I saw this wadded up napkin on my desk last week as a sign from the Big Guy that He had America on his mind. Look at that thing -- it's almost perfect. Sure, Pride-of-the-Nation is drifting out to sea a bit, but the Mississippi River is rollin' like it always does.
Yes, the Big Guy is ready for change in Washington. He wants to kill off this flabby, feckless Republican hegemony for all that's gone wrong this decade.
Too bad the Democrats don't want to help.
To wit, take this fascinating Rasmussen Reports poll (as found on Remove Republicans, an unbiased, non-partisan information source). In Pennsylvania, Senator Rick Santorum finds himself nine points behind the presumed Democrat in the race, Bob Casey.
Pennsylvania is the ultimate Purple State, with two big cities and Alabama in between. And the abortion issue is especially interesting in this race.
Santorum, the incumbent, is perhaps the single most passionate enemy of abortion rights in the US Senate. A Washington Post feature last year detailed how he and his wife brought home what would have been their fourth of seven children -- born and died prematurely at 20 weeks -- to meet his older brothers and sisters. (Read the first five paragraphs to understand the intensity of his pro-life mindset, but be prepared to be seriously creeped out.)
Casey, however, is also anti-abortion. So does that neutralize Santorum's issue? Hardly. Actually, it strengthens him quite a lot. From the Rasmussen Report:
The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll in the Keystone State shows Democrat Bob Casey leading Santorum 50% to 41%...
After asking survey respondents who they would vote for, we informed them that the National Organization for Women (NOW) is concerned about Casey on the abortion issue and is endorsing another candidate in the primary. We then asked a second time about how each respondent would vote.
Twenty-four percent (24%) of Casey's initial voters changed their mind upon hearing this news. Half switched to Santorum while the others split between "some other candidate" and "not sure."
The change was dramatic enough that, having heard the new information, voters favored Santorum by a five-point margin (46% to 41%)...
News about NOW's concerns caused Casey's support to fall 12 points among moderate voters and 13 points among liberal voters. It did not gain him any conservative votes.
From a partisan perspective, Casey lost 7 points of support among unaffiliated voters and 13 points among Democrats. Just as important, however, the highlighting of Casey's pro-Life views actually increased Santorum's support among Republicans.
Initially, the GOP voters favored Santorum by a 61% to 27% margin. On the second ask, they favored Santorum 69% to 21%.
You got that? Voters just assume that if you're a Dem running against Santorum, you're going to be pro-choice, at least by comparison. And when a voter finds out that you're not, you lose a quarter of your support! Even pro-choice Republicans (6%-8% of Republicans in this poll) will bail on you.
Democrats, listen to God. I don't mean some millionaire preacher's selective interpretation of scripture, I mean... look at the damn napkin. This is your big chance. And this is America's chance to break free of these corrupt bastards driving us into a future of crushing debt, global oil power, environmental collapse, and world animosity.
Hell, I'd slurp a shot glass of santorum if I thought it would help.
"Pennsylvania is the ultimate Purple State, with two big cities and Alabama in between."
Nothing more true has ever been said in the history of history.
Posted by: ginevra | April 10, 2006 at 11:32 AM
I wish that was Purple in a good way, like the Barack Obama kind of Purple.
When are the dems gonna hire back all the all-star staff from the 1992 Clinton team so we can actually win something again?
Posted by: minijonb | April 11, 2006 at 12:07 PM
boy you know how to close a post on a high note. eccch.
back to the Dems. now they're Bible-riffing. Does this take back the values issue in the end or does it just alienate the Godless base?
Posted by: jjm | April 11, 2006 at 11:03 PM
JJM, I think the Bible-riffing depends on the candidate. If the candidate is truly Christian, it might actually attract Christian voters who looking to support someone who shares their Christian values.
For Hillary Clinton, it's a waste of time and a signal to her supporters that she can't be trusted.
Posted by: seamus | April 12, 2006 at 09:59 AM
The Napkin shall rule us all. It can see the future. :D
Posted by: Cephme | November 10, 2006 at 01:32 PM