps on, the largest expansion of the federal government in history taking place under Bush). But he won't go for Kerry, because of his roots in money.

Mom is an interesting one. She also dug on Edwards for the same reasons, but she has swallowed the "Kerry = flip-flop" meme, even though she had no examples when I asked. She also thinks there's something "off" about Kerry, something about his delivery that she is somewhat repulsed by. Again, she couldn't quantify it, but felt it was there. She also feels that the world is a "frightening, dangerous place" and isn't sure switching presidents is such a good idea because of "all the time a new guy would spend learning the ropes".

Nice conversation, though. I asked Pops what Kerry could say tomorrow to get him on-board, and he wasn't sure, but would think about it. :shrug:

...he didn't think Edwards as VP would make any difference in his mind.

he actually sold encyclopedias for a time while in college. As for your mother, I wish she could see Kerry in person.

His father was a Navy pilot in World War II, was treated for tuberculosis in Colorado--this is where John Kerry was born--and then became a foreign service officer, where Kerry was able to bicycle to the Brandenberg gate in Berlin--his father took away his passport for this particular adventure.

Growing up with rich relatives is not the same as being rich--something most of us can readily appreciate.

to spend learning the ropes?" WTF? Does she not know that Kerry has almost thirty fucking years of political experience, including in foreign policy and national security, and wouldn't really need to spend a lot of time "learning the ropes?"

As opposed to Shrub, who had no experience at all before becoming governor of Texas, worked very little at that job (the legislature meets very little in TX), and ran the state into the ground?

Why don't more people realize just what little experience and knowledge Shrub had, especially when they complain that candidate so-and-so doesn't have enough "experience?"

these signs in Chicago last night. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x451327

If he's right, nothing will change but the designation after the name.

But we know that it would not be the same. All of a sudden, you would have the "liberal media" attacking the "liberal" president.

your last line is priceless.

n/t

or "Conservatives for Kerry" site somewhere? I seem to remember such a thing, I could send him there if it's worthwhile.

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him"

GWB 9/13/2001

"I don't know where he is and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."

GWB 3/13/2003

http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/voices/200304/0428span.html

somebody post a link, plz

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/3/7/213753/1954

* Bush is against campaign finance reform; then he's for it.
* Bush is against a Homeland Security Department; then he's for it.
* Bush is against a 9/11 commission; then he's for it.
* Bush is against an Iraq WMD investigation; then he's for it.
* Bush is against nation building; then he's for it.
* Bush is against deficits; then he's for them.
* Bush is for free trade; then he's for tariffs on steel; then he's against them again.
* Bush is against the U.S. taking a role in the Israeli Palestinian conflict; then he pushes for a "road map" and a Palestinian State.
* Bush is for states right to decide on gay marriage, then he is for changing the constitution.
* Bush first says he'll provide money for first responders (fire, police, emergency), then he doesn't.
* Bush first says that 'help is on the way' to the military ... then he cuts benefits
* Bush-"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. Bush-"I don't know where he is. I have no idea and I really don't care.
* Bush claims to be in favor of the environment and then secretly starts drilling on Padre Island.
* Bush talks about helping education and increases mandates while cutting funding.
* Bush first says the U.S. won't negotiate with North Korea. Now he will
* Bush goes to Bob Jones University. Then say's he shouldn't have.
* Bush said he would demand a U.N. Security Council vote on whether to sanction military action against Iraq. Later Bush announced he would not call for a vote
* Bush said the "mission accomplished" banner was put up by the sailors.  Bush later admits it was his advance team.
* Bush was for fingerprinting and photographing Mexicans who enter the US. Bush after meeting with Pres. Fox, he's against it.



He also did a big flip-flop on job-creation predictions recently. Maybe your parents will remember that when reminded.