Read this fabulous e-mail from my RW friend!! OMG!

Gryffindor_Bookworm

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Fri Jul-30-04 06:59 PM
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Read this fabulous e-mail from my RW friend!! OMG!

One of my first-grade classmates and I have stayed friends for nearly 30 years. She is very conservative (like, if Limbaugh's a 10, she's a solid 8). Every election year since we were teenagers, we've fought and debated over who to support. I've been very slowly, very surely, very gently, working on broadening her perspective about Shrubby. Used lots and lots of DU information (thanks!!!!) during my lurkdom. Anyway, she just sent me this. It starts kind of negative, but wait till you get to the end!! It's long, but worth it, I promise!

Subject: soul searching

Dawn,

I promised I'd watch Kerry's speech, and I did. I wasn't terribly impressed with the "help is on the way" chanting. It was silly, and I resent politicians who think they're the great white hope and that people like me can't succeed without them. (NOTE: my friend is Hispanic.) Leave me alone, get out of my way, and I'll help myself.

But at the same time, I knew he was sincere. I disagree with him in many ways, but I believe that he believes every word he's saying and that his intentions are genuine.

That's not enough to make me vote him by itself. I don't like him, Dawn. I think he's a rich, white, Northeastern snob who got where he is on looks and fortuitious marriage.

BUT.

You and I have discussed many times my tendency to evaluate candidates as human beings, not ideologies. As human beings, I look at the President and VP. I don't like them. I believe in many of the things they say they believe in, but they don't. Real conservatives wouldn't spend like this. Real conservatives wouldn't send our brave soldiers half the supplies and manpower they need.

Real conservatives have principles and stand by them come what may. We tell the truth. Bush and Cheney are many things, but they're not conservatives.

Looking at the Kerry/Edwards ticket as human beings, I don't like Kerry much.

You should go ahead and swallow whatever you're drinking. I don't want you to spew your Diet Coke all over the screen. ;-) Ready? Scroll down when you're seated, calm, and not likely to hit your head when you faint. Given my usual ranting about lawyers, you're not going to believe this.

Dawn, I'm sold, but NOT by Kerry. By Edwards. Here is someone who started with nothing and through his own hard work became a success in his field. He worked hard. He didn't declare himself a victim and go for a government handout. He took cases he believed in and won them for people who needed help. He earned every penny of his tens of millions of dollars, and he did it while putting the right things -- God, family, work -- first.

Of the GOP ticket, I dislike 2 out of 2.

Of the Democrat ticket, I dislike 1 out of 2.

Yes, I will cast my vote for Kerry/Edwards. Cautiously. Doubtfully. Warily. Fearfully. But a vote's a vote, isn't it?

I know you won't gloat or rub it in that you won this one. But if Kerry gets in and fucks up, I WILL gloat and rub it in for four years, even though I'm voting for him. So there. :-P

Call me when you can. We'll get together to see The Manchurian Candidate, if you want to. My turn to buy the popcorn.

Best,
(My friend's name)