Funny kind of wake up call

[renie408]

Went to dinner last night with five of my best girlfriends. They are: one housewife married to devoted Republican and who adopts the opinions of her husband on most political matters, one housewife who was a '60's hippie who votes Democratic always, a pharmacist who usually votes Independent or whoever is the 'weirdest' candidate running, one earnest Democrat whom I had always thought was on top of all things political and a younger friend who is just now getting interested in politics. All have kids, all are fairly intelligent women (oddly enough, including the Republican wife) who always seem to be fairly aware of current events.

At one point, I asked, "So, who is everybody voting for?? Let's talk politics." They all looked a little blank and, in general, asked, "Voting for who for what?" I realized pretty quickly that I was the only person at the table looking forward to next year or even really worried about it. I asked what everybody thought of Kucinich because I thought that he would appeal to at least two of my friends particularly and they had no idea who he was. They all had the vague impression of Dean as being a rich angry Yankee doctor. Nobody could have told you where he stood if their life depended on it. Everybody thought Kerry was somebody else and couldn't really identify him with a position, either. They all knew about Edwards, mostly because we live in NC. Their opinions varied, but were mostly favorable on him.

I was shocked to find out that in my circle of friends, I (the political neophyte) was the only one who had any idea what was going on with the Democratic campaigns. So, this morning, I asked a few other people around me that I consider to be normal, but intelligent people. They were as clueless as my friends. For the past couple of weeks, whenever I had seen those polls that claimed that some huge percentage of Democrats couldn't even name the canidates, I always thought that they must have polled a bunch of idgets. But I honestly don't consider the people I have mentioned to be idgets. They just haven't taken an interest yet.

Anyway, the moral to my story is that all polls aside, this race is still wide open. There are a whole lot of people who haven't even started to pay attention. I am really glad that I have taken an interest early this time around. Because watching events unfold over the next year is going to be fascinating.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. Yep, and if they even bother to vote

a lot of people only first think about it the day they arrive at the precinct.

[AWD]

2. That's one hell of a story...

....because politics occupies a large percentage of our lives, we tend to forget that it's not the same with others.

That is a wake-up call.....thanks for sharing.

[sandnsea]

3. Wow,

Fascinating and frightening all at the same time! And with everything that is going on, did they even know the President had a speech and wants $87 billion?

I never talk politics because I don't think I know any Democratic women! They all seem to be some variation of Republican from the uneducated ones to the religious ones to the 'reformed liberals'. And I live in Oregon in a county that's supposed to be largely Democratic, well, they're not in my little town!

Politics is so fascinating to me, a heck of alot more interesting than soap operas!