by James Oliphant
ARLINGTON, Va.--A snapshot of the last days of the campaign in a battleground state:
Coming off the Metro, I'm greeted by young volunteers (Obama supporters, perhaps?), telling me where in Northern Virginia I can vote before Election Day. (Interesting quirk: If you plan to spend any time in D.C. that day, you can vote absentee in Virginia. That's potentially quite a lot of people.)
Then, at home, to find Willie Horton in my mailbox:
Barack Obama, the mailer reads, "acted more as a friend to criminals than to cops. . . "
Okay, to be fair, it isn't quite a Willie Horton-style ad, because Obama isn't accused of allowing a woman to be raped. He just wants to use your tax dollars to give needles to drug addicts and he doesn't believe in protecting children.
(This isn't the first time the GOP has tried to argue Obama is soft on crime. Read this.)
The second one feels so two weeks ago. William Ayers: "Terrorist. Radical. Friend of Obama." (Quick. Which of the three is the worst?)
Both mailings were courtesy of the Virginia Republican Party, trying to stave off what would be a mortifying defeat should the state go blue for the first time in 44 years.
In a week, we'll find out if the mailings worked. The new Washington Post poll has Obama up eight points in the commonwealth.
Comments
Yikes - I told someone that I have no debt and they called me a conservative - and I think they were being derogatory. ............
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/10/28/tell-me-i-am-not-conservative/
Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | October 28, 2008 8:08 PM
If McCain wins, which he could, this will be the reason.
Basest, racist pandering.
However, if Barack wins, which all good Hyde Parkers believe he will, some suggested legislative priorities:
Federalizing all federal elections:
Uniform balloting, votor rolls, hours, rules re early voting, etc.
Criminal penalties for disinformation, e.g., yhou will be given a citation for unid tickets when you appear to vote; "Election is Nov. 5", etc.
Republicans always complaining about "vote fraude", right? So we need federalized federal election, supervised by the Justice Dept.
Posted by: ornery | October 28, 2008 9:30 PM
Absolutely not on federalized elections. Do not equate change with bigger gov't. They are not the same.
You sound exactly like stereotype that he Republicans are pushing.
The key to real change is not to veer to the exact opposite of what the Republicans have been pushing, but forging a common middle in order to effect cooperation.
A purple America is the objective, not a blue America. Where we are right now is a black and blue America. We're getting beat up. I'm not referring to Obamas color or the Democratic party.
Posted by: Todd M | October 28, 2008 10:17 PM
Can we all just see Obama's(REAL) birth certificate?
Can we all just see Obama's
(REAL) medical records?
So much is hidden about this guy... who cares about what's in a mailbox!
GET REAL!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | October 29, 2008 12:02 AM
James
Did you see any Hanging Sarah Palins in your neighborhood ?
VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com
ps I wonder if it is more a symbol of hating women ?
Do you think the persons who did this hate women ?
Posted by: VJ Machiavelli | October 29, 2008 12:48 AM