How can you tell that a candidate represents generational change? Your mom might vote for him.
Mom has voted Republican for years and years. She hails from Utah, the reddest state in the Union. I mean no disrespect when I say she’s a low-information voter. Back in June she was among the 17% who still thought Obama was a Muslim. But she cares about things, and wants the best for the country.
She watched the Democratic convention, and came to me perturbed.
“What do you think of Whatsisname?” she asked, sounding a little worried. It was as if she thought President Obama was a foregone conclusion, and she wanted to be reassured that everything would be all right afterward.
“Obama?” I asked.
“That’s the one,” she said.
To borrow a Mormon metaphor, it was an opportunity for a gospel conversation. But you only have one sentence to get a point across. So I tried these general points.
Point 1: Be sane. No frothing with enthusiasm.
“Well, I think he’d do a very good job,” I said carelessly. “He seems like a sensible person with some really good ideas.
Point 2: McCain is like Bush.
“I think if the other fellow gets to be president, it’d be like four more years of Bush, and I’m not anxious to see that happen.
Point 3: Iraq
“Plus, the other guy has said he doesn’t mind if we stay Iraq for a hundred years.”
Mom didn’t like the sound of that. “What else?”
Point 4: Energy
“Oh, I think he’s got some good ideas about energy. Obama wants to do more with wind and solar, but McCain just wants to drill more, which — I don’t know — oil’s important, but it’s not the most forward-thinking policy, you know?”
“Yes. Well, that’s good to hear,” Mom said. And then, suprisingly, “I think I might vote for him.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
Point 5: Crossover helps Democrats this time
“It doesn’t really matter if someone’s a Republican or a Democrat,” she said.
“We’re all Americans,” I said.
If my mom and other people of her demographic are even considering a vote for Obama, we’re talking about a cleanup of historic proportions.
30 August 2008 at 10:20 pm
Well if my father in law, a vietnam vet, born again republican for life, concealed weapons carrying member of the nra can do it so can your mom. I think everyone is realizing that Iraq wasn’t a response to 911 but in point of fact a very dangerous policy for global economic domination thought up by the neo cons and conservative think tank “new american century” several years before 911 that has been totaly disproven. And are ready to say No More.
I hope…