My visit to Red country

On thursday, my mother and i went to Quincy, IL for family time. We watched the debate with my aunt, who has voted Republican since 1952...

Quincy is a small city of 40,000 or so, on the banks of the Mississippi in western Illinois. It is farm country, very historic, very religious, and very Republican. For a good measure, i saw at least ten Keyes signs for every Obama sign, probably more.

My aunt is typical of Quincy. She's 70, a widow, very religious, and still working her job as a hospital administrator. She has four grandchildren that are currently draft age (18-20something), and a few more who soon will be. She also has a great-nephew (my cousin's son) near Fallujah, and prays for him every day. She has the Life magazine book "Heroes of 911" on the coffee table. And she has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1952.

She's now a swing voter.

She watched the debate with real interest, and was happy to get to talk to a well-informed Kerry supporter. Her first concern is security. Kerry's debate points hit home with her, over and over again. She's afraid that Bush has made things worse, not better. Moreover, she thought Bush's performance was awful. As soon as the split-screen started, my mother (an Edwards-type Democrat) pointed out Bush's petulant expressions, and compared them to my grumpy children in the room with us. I'd add details and factoids, but mostly i let Kerry win her, and Bush lose her.

Afterward, we talked a lot about the election, and about the candidates. I told her how hard i worked on the Dean campaign, how much i disliked Kerry at first, and how Kerry slowly won my heart and mind as well as my vote. We talked about Iraq, and how i consider it a distraction from the real war on terror. We talked about Osama, and how Bush's incompetence let him go free (oh, Kerry's comments on Tora Bora were out of the park with her!). We talked about health care, and tax cuts versus deficits. And we talked about the possibility of draft, and how that could affect her grandchildren, and how afraid i am for my ten-year-olds. But mostly, it came down to security, and keeping America safe.

And you know what? I think Kerry sold her. I helped where i could, but i think Kerry did it on his own.

•  Excellent

  I love hearing stories like this. I don't know how comfortable you are with this, but I've used the line, "Bush isn't a real Republican, you know?" to Republicans in an effort to give them an out and not support the guy.
  Your grandmother sounds like a great woman and I hope she votes the right way which this time is the left.
  

  by Carnacki on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 05:44:13 PM PDT

  •  wrong relative

    That's my aunt, not my grandmother! We were there to visit Grandma, who is in a nursing home and no longer has any idea who i am. She probably shouldn't be voting...

    by Radical Middle on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 05:53:55 PM PDT

    •  Correction

      Your aunt's a great woman, too. I should have read more carefully.

      by Carnacki on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 06:13:09 PM PDT

    •  Kick ass

      I wish I could give you a lifetime supply of fours.

      by lapin on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 08:13:02 PM PDT

  •  I've used that too.

    Bush isn't true to the values of his party: fiscal responsibility and security. I've had mixed success. Jesus freaks can't be won over.

    -fink

    by fink on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 05:54:00 PM PDT

•  Get "GAGG" out of the way FIRST

  GAGG stands for God, Abortion, Gays, and Guns.

  Don't waste your time with repugs unless they first agree that they are willing to vote for a candidate that holds opposing views on these issues for the greater good of the country.  If they won't agree then don't waste your time.

  Just shut it down with somthing like "I consider your litmus test based upon one narrow issue narrowminded and unpatriotic.  If you are not willing to vote for a candidate that opposes your view on any of these issues then we are at an impasse -- why waste our time discussing other issues?"

  by casamurphy on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 05:49:27 PM PDT

  •  Then it's time to use humor

    First the "It's such hard work" (most people who've had to work on their feet eight hours a day laugh at that). Then sock them with, "You know, the reason the Dems chose such a weak candidate like Kerry is that they're setting up Hillary 2008." The second really freaks out the conspiracy-minded.

    by PitterPatter on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 06:40:59 PM PDT

  •  Remind them that the GOP has no interest in

    resolving those issues.  The GOP has had 5 of the past 7 Presidents, appointed most of the Federal judiciary, has held congress for a Decade, and has a majority of the Governorships. If the GOP couldn't do what they claim they support in these times then they don't want to do anything but talk the talk as a way to divide the country.  What the GOP has consistently done since Nixon is transfer wealth from the middle and bottom income brackets to the upper eschelon.  That's what the GOP cares about.  The rest of their platform is a distraction used to get the votes of those people willing to be the GOP's useful idiots.  

    by LionelEHutz on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 07:11:03 PM PDT

•  I won't take ALL the credit...

  since she changed her status as a direct result of Kery's performance in the debate...

  But my rabid Republican sister moved into the Undecided column Friday. And I did nudge her along with one of my "I know I promised I wouldn't bug you if you wouldn't bug me but I just don't understand how a decent, intelligent, MORAL person like you can vote for that stammering liar" emails.

  And my mother hasn't said a word about it, but I know her well enough to think there's a slight cance she'll get to the polling place and find herself simply UNABLE to vote her One Issue (Abortion) vote this year.

  by Maryscott OConnor on Sun Oct 03, 2004 at 07:20:33 PM PDT