October 30, 2008 by SoldierMedic
Less than 5 minutes ago I had the oddest conversation. Where I work, I see lots of people. Everybody knows me, and I know them. I'm always polite to people, so sometimes people will say things they might not around other people because they are more comfortable around me.
Enter a worker I'll call Candy. I don't recall how it came up, I know I didn't do it, but she began talking about the Presidential race. Now, because I'm leaning a little more towards McCain I am the minority in Seattle, so I normally keep my political opinions to myself. So she starts by saying that she can't vote for Obama or McCain, she doesn't feel either one has anything to offer her, so she will vote for Nader. Nothing wrong with that, choose the candidate who you feel will lead this country the best. But then things got strange.
She said that Obama needs more experience, which is a valid claim, but then she said he was just elected to Governor, and that he hadn't even have any time in that office yet. WHAT?! 
So I try to correct her, "Um.. Obama is his state's Senator, he's been in that office for about a year." Does she take this opportunity to admit her slip? Nope, she gives me this look like "you don't know what you are talking about", and repeats that Obama is the Gov. for some state. Then we went down the rabbit hole a little farther.
She not only professed that Obama lacks the name to be President. "Obama? B... Whatever his name is Obama?". But wait, the conversation went completely into the twilight zone. "In this country right now, this country does not need a Muslim President". Fortunately at that point, we heard somebody walking close by and she stopped talking and walked away.
I sat there in stunned silence for a good minute or two, and then just started laughing at the absurdity of what just happened. If you don't like a candidates position, that's no problem with me. If you don't like the candidate themselves, think he's a douche bag or a tool or whatever, more power to you. But to dislike a candidate because you are completely uninformed? That's worse than not voting in my view. How in the hell could this person be so wrong (Except for Obama's name) about who this candidate is? How in the bright days of the Internet can somebody not easily find out basic facts about somebody running for a national office? Simply amazing.
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Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
It is Amazing.
Have you heard the interviews Howard Stern did?
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
I'm aware he did some on the street stuff (I read about it at Jack Army's blog), but I haven't seen the footage (Computer I'm on 90% of the time won't allow youtube).
It reminds me of something I was watching, something like 60 minutes or along those lines), where the show went out onto the street in DC and showed people pictures of the candidates and some different politcal pictures. People got Obama, McCain, and some struggled with Palin, but a LOT of people (Far too many in my view) could not recognize Joe Biden. What?! How can you put a Obama/ Biden sign in your yard and not even recognize half that ticket?
And I found something else out very interesting yesterday: My mother works with adult mentally handicapped individuals, people with the mental capacity of <10-12 years old. Yet, starting next year, the business my mom works for will make all these clients register to vote so that they can vote in future elections. Sure, they are Americans, and sure, they are of legal age, but they won't understand the issues, they won't understand the candidates positions, and I see this as being very susceptable to voter fraud (ie, caretakers filling out the ballot). It just sticks in my craw.
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
That happened this year here. A lady called in to the radio station and claimed that her 35 YO daughter that was special needs (and in a group home) had informed her she voted. When Mom pressed for more information she was told the people at the home has gotten her registered and taken her to vote. Mom asked who she voted for. The daughter replied "Barack Obama" because he is going to be the next President.
I agree SM this is disgusting.
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
It got me and my sister wondering: If there was a candidate named Elvis Scooby-Doo, would he clinch the special needs vote?
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
This video is crazy, it's funny, but only because sometime you need to laugh to keep yourself from crying. Obama is just this Cult of Personality now (my first clue was when he invented his own quasi-presidential seal). I supported him during the primaries, but now I'm kind of kicking myself for that decision.
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
You've got people believing really idiotic things out there which is scary if they're of voting age. A lot of these people make up their minds based on other reasons but will throw out the most ludicrous reasons to justify it. I'll give you an example, my Ex-wife gave me two reasons why she was divorcing me. One was because she was a cat person and I was a dog person. But first and foremost was because when I was sent to the Persian Gulf in the first Gulf War she still says to this day I abandoned her. Like I said people make up their minds on something else but in an attempt to justify it they really pull some strange reasons out of their asses.
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
I think this only proves that people on both sides believe ridiculous things, there are uninformed voters everywhere, regardless of their affiliation and I don't think it necessarily has anything to do with the candidates. I will say that I support Obama and I am also very informed about his policies, it would have taken me about one second to call bullshit on this guy asking the questions. I get it if you don't agree with his policies but I have a problem with people who criticize the fact that he is charismatic and persuasive, it doesn't automatically have to mean that he has no substance or that people are blindly following him. People blindly follow Republican and Democratic lines all the time without regard for what they are really about, that is the problem with politics today. I myself have always registered non-party affiliated (not Independent, shocking how many folks don't know the difference) but I did register this year as a Democrat so I could vote in the primaries for Obama. I just voted the other day, even for a couple of Republicans!
Anyway, my point is that it is possible to be very well informed about politics and be voting for Obama or McCain or Nader or whoever. It's about differences in values and policy and the government's role in our lives. Of course there are morons who vote but don't know what they are talking about but I don't think either side has a monopoly on that.
Re: The Oddest Conversation I've Ever Had
Yep, nailed it on the head. When I was younger I did vote pretty much down party lines, well not really pretty much but actually did. Anyway once one opens their eyes and their minds they start seeing much more clearly. Anyway I still stick to my Conservative core of Individual Freedom with responsibility. That people let alone government has no fucking business dictating personal life. I find myself all over the board with my votes, hell if you've noticed I even have a link on the front page of this site to donate to Wexler. I don't support his politics but I sure in the hell support that he's one of the only politicians going after this piece of shit we have in office. For his efforts both the DNC and the GOP are gunning for him hard, he dared to defy the Monarchy you know. Anyway the "Sheep" will always be out there .......