For my diary today I wanted to share the very real and very true plans of 11 of my closest friends (and even a few not so close). From all walks of life, with what they're really feeling the day after our Indiana primary. Obviously for reasons of privacy I'm not naming names but I think you'll enjoy it anyway.
Friend 1, a 40 year old programmer. Libertarian fiscal conservative. Bailed on Bush long ago. Says that in 2004 for the first time in his life he left his presidential choice blank. Says that in 2008 he will be voting for whoever the Libertarian nominee is so that he can, and I quote, "just stay the **** out of it."
Friend 2, who works on cable & infrastructure and is in his late 60's. Dyed in the wool Republican. Voted for Bush twice. Still has campaign pins proudly displayed on his desk. Think John McCain is, and I quote, "a pussy". Says he'll probably just stay home in November. Afraid any vote he would cast would help someone he doesn't like get elected.
Friend 3, in her mid 40's and of Chinese ancestry. Solid (if not that interested) Democratic vote. Yesterday I believe she voted in a primary for the first time in her life. Loves Obama and will be there in November.
Friend 4, early 30's guy who has gone from party animal to family man in the 8 years the tyrant has been in office. Voted against him both times but in '04 it was personal. It's still personal. Again, probably the first primary vote of his life yesterday. Behind Obama 100%.
Friends 5 & 6, my two closest friends in the world and both first time primary voters yesterday. Early 30's male and early 40's male. Both voted against Bush twice but like a lot of us it become personal in '04. And '06. And '08. Two votes for Obama and they'll be back in November.
Friends 7 & 8, my dearest friend from college and the girl I set him up with on a blind date years ago! He never cared about politics much, pretty much voted how I was always voting. Now, they're both tuned in and mad as hell. Two first time primary votes, two for Obama, they'll be there in November. Hopefully with their whole family once the distraction of Hillary is gone.
Acquaintance 1, a very nice lady in her mid 40's who sadly has some personal views I cannot even give credence by a mention. Voted for Hillary yesterday. When pressed today on who she is voting for, it's Obama with an eyeroll. More happy to do it if the running mate meets approval. She may have a few opinions that make me sad, but she hates Bush a whole lot more. She gets the base fact that will win us this election. McCain = Bush = The current state of the union.
Acquaintance 2...who after the last week I'm going to call Friend 9! Lady in her late 60's who by every right should have been effected by the race baiting of the Wright fiasco. Didn't work. She went to vote yesterday, first primary she ever remembers doing so in. And get this...she got out her 90 year old mother. Whose most definitive campaign note was that Obama was handsome. Two votes for Obama. Two in November, God willing.
And not a single thing of that makes me even dream of John McCain carrying the state of Indiana in November. 1.3 million votes for the Democrat, less than half for the Republicans. With a careful pick of a running mate Obama is going to keep almost every single vote from yesterday. Doesn't need to be Hillary but I can be honest and say if it's a white woman the deal is sealed.
But that won't even matter. If his running mate was Jeremiah Wright he'd still beat McCain. The people of this state are not stupid. They know, or will learn by November, that McCain = Bush. Good luck with that in November, John.