Slog

Yesterday we asked the Sloggosphere for insight on this not-so-elusive voter, and a few of their stories are below.

Folks fear Palin but tolerate Obama. Some think Rossi is a straight-shootin’, calm guy, while Gregoire is feckless and reactionary. While these anecdotes give some insight to individuals, they don’t fully identify common threads among this slice of the electorate. My theory is many of Obama-Rossi voters are middle-aged male swing Democrats from the exurbs who want roads, but think Republicans are hurting the national economy. But we can’t be sure. I’ve got calls in to pollsters and will report back.

In the meantime, he are some tidbits from readers on how they reconcile the candidates’ conflict on issues—between a man who wants to decide what happens in a woman’s uterus to a Democrats with a 100-percent rating from NARAL—on a single ballot.

A woman, who asks to be known as Winston, on abortion and asphalt:

I’m voting for a split ticket. I believe Obama believes what he says, and will attempt to bring some kind of rational mindset back to the Presidency. As for Rossi, I voted Kerry/Rossi four years ago. I’ve worked with both Rossi and Gregoire on and off over the years and my experiences with them are significantly different. Gregoire has made statements to me, then turned and did the opposite two separate times - a disconcerting act for someone whom I greatly admired as AG. Rossi has consistently been straight with me: when he agreed with me, he agreed. When he disagreed, he stayed on point. No empty promises or lip service.

Choice issues on a state level are irrelevant. Not only was the right to choose confirmed by voters 20 years ago via initiative, but the essentially super majorities in the state House and Senate would prevent any kind of repeal legislation from even getting a hearing. On the federal level, however, choice is a real issue, and genuinely threatened. Obama would pick a Supreme Court justice to protect our right.

On Iraq, I opposed the war, and believe we should have finished the work in Afganistan FIRST. Now that we’re there and have dismantled the country, we have to finish the mess we’ve created. I believe Obama will actually move toward that local control we’ve all been hoping for.

As for roads, we need them. Commerce cannot move by bus. I do support lightrail with the hope that the system will allow us to move those buses to other, underserved areas that need transit. Lightrail only works if you get people to the depot. We will always need highways and rail lines to move product. 1000’s of grocery stores receive product in this state by 7 a.m. each day. Painters, vendors, school kids on buses - they’ve all got places to go each morning.

Luke Renner on loving a gay son and loving the real estate market:

My folks are voting for Obama and not for Gregoire.

My mom is afraid McCain will die in office and thinks Palin is a fucking idiot.

My dad’s a Republican and said he didn’t really believe in Obama, but he admitted the Democrats are much better on gay rights and he said that I - his gay son - matter more to him than any of the candidates. My mother, of course, immediately naysayed and warned him not to make promises he couldn’t keep, but… he’s never said anything like that before and I, for one, believe him.

Of course, it’s the states that are more responsible for many rights currently not afforded to my people, but it’ll be impossible to prevent them from voting for Rossi. Both are in Real Estate and they think he’s going to make them money.

Losing sports teams, tight ends, and registering voters who destest Gregoire after the jump.

Running out of town and running from Palin:

My dad is going for Rossi because he’s all butt-hurt about losing the Sonics. He’s going for Obama because I think he doesn’t trust McCain and fucking hates Palin. My mom will go Dem/Dem and cancel out his Rossi vote.

Posted by Jessica | September 25, 2008 6:32 PM

Resign on the dotted line:

I was registering voters on Capitol Hill last weekend while wearing an Obama button, and found that there’s a lot of Obama love cohabiting with Gregoire hate.

By way of explanation, a few people told me that they had friends in prisons that Gregoire “cracked down” on— no smoking, etc. She really needs to do a better job of explaining why she’s a good governor to them.

They were all adamant about dropping Gregoire (one even asked me not to vote for her). I suggested that while they may not like her, that doesn’t mean that they should vote Rossi. They seemed to not know or care much about him, so I guess that might keep them from doing much damage.

Posted by V | September 25, 2008 6:42 PM

On Gregoire’s lame-ass campaign and shitty excuses:

Gregoire’s campaign is the thing that is really useless. My bet is that she is going to lose, and then nothing will get done in the state because we’ll have Rossi and a Democratic legislature.

I asked Gregoire about whether she’d pay attention to the LGBT community not long ago, and her angryish, motherish response was that not only had she signed the DP bill but had shoved it thorough the Senate.

She’s a decent manager of government but a shitty politician. Gregoire’s campaign can’t see the forest for the trees- there’s no central campaign theme.

Posted by Dave Coffman | September 26, 2008 1:32 AM

Got more testimony or wisdom on Obama-Rossi voters? Put it in comments or send me an email. I’ll roll your comments into the analysis from pollsters and we’ll try to profile this not-so-rare creature.