It's Saturday. So, it is time for my weekly pilgrimage to the local Einstein Brothers Bagel shop for my morning bagel constitutional and a nice icy Diet Coke.
My EB Bagel shop is in the very nice Aracida District in East Phoenix, a lovely stable and middle to upper-middle class area that tends to be somewhat to very-conservative. Thankfully, most of the people here are the "live and let live" types, so it is a nice place to live, shop, and eat a bagel.
I get a toasted Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with a Honey Almond Schmere and my drink and grab a newspaper. Okay, OBL is front-page news. I woundn't expect anything different from The Arizona Republic not only because it was news yesterday and because they did endorse GWB for a second term.
Interestingly enough, it isn't the top story. No, the top story is that Phoenix is now the top place in the country for home building. OBL is sort of down one-third of the newspaper and continuing on down the fold. I grab a seat outside and bask in the sunny day here in Phoenix. There are several people outside. Most are talking about Halloween. A few mention the upcoming Cardinals game on Sunday.
I survey the parking lot and see a K/E bumperstick on one car, but I don't see any pro-GWB stickers on any cars, not even the Lexus and the Beamer that are parked near the front. To be fair, some of the cars were facing me, so there could have been some pro-GWB stuff there.
I eat my bagel, drink my soda and look through the paper. After I finish the paper, a man in his 50's (my guess) take a seat at the table next to me. He eyes my paper and then asks if I am done with that if he can have it. I am not needing it for anything, so I pass it over to him. He surveys the front page. He then says to me, "I see that bastard is still alive." Without tipping my hat, I nod and say, "Yup."
The man then begins to talk further and clearly he is very unhappy. "I voted for Bush last time, but it won't happen again," he spouted. "He is the worst thing that has ever happened to the Republican Party." I show no emotion, but I notice I am nodding a lot.
Then, the man plays his trump card. "I can't believe I would ever have to say this in my life, but I am going to vote for a Democrat for president because he has got to be better than Bush." I smile and play my trump card. "Yup. I can't believe that people want him re-elected after bin Laden has been allowed to roam free."
"Exactly," he responds. I finish my drink and then get ready to leave. I turn to the man and say, "Thanks for the conversation. Do you live here in the Arcadia District?"
"Oh, no. This is the closest Einstein Bagels near me. I live in Paradise Valley."
Okay, I am floored. Paradise Valley is arguably the most affluent area in Arizona. The place runs abound with million dollar homes on large parcels of land in gated communities that were established long before gated communities were popular. The place is even the home to the Camelback Inn and Mountain Shadows, two luxury resorts in the Phoenix area. This is Republican Central. Money talks and money walks.
To hear that a Paradise Republican is going to vote for a Democrat from Massachusetts is big news. I mean, honking, friggin, OMG news. I simply can't believe that this guy is alone in his thinking in Paradise Valley.
I get in my car, start it up and pull out on to Indian School Road and head home. I am absolutely giddy. If only 10% of the Republican base in Arizona is voting for Kerry, Bush is in a world of hurt. A very big world of hurt.
I get home and do a bit of reading online. I go to AZ Central's website to see the updated headlines (AZ Central is a joint venture of The Arizona Republic and the NBC affiate here in Phoenix.) These are the headlines (in decending order):
8 Marines dead in Iraq
3 police officers lose jobs
Phoenix now top US builder
Glendale finalizes deal
ASU takes hope over hype
Those are the major headlines. I scan the page looking for the bin Laden tape story. Hmmm. Can't find it. WAIT! There it is. It is in the fourth column in a box called "Inside Today" in tiny type down under the World section. Yes, less than 24-hours after the tape surfaces, it is on the inside pages and the headline news is that more of our courageous soldiers have died.
Hell, even the poll about which candy one prefers for Halloween is more prominent than the bin Laden tape story.
So, for all the rallying around the flag that people predicted. For all the hand-wringing that the Andrew Sullivan's of the world were doing last night. For all the boost that this was supposed to give Bush. This story is all but dead.
bin Laden is alive. Bush has failed to get him. And a Paradise Valley Republican is going to vote for Kerry.
Meanwhile, 380 tons of explosives are still missing and 8 more Marines won't be coming home for Christmas.
Mr. Bush, expect to receive your pink slip on Tuesday.