Sat next to my friend Chris at a graduation party yesterday afternoon. Like me, she’s a political junkie – although while I favor MSNBC, Chris is a Fox News fan.
Chris is also a staunch conservative and a huge (did I say huge?) fan of GW Bush. "So Chris," I ask. "How’s your boy McCain doing?"
Chris sighs. "I’m just not very excited. Might just stay home this year."
While I have no doubt that Chris will head to the polls in November – and most likely pull the lever under McCain’s name – she certainly won’t be putting any signs up on her lawn like in years past. And she won't be talking up any candidates while out and about town. "McCain is not a conservative... he goes back and forth all the time.
"To be honest, I would be just as happy with either one of them," she added. "They are both sort of middle of the road. Especially if Obama picks someone who’s not too far left... someone with some national security experience."
"What about Obama/Biden?" I asked.
"That would be pretty good."
Fact is, while I have a lot of friends who consistently vote Republican, I don’t know anyone who is what I would call an ardent McCain supporter. If anything, there are some well entrenched not-Barack voices. But no one who seriously wants to vote FOR McCain.
So while we can continue to promote the story line that Bush=McCain, my friend Chris is not buying it. She likes Bush a lot more.