Bush Losing Ground in Rural America

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/2004/la-na-ruralvoters19apr19,1,4629264,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Like much of rural America, this isolated community south of the Columbia River Gorge is a place where people — like their parents before them — vote Republican when they pick their presidents. They went with George W. Bush four years ago. And most are likely to support him again this year.

But cracks have surfaced in President Bush's once-solid rural constituency. From places like Sherman County to Montcalm County, Mich., and Mahoning County, Ohio, some Republicans are so concerned about crop prices and high unemployment that they're considering voting Democratic for the first time.

They're hardworking people like Sherman County farmer Tom Martin. As he plows the stubble of last autumn's wheat harvest on his 12,000-acre spread, the 60-year-old hears mostly grim economic news on his radio.

"I'm right there on the fence," Martin said. "Bush has lost my vote, but I'm just not excited about Kerry either. From where I sit, neither party has much regard for the little man. And that includes farmers."

[Mari333]

1. Good lord! even my mother in Indiana small town

knows Bush has a fake ranch and is from Conneticut and is a spoiled frat boy
someone needs to wake some of these people up in rural areas!
sheesh. Reminds me of my town from hell.
wait til one of their kids is drafted...that will wake their ass up

[wabeewoman]

2. losing ground....

Burnet sees little chance things would improve with the election of a new president. So, just as he's done for the last 45 years, he'll vote Republican.

"I'm going to vote with my conservative values in mind, just like I always have."

Kerry is missing out here. He needs to be pointing out that nation building, huge deficits, less freedom for Americans, eliminating the middle class, sending jobs overseas are not conservative values. I am sure missing Dean....

[Arugula Latte]

23. love those "conservative" values

Bombing the shit out of innocent people, robbing the poor and middle class to make the obscenely wealthy even more so, polluting the environment, running up massive deficits for our children, buggering the educational system, sticking it to the farmers and blue collar folks, screwing over Medicare recipients ... Yep, those are some good ol' fashioned Mom 'n' apple pie values right there.

[Seldona]

41. Missing out?

Did you see his speech today?

He pointed out many of the things you mentiopned, and more.

He even brought up Woodwords book, and the deal with the Saudis.

[Leilani]

3. People all over are unhappy with Bush

The problem is they dont like Kerry; I hear this all the time.

I

[Lorien]

7. Yes, what I hear as well

a lot of people will be sitting out this election on both sides.

[yardwork]

8. Main reason they don't like Kerry is because of the press.

If somebody else was the presumptive nominee right now, the press would be tearing them down as well. Look what the press did to Dean.

The best the press and Bushco have done against Kerry is to convince people that he is dull and not very interested in people's problems. This is bad, but it could be a whole lot worse. It took the press about a day to convince a whole lot of people that Dean was crazy, based on one lousy videotape with a selective mike.

If Clark or someone else were the nominee right now, we'd probably be appalled at what the press and/or Bushco had managed to smear so far.

[fearnobush]

17. Exactly, We could have JFK FDR running today and these people

would say the same exact things because the GOP and the Press have used negativity to drive as many voters away from the polls in the past 30 years as possible. This creates a situation where only the party bases vote. Unfortunately theirs has been a lot louder because they own the media and have done so for years.

[Lindacooks]

11. That just pisses me off

What do they mean 'they don't like Kerry?' What's not to like? He's a war hero who can fix this country. None of these people are ever going to meet Kerry - he won't live across the road from them - and they won't be working with him in an office. This isn't an election for Prom King. This isn't about personalities - I'm so fed up with that. Who gives a f*** about his personality?? Vote on the ISSUES, dammit!

[Zhade]

25. A lot of progressives have problems with his stand on issues.

I don't give a damn if Kerry is dull, or manic - how he votes and what he says and does are what concern me.

His votes over the last three years, and recent comments on Israel, Iraq, Venezuela, and other crises, have disturbed me. I'll vote for the guy - today - but if he keeps going right, I'm going to be hard-pressed to vote at all in November.

I don't want it to get to that point.

Of course, I'm not even fully convinced there will BE an election this year, if b*sh looks to lose badly.

[Lindacooks]

37. Fine, if you don't like where he stands on the issues

then don't vote for him. What gets me is when people give this vague comment: "I just don't like him." As I said, this isn't a vote for Prom King or Homecoming King.

And also remember, no one candidate is perfect; we aren't clones of each other. Vote for the person whose stance on the issue MOST CLOSELY RESEMBLES yours.

[Zhade]

39. I did.

Sadly, he did not "make the cut" - and, IMHO, the American people are the worse for it.

[Jane Austin]

27. Wait 'till Kerry starts really running ads.

He's conserving and collecting money right now.

I'm not all that worried, because Kerry generated a lot of support and enthusiasm during the primaries, and I think he can and will do that again.

[bemildred]

4. I've been wondering for a couple decades now when the

Goobers (and I use that term affectionately) would get tired
of being screwed by the Republicrats and the Corporations.
The rural constituencies used to be the most progressive in
the USA, back when taking care of small farmers was more
than a talking point.

[jjs]

5. Seeing the Light

I'm from southern Indiana and the mood is 180 degrees different from the onset of Iraq. A lot of people feel betrayed and lied to and there is another large constituency with family overseas in Iraq now wondering why? Before the war when I was skeptical about the reasons for pursuing it, family members thought I was some crazed, tree hugging nut. After we found nothing, a few of them actually apologized, and it was the worst I ever felt for being right. Now I hear anti-Bush sentiment right and left. The tax cuts for the wealthy and the immigration policy really irked a lot of the good ole boys, and I think for once there my even be a race in my state.

[salin]

10. oh were that to be the case...

spend my time in one of the (few) liberal communities in the state - and in Indianapolis. Hard to tell in b-ton any change - as it isn't quite representative of the state.

Did hear a story from Indy that surprised a friend of mine - they were at a bar (not known as a progressive haunt) with an Irish band. The band makes anti bush remarks and the crowd laughs and cheers.. the band then appologizes (along the lines "guess it isn't too nice to come to your country and start bashing your president"... and "we have never met republicans before..." then slips into another bush bash (surrounding Babs, I thnk) and the place erupts in loud cheers.

Even with that said... I still find it hard to wrap my mind around the idea that there could be a 'real' race at the top of the ticket in Indiana. Oh - that would be great!

[Bozita]

13. You misunderestimate the powers of Dumbya

Look at what he's done to date.

[salin]

14. lol... perhaps you are correct... he has turned things upside down

guess Indiana swinging blue would fit right in.

[Skittles]

12. hey jjs

thank you; we love to hear such insight. Welcome to the DU. :hi:

[sandnsea]

6. That's where Edwards rules

Clark could do well there too probably, but rural people really go for Edwards. I think rural people are ready for some real changes too.

[yardwork]

9. I agree that Edwards would play well in the rural midwest.

[mobuto]

15. I agree completely

It doesn't look like its going to happen, but I'm really starting to get behind the idea of Edwards for VP. I didn't support his presidential candidacy, but he really can connect to blue collar, rural white people the way Kerry can't. And in this election, they're a crucial constituency.

[cornfedyank]

16. edwards is a little too slick for this farmboy. n/t

[mobuto]

19. Edwards is a bit slick for me too

although I'm no farmboy. But who in the national Democratic party connects better with rural, blue collar folks? Not Vilsack. Not my old candidate, Gen. Clark. Not Warner. Not anybody else I've heard mentioned. Those largely rural, blue collar white folk are going to decide this election - they're the key swing bloc in virtually every swing state: New Hampshire, West Virginia, Arkansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin, etc.

[belle]

21. Gephardt?

[UpInArms]

30. ewwwww!

please no!

being from Missouri, I gotta say that I would rather that not be the case.

[Cocoa]

38. Gephardt is stronger in urban areas

or so I've heard.

[cornfedyank]

24. i think Wes Clark would connect to rural blue collar voters.

he has an apolitical message that rings true. imo

[Jane Austin]

28. Me, too.

Not a farmboy, though; not even a boy. :)

[Wapsie B]

36. Well, this farmkid

from Fayette County thinks Edwards would fill the bill quite nicely. Other than Clark I can't see who else would appeal to rural voters any better than JE. And let's be honest here. Edwards looks great on camera. Works as a great counter balance to Kerry in a number of ways. If anyone wants to see the definition of stiff, look at Vilsack. Good guv, but I've seen him in person several times and Al Gore on a bad day doesn't even come close.

[belle]

20. why do you say it doesn't look like it's going to happen?

Edwards for veep i mean.

i must have missed something...

[BeyondGeography]

18. Have to agree: Edwards would play well here

Granted, most of them will migrate back to Republican hell; they can't help themselves. But some raw populism is much needed here. I like Kerry, but he's from the manor born and often aloof. Clark was my first choice, but I'm warming up to Edwards as VP, especially when I read articles like these.

Ten minutes with Johnny, and half of these people would be rethinking their vote. Even if he only closes the sale on 15-20%, we've made some serious inroads.

[notbush]

22. He looks out over his 12,000 acrer farm

I think we're finally getting through to their base.

[radfringe]

26. uhh-ohhh... numbers down... prepping us for more terra-lerts?

booga-booga time to scare the sheeple and have them run and hide behind the bush?

Rice expresses concern on new terror attacks
http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/139453-4120-010.html
April 19, 2004

Washington -- The United States is bracing for possible terrorist attacks before the November presidential election, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.

The opportunity for terrorists to try to influence the election, as was the case last month in Spain, appears to be an opportunity that would "be too good to pass up for them," Rice said.

"I think that we do have to take very seriously the thought that the terrorists might have learned, we hope, the wrong lesson from Spain," Rice told "Fox News Sunday."

[dusty64]

29. The Democrats need to

exploit this for all its worth. If they play their cards right a landslide could be happening in November and a populist economic agenda is the key to this happening.

[Avis]

31. Here too

Talking to neighbors and farmers - lifetime republicans - don't like what Bush is doing - have a hard time really loving Kerry. If Kerry does this right, he could easily get these people. (and MN might actually be the DF(farmer)L again!

[qb]

32. Losing Ground - LOL

That was their big argument for *'s "mandate" - he had all of those square miles in rural America voting for him!

[riverwalker]

33. the rural folks I know

say the same thing. They dislike Dumya, but always say "but Kerry ain't much better". They WANT to like Kerry, they are ripe for the taking. I think when his ad's are in full swing, they will find the reasons that suit them.

[wabeewoman]

34. I don't think most people are paying attention

yet to Kerry. They are only reading the headlines and watching bush's commercials. I saw him on Meet the Press and he did an excellent job (this coming from a staunch Dean supporter). He doesn't stand where I stand on many issues but he has been in Washington long enough to know how to play the game. Just keep saying, Yes but if you don't vote for Kerry you are voting for bush. Hopefully that horrific thought will move them to the voting booth.

[proud patriot]

35. I love the headline

:D

[GoddessOfGuinness]

40. I do not understand how these people

can stand by and watch as their farms and their neighbors' farms are subsidized, bought out by developers, and screwed over by mortgage brokers...and STILL vote republican!

Would someone please explain what I'm missing here?