Just to be clear from the get go: this is not a post about why Bush won. I've been quietly watching some of the "intelligent" bloggers that I respect who voted for Kerry this past day or two. I have to say that they just don't get some of the big things that brought out the Bush vote. They talk about divisiveness, but many of their actions in the past and even now contribute strongly to it.
MSM - aka mainstream media frustration. Watching the spin and opinions of the biggies: CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR, NYTimes, LA Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, etc. CBS, you so clearly showed your agenda when you were ready to use fake documents to dismiss Bush's Guard service. "These documents show... this proves..." As a groundswell of more solid evidence to the contrary came up from conservative bloggers, you dismiss them as "bloggers wearing pajamas" and challenge whether they are getting backing from the RNC. Meanwhile when the Swift Vets came out, the focus wasn't on the charges, it was on "who are these people and where do they get their money". Just keep saying that they are liars. Transparent, utterly transparent. A week before the election the NY Times tries to make a mountain of news out of missing explosives when they didn't have the facts. Then it comes out that CBS had planned to "save" the explosives story until the Sunday before election so that there wouldn't be enough time to discredit it. Again, transparent. The BBC, Britain's national broadcaster, hires Michael Moore to be a commentator during election coverage. Mere days after the election and the NY Times is talking about a Hillary run in 2008. Do these folks see how much they estrange themselves?
Elitism - The other thing middle America hates is the elitism of the coasts. Did anybody see Dan Rather's coverage on election night. His fake injection of nearly two dozen "country bumpkin'isms" was appalling and yet funny because it was so strained - like watching a white executive rap or Al Gore do the Macarena. Another blogger made up this table comparing state votes to average IQ. "See, the smart states vote for Kerry." Do you know the county that has the highest percentage of college graduates? It's just north of Indianapolis in a state that voted overwhelmingly for Bush. If you've ever watched an episode of Jaywalking on the Tonight Show, you know that the large cities don't have a lock on intellect. The whole left campaign impugned anyone who would vote for Bush as ignorant and now post-election, the rhetoric continues. European newspapers are asking "how can 59 million people be so dumb?!" Who are the ones making the country 'divided' here with this kind of talk?
I admit that a large portion of the country's population lives within 50 miles of the ocean coastline. People in the middle, though, hate the characterization that they're not as good, as bright as those elites who live along the coast or near the big cities. The left claims to be a party of tolerance and inclusiveness, and then continues to reinforce this "division" that they complain so much about. I realize that the use of land area and the splitting of colors into pure red and blue gives an unreal picture. But it does tend to show that the middle is getting tired of the coasts constant belittling them as ignorant residents of double wide trailers. Judging from some of the dialog on the left now, you'd think the only good thing that came from "fly over country" are the Clintons -- who now live in New York.
Faith bashing - Another big factor in the "division" is the ever continuing bashing of people who take their faith seriously as religious nutcases. It immediately turns into a characterization of being against science and reason. I saw it here with references like "learn science from the Bible". There are those who have legitimate reason not to want to execute embryos on some yet unproven, likely false, hope that "Christopher Reeve" will walk from their stem cells. The implication that if you want to preserve marriage you must be a bigoted homophobe, comparing the fight for gay marriage to overcoming slavery or the civil rights movement. Even some in the black community were getting outraged at that comparison. And yet the left saw absolutely nothing wrong with the Massachusetts supreme court ordering, ordering the state legislature to write a gay marriage law and to have it passed on a specific timetable. They were proud of those "brave" few in California who defied state law and a state referendum and issued marriage licenses to gay couples. You can't shove this stuff onto the people just because you "know" it's the "just" thing. So you divide folks on two fronts: attacking their belief in marriage and then shoving it down their throats with the judiciary. Divisive. It gets followed up with legal challenges that say "hey, Massachusetts recognized me as married, now the rest of states must". It's no wonder that 11 states overwhelmingly passed amendments, not just laws, effectively saying "hold on there".
Hollywood - Say what you will about Laura Ingraham but her best seller "Shut up and sing" represents another frustration with middle America: celebrities endorsing agendas from the left (and again claiming you're stupid if you don't). You are a great singer, actor, performer -- exactly how does this makes you credible on the political front? Why do I care what your opinions are? The talk show hosts on the right had no prior celebrity status. They got where they are by their abilities to discuss politics in a way that is compelling to the conservative segment of the population. I have no problem with celebrities expressing themselves, but cut the "I know better" bull just because you are a celebrity. Now they use rhetoric about how stupid the country is and how they're thinking of leaving. It makes middle America want to retort, "hey, follow in Johnny Depp's footsteps, and just go". (Depp moved to France years ago out of political frustration and bashes the US from overseas)
Conclusion - Lament all you want about this being a "deeply divided country". Just remember what is often at the root of that division.
Evening update (5:30PM) - These are among the popular sites circulating today. More examples of the "why can't you be like us" elitist attitude dripping all over the net. This is not helpful. This flames the "division" that the media always seems to lament.
"Tolerance, Diversity" as long as you think like us seems to be their message. They just don't get it.
Update - one week after the election - Quotes from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Vent" feature:
I'm starting to believe the only class of people it's acceptable to make fun of are people with deep religious beliefs. Blacks, no. Homosexuals, no. Minorities, no. The various sects of Christianity, sure...
Wow- you have a lot to say- sorry I don't, but Johnny Depp was on Oprah the other day- I have always found him unusual and annoying, but he didn't seem so bad this interview. Maybe because the part I saw was when he was talking about family and how a having a child completes you. I didn't know he lives in France.
Here in RG, Tom and I cancelled out each other's votes, and the school referendum lost by over 200 votes. Tom will be out getting petitions signed next weekend so he can run for Village Trustee in the April election.
Have a great weekend!
Alyssa
I don't agree with everything you say, Scott, but I definitely agree that the election backlash was really nasty. Just on LJ everyone was yelling and whining and calling Bush a f--ktard is not good political discourse. At least it's died down now and hopefully people can get on with their lives.
I definitely agree with you on celebrities. I don't like the notion of how they speak to a captive audience and how their fame makes them more important. On the other hand, I do like seeing musicians come up with protest songs, at least it's artistc expression, though some are better than others. And from the bit I heard about P'Diddy's "Vote or Die" project, it sounded like some decent activism, albeit with a silly name.
Anyway, we should try and get together for lunch sometime next week.
Posted by: Will at November 5, 2004 12:00 PMHi Lyss and Will,
Lyss, while Depp annoys me, he earns a modest amount of respect from me. I don't think he's nearly as radical as some dissenting celebrities and he followed his heart and left. I do believe that affirmation of children and family life is something that crosses that political spectrum. I just believe that there are valid differences of opinion on how it's done. Some might say it's government sponsored day care, others would rather see other means that make it easier for a mom to stay home. I see these trendy bumper stickers that say "hate is not a family value". Well, duh! But to denigrate the conversation as if conservative positions on families are policies of hate contributes to the environment of a "divided nation".
Will, I have no problem with songs of protest or songs of support (we heard a lot of them during the Afghanistan effort). But the uniformity of thought in the A-list "diversity" crowd belies their self appointed label. I also despised the rumor mongering aimed at young voters that a draft is around the corner. A decade of slashing the volunteer military officer and enlisted slots, but now *whisper* *whisper* we're going to have a draft. Congress may have overwhelmingly voted against it, the military and the President denied any need for it, but *whisper* it's coming.
I appreciate activism. Not "protest naked in front of a convention" activism (as we saw last summer), but signs, door to door canvassing, registration drives, pamphleteering, street corner groups, writing to the newspapers, internet web sites, etc. But when it's all said and done, we have to live with our neighbors on Wednesday morning. NH as a state went for Kerry, but you don't see me ranting that I'm moving to Montana or complaining that the state has turned into a bunch of bleeding heart liberals. Kerry had a good campaign effort up here this year.
I had problems with both Kerry and Bush. Both had traits I honored and a few I did not. In my case, I had more problems with Kerry. But again, I don't want to dive into the specific policies of the two, since that discussion could go on for ages. I wasn't happy when Bill Clinton was reelected but I had to admit he was more compelling than Dole. I wasn't thrilled when Shaheen was re-elected. But in the end you move on. Perhaps that's the perspective you gain when you realize that no candidate is "evil". Being in a high political office must have tremendous stress because no matter what you do, you are going to aggravate someone. Personally, I amazed anyone every runs for re-election.
In the end I think it's a pendulum that swings. I'd almost be willing to bet a lunch that the president loses seats in Congress in two years. But lets not forget that prior to 1994, the Democrats had *decades* of Congressional power. If Bush sounds like he wants to move fast on his new agenda (taxes, social security, etc), it's probably because before long the glamour will have faded and the fists will be flying again.
Democracy. It stinks, but it beats the alternatives, eh? ;-)
Posted by: Scott at November 5, 2004 02:12 PMI finally found a list of the Dan Rather'isms from election night. He made me wonder if he was overly medicated. Here are some of the highlights:
"Do you hear that knocking...President Bush's re-election is at the door."
"This race is hotter than the Devil's anvil."
"His lead is as thin as turnip soup."
"This race is humming along like Ray Charles."
"The presidential race is swinging like Count Basie."
"This race is hotter than a Times Square Rolex."
"Ohio becomes like a sauna for the two candidates. All they can do is wait and sweat."
"One's reminded of that old saying, 'Don't taunt the alligator until after you've crossed the creek.'"
"Bush is sweeping through the South like a big wheel through a cotton field."
"What Kerry needs at this point is the equivalent of Tom Brady coming off the bench to rescue him. But it's still too close to call."
"No question now that Kerry's rapidly reaching the point where he's got his back to the wall, his shirttails on fire and the bill collector's at the door."
"John Kerry needs something on the order of a 55 or 60-yard field goal to win this."
(To Joe Lockhart) "I know that you'd rather walk through a furnace in a gasoline suit than consider the possibility that John Kerry would lose Ohio."
(To Joe Lockhart) "What about Michigan? It's been out there for a long time. Is that making your fingernails sweat?"
"This presidential race has been crackling like a hickory fire for at least the last hour and a half."
"Let's see where it goes from here. Round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows."
"We keep talking about Ohio if you've been tuning in and out or you put the baby to bed or you went to pop the cap on an adult, or otherwise, beverage..."
"We used to say if a frog had side pockets, he'd carry a handgun."
"No one is saying that George Bush is not going to win the election, and if you had to bet the double-wide, you'd have to bet that he'd win."
"In southern states they beat him like a rented mule."
"If you try to read the tea leaves before the cup is done you can get yourself burned."
"We need Billy Crystal to Analyze This"
"You know that old song, 'it's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely' for President Bush in most areas of the country."
"We had a slight hitch in our giddy up, but we corrected that."
"In some ways, George Bush's lead is as thin as November ice."
"Put on a cup of coffee, this race isn't going to be over for a while."
"You look at the map and say it's all a big Bush victory. But this is one time when your Mother is right, looks can be deceiving."
"John Kerry's moon has just moved behind a cloud, as far as Florida is concerned."
On Kerry's chances: "To use a metaphor, he's gotta draw to an inside straight. But hey, sometimes you get lucky and hit that straight."
"Is it like a swan, with every feather above the water settled, but under the water paddling like crazy?"
"What you have here is the football equivalent of a fourth quarter rally by Kerry."
The election is "closer than Lassie and Timmy"
"Keep in mind they are teetotally meetmortally convinced they have Ohio won."
"Vice President Dick Cheney would not have flown all the way out there (Hawaii) overnight and put that lei around his neck and sort of hula-danced, if you will, unless he thought there was a chance of carrying that out there."
"President Bush smiling there with his family. He's laid down aces so far."
"You can almost hear the GOP (deep breathing sound). We're getting within maybe smelling distance."
"We don't know what to do. We don't know whether to wind a watch or bark at the moon."
On how the results are affecting strategists: "It's one reason so many of them drink a lot."
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), on being congratulated on victory by Rather: "Thanks Dan, I always believe you." Rather: "Now, ladies and gentleman, if you believe that, you'll believe rocks can grow."
Posted by: Scott at November 5, 2004 03:06 PMScott,
I strongly disagree with you! I support 'Naked Protesting' anytime anywhere!
Interesting note about the 'Vote Or Die' campaign, two of the celebrity endorsers of this program, Paris Hilton and the Rap Star 50cent, didn't vote. Oooops.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Something tells me you wouldn't support an AARP naked protest. ;-)
According to most stats we have, the young vote didn't turn out in any higher percentage than during the Bush/Gore indecision of 2000. I can't speak for that group now, but I know when I was 18-22, I was too busy with homework to read current events.
Paris and 50cent both didn't turn out. Perhaps they were "working" together to release a new *ahem* video.
Posted by: Scott at November 6, 2004 06:02 AM