I respect people who vote period - with me, againt me, beside me, whatever - NOT voting and giving as the reason that it won't matter between candidates is what I loathe.

I would love a 3 party system or a more representative government, but I also have my head and feet firmly planted in reality and as long as our current system IS the reality, I really do not get voting pie in the sky.

I voted for Gore in '04, even though as a NC resident (safe Bush state) there was little point to my doing so.

That's amazing! Al Gore didn't even run for president in '04!

Kidding, kidding.

Hey peeps, I heard Barack Obama can leap tall buildings in a single bound! That Hillary? Rumor is that she carries Batarangs under her pantsuit.

Um, shamefacedly, and for the record, I voted for Kerry in 2004. And honestly, I had *totally forgotten about Kerry at all* while I was writing that, and did believe I voted for Gore in 2004. It wasn't a typo, it was a thinko. I am the reason we can't have nice things.

When she ran her last campaign for Senator, she picked up huge numbers in the more conservative areas upstate simply by showing up and being demonstrably non-Satanic. Once she was standing in front of people, they had a much harder time remembering what specifically she'd done to piss them off in the first place.

Yeah, I've heard this too, and I'm not surprised. But I don't know how you turn a tide with that.

On the other hand, there's a year and a half to go for whoever pulls out of Super T on top, so that's certainly some level of opportunity.

On the other hand, there's a year and a half to go for whoever pulls out of Super T on top

?

Brain glitch. I think we'd all be dead by the time another year and a half of this had gone by.

brenda, did you vote for Gore in '04?

ooh! catching up!

Cashmere, could you try taping paper over the walls where Owen likes to draw? get a big roll of paper and just run it around at his comfort level?

Kat, loved the magnet! I've seen a "unattended children will be given candy and a puppy" signs. And, yes, unattended children have been a problem - some of the malls have had problems with kids being left in stores to amuse themselves (toy stores, mostly). Also libraries.

And you Californians think you've got problems with a presidential visit? try living in DC! he goes somewhere and the entire section of town closes down. Plus the "checkpoints" near the Capitol ... and periodic road closings for "security" reasons (with no advance warning). On the bright side, any time I'm late to work I can just mutter "motorcade" and people are OK with that.

And "Obama" isn't a black man's name? it's AFRICAN, people!

Great. Some people get to fight cheetahs in squash courts; I am destined to be remembered as the "Gore in '04" girl.

And "Obama" isn't a black man's name? it's AFRICAN, people!

I just kinda kept thinking about all the black people with the names of slaveowners, etc. Like Washington, Jefferson...