The good news is that now all my in-laws are voting for Obama, apparently. (My relatives, including several diehard Republicans, I can't vouch for 100% yet.)
But while I'm encountering more and more people willing to talk about Obama (positive) and McCain/Palin (negative) here in Michigan, certain themes recur:
* Palin: Hell no, and
* McCain's debate performance, especially his attitude.
I just got this email back from my mother-in-law:
I've always been for Obama. I think [my brother-in-law] was going to be for M until he watched the debate and said he couldn't believe M couldn't even look at Obama. We are always registered to vote. Palin cannot be president, she's an idiot. Have to watch the debate between her and Joe just for laughs.
My other brother-in-law, who's living in Hawaii now, told us last night that he was for Obama and just couldn't believe the whole McCain & Palin travelling circus.
My mother-in-law and both brothers-in-law from the Lansing area are "Joe six-pack," hunting, gunning, Ted-Nugent types (in a good way) but also smart enough to know who's on their side economically. Times are shitty here in Michigan, have been for quite some time.
I'm an heartened by this news. I think they were lukewarm on Kerry four years ago. I hope that my Macomb County Republican relatives are thawing, also. (need to do some more reconnaissance soon, but frankly my Republican relatives scare me a bit.)
Thanks for listening, I just wanted to share my good feelings about Obama in Michigan.