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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

End Times

posted by on October 15 at 9:20 AM

Via Ben Smith, an email from a Republican political consultant who recently focus-grouped the harshest of anti-Obama attack ads in an upper-Midwetern state. He takes the experience as a sign of the apocalypse—and a sign that Obama’s going to win.

Reagan Dems and Independents. Call them blue-collar plus. Slightly more Target than Walmart.

Yes, the spot worked. Yes, they believed the charges against Obama. Yes, they actually think he’s too liberal, consorts with bad people and WON’T BE A GOOD PRESIDENT…but they STILL don’t give a f***. They said right out, “He won’t do anything better than McCain” but they’re STILL voting for Obama.

The two most unreal moments of my professional life of watching focus groups:

54 year-old white male, voted Kerry ‘04, Bush ‘00, Dole ‘96, hunter, Nascar fan…hard for Obama said: “I’m gonna hate him the minute I vote for him. He’s gonna be a bad president. But I won’t ever vote for another god-damn Republican. I want the government to take over all of Wall Street and bankers and the car companies and Wal-Mart run this county like we used to when Reagan was President.” …

The full email—with talk of “crazy pills,” the Seventh Seal having been broken, and an Obama-supporting woman who begins a sentence with “I don’t know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy but…”—is here.

RSS icon Comments

1

Wow, this is most of my family...except the one's living in Idaho. They're voting for Palin.

Posted by Busy | October 15, 2008 9:26 AM
2

"But I won't ever vote for a god-damn Republican" is the best thing I've read all year. I have hope again.

Posted by EmilyP | October 15, 2008 9:28 AM
3

"Well, I don't know much about this terrorist group Barack used to be in with that Weather guy but I'm sick of paying for health insurance at work and that's why I'm supporting Barack."

A-mazing!

Posted by Levislade | October 15, 2008 9:32 AM
4

Not amazing if you've been reading my posts.

1. This nation is more conservative than urban hipsters seem to be aware of.

2. when northern urban liberal Ds run and don't connect on economic things, these conservative swing voters go with teh cultural issues and the he's not like me thinking and vote R.

3. QED for D to win has to connect on economics.

4. Obama doing it well, with a big booster rocket of this meltdown. And the anger.

5. Sure glad he's fighting for the middle class now like a Clinton.

That's the only way to stop the GOP smear machine whihc runs the same plays every time.

So it's very very simple, really.

You're welcome.

Unity y'all--

Posted by PC | October 15, 2008 10:12 AM
5

Nobody reads your posts, Susan. They scan the first couple lines and go "Oh, it's that fucking nut," and then keep scrolling.

Posted by elenchos | October 15, 2008 10:45 AM
6

@5: Exactly.

Posted by Greg | October 15, 2008 11:58 AM
7

"54 year-old white male, voted Kerry ‘04, Bush ‘00, Dole ‘96, hunter, Nascar fan…hard for Obama said ..."

Huh! There's someone with a history of picking winners. He probably ranks Martin Truex #1 in NASCAR.

Posted by Seajay | October 15, 2008 12:32 PM
8

Where can I get a fistful of these "crazy pills?"

They sound fun.

Posted by flamingbanjo | October 15, 2008 2:09 PM

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