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Hear What a "Focus Group" of Battleground Voters Has to Say
October 07, 2008 11:38 AM
Senior producer Tom Nagorski blogs from the World News bus today in Ohio:
In the newsroom some of us refer fondly to our "focus group of one" -- meaning, a loved one who serves as sounding board for opinion of all kinds. Out on the road, a "focus group" can be a handful of people gathered just about anywhere, and while it's never scientific, it's always helpful.
Here in Ohio, we've met with a foursome of GM workers in Dayton, a table-full of diners at the Upper Deck Tavern in Moraine, and -- just now -- with the morning crowd at the Cloud Nine Café in Wapakoneta. Wapakoneta is the birthplace of the astronaut Neal Armstrong and it's solid McCain territory; Auglaize County ran nearly 3-1 for Bush in 2000 and again in 2004. At the Cloud Nine Café, we found a quartet of small business owners, eager to talk.
Ellie Archer, 62, is solidly for McCain during what she calls a "perfect storm" of economic trouble. "We need someone with experience," she said. Alan Davis, a 40-something father of three, said he fears "big government" and is convinced that's what an Obama administration would bring. "I'm solid McCain," he told us. Vanessa Lee, 37, drew a long sigh when asked about her choice. "Do I have to tell you today?" she asked, laughing. She's a student of the issues who hates the political ads, and she has never voted democratic. "This time I might," she said. She likes Obama's health-care plan. Then there was Dennis Borgert, who runs a bowling alley and says his vote has shifted day to day. "I can tell you what I don't like," Borgert said firmly. "I don't like when one of them gets up on TV and just insults the other. That's not what we need to hear right now." Was today a McCain or Obama day, we asked. "Obama," he said. Tomorrow? He couldn't say.
Just one "focus group". Just four of the 33,590 registered voters in Auglaize County. Next stop, Bowling Green...
October 7, 2008 in Vote 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (92)
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I doubt the hate speech is going to bring in new voters. Just guessin'. McCain continues to court the intolerant. Obama continues to convert the undecided.
Posted by: Steady | Oct 7, 2008 12:28:14 PM
Ah, now it comes out "any white person would have been hounded out."
Guess we know the truth about TJ now.
Posted by: William J. LePetomaine | Oct 7, 2008 12:28:38 PM
Highly educated? Oh my goodness, I'm voting republican! Only uneducated stupid folk vote democrat. Or those who fear their constitutional rights will be taken away [chyah, how gullible can they be?].
Posted by: albensmom | Oct 7, 2008 12:29:03 PM
albensmom, there are many of us upper middle class folks who vote dem.
Posted by: huh? | Oct 7, 2008 12:29:27 PM
albensmom, Are you confused about your religion? I don't think Christ was a bigot. You prove only that McCain's new strategy will only work with the folks like yourself, who I'm willing to be never voted Democrat anyway. I think he needs the swing votes.
Posted by: huh? | Oct 7, 2008 12:31:24 PM
I trust in the Lord with all my heart. I believe in miracles, but I do not believe in coincidences. Everything happens for a reason and Barack Obama has had too many ties with questionable people and groups and the American people NEED TO KNOW THIS!! They HAVE THE RIGHT to know. If they choose to ignore it, then so be it, but it must be told.
Posted by: albensmom | Oct 7, 2008 12:37:54 PM
McCain plan includes Medicare/Medicaid massive cuts.
McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.
He wants to phase out these government programs and phase in "tax credits" for consumers to buy their own health plans.
uhmmm... don't we have to pay all the taxes on that, and really, what will $5,000 get me a year????
Smart people would not vote for McCain/Palin they are empty suites with empty ideas.
Posted by: beck | Oct 7, 2008 12:39:07 PM
POLL AVERAGES:
SEEING IS BELIEVING
(if you are not a Repug of course)
Rasmussen 10/04-10/06 52-44 Obama +8
Hotline/FD 10/04-10/06 46-44 Obama +2
Reuters/CSpan/Zogby 10/04-10/06 48-45 Obama +3
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl 10/04-10/05 49-43 Obama +6
CBS News 10/03-10/05 48-45 Obama +3
CNN 10/03-10/05 53-45 Obama +8
Gallup 10/03-10/05 50-42 Obama +8
GW/Battleground 10/01-10/06 50-43 Obama +7
Democracy Corps (D) 10/01-10/05 49-46 Obama +3
realclearpolitics
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Oct 7, 2008 12:40:14 PM
The only person lying is John McCain ....
Posted by: Freedom USA | Oct 7, 2008 12:40:41 PM
Ahh but the republicans CREATE jobs. REgan once said "The best economic program for Americans is a JOB". My employer is rich, but they worked very hard and diligently to get where they are and I am grateful to be working for them. I dont hate them for their wealth, but I know that if I put forth a 200% effort, I could become independently wealthy myself and it would really suck if the government came along and taxed my success to death!!!
Posted by: albensmom | Oct 7, 2008 12:41:06 PM
albensmom: I agree totally that is why you should do a fact search on McCain and his friends...very very scary. Example one:
"John McCain sat on the board of...the U.S. Council for World Freedom," said Begala, "The Anti-Defamation League, in 1981 when McCain was on the board, said this about this organization. It was affiliated with the World Anti-Communist League - the parent organization - which ADL said 'has increasingly become a gathering place, a forum, a point of contact for extremists, racists and anti-Semites.'"
But McCain's involvement in the U.S. Council for World Freedom, which extended from 1981 through, possibly, 1986 is significant -- not merely because it ties him to unsavory characters but because it firmly associates him with a foreign policy that was, at the time and still, controversial.
Example two:
Sarah Palin association's with the radical Alaska Independence Party that wants to secede from this great country, the United States of America.
And here is a quote from Alaskan Independence Party founder Joe Voegler:
“The fires of Hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government, and I won’t be buried under their damn flag!”
I wonder how Palin explains her husband''s verified membership in the "ALASKIAN INDEPENDENCE PARTY?" Seems she doesn''t believe in the UNITED States of America, does she??
Posted by: beck | Oct 7, 2008 12:41:43 PM
hate is a strong word and unbecoming of your faith.
Posted by: Ignorance is Bad | Oct 7, 2008 12:44:50 PM
McCain is desparate, and it shows. Palin is ignorant, and it shows even more. Now that McCain's lost his free pass from the media, all of his unpleasant and corrupt associations are beginning to come out, and yes, at least in this,he is the far more experienced candidate.
This country's been run by one small segment of the electorate bullying the rest for too long. The rule of the neo-cons is a failure and McCain is taking the ship down with him in these last desperate days.
Posted by: mags | Oct 7, 2008 12:45:20 PM
ELECTORAL COLLEGE MATH:
Obama 349
McCain 174
Ties 15
electoral-vote
(Not Real Clear Politics)
Posted by: Steve_NJ | Oct 7, 2008 12:47:30 PM
IF OBAMA GETS ELECTED,THE POLITICAL
LANDSCAPE OF U.S.A WILL CHANGE FOREVER.
IT CAN BE BACKFIRE FOR BLACKS...
DON'T FOOL YOURSELF.... NEITHER
CANDIDATE WILL CHANGE THE STATUS QUO.
THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ARE DEEP ROOTED
BECAUSE OF GLOBALIZATION AND MIDDLE EAST OIL.
Posted by: Nicholas | Oct 7, 2008 12:55:14 PM
It makes me laugh how democrats' defense is always "hate". Hate hate hate. Nope. Its you guys who hate. Obviously, you have a candidate with ties and allegiances to questionable groups and individuals, yet you deny and/or defend. How could you? Democrats could care less about the country, the troops, the economy or health care. THEY DONT CARE!! They talk the talk, but never walk the walk. Anything to get a democrat elected! John McCain is a great man, a hero. This man LOVES his country, LOVES the troops and wants nothing more than the economy to thrive but democrats dont care about that. They're nothing but Storm Troopers in a Death Star world.
Posted by: albensmom | Oct 7, 2008 12:55:44 PM
Good Joke, Steve_NJ. AS IF you have a religious bone in your hollow body.
Posted by: albensmom | Oct 7, 2008 12:57:27 PM
Thank you for your typical kindness, bombem.
Posted by: William J. LePetomaine | Oct 7, 2008 12:58:04 PM
...and by the way, I am no fan of Barney Frank, but then again I am not afraid of criticizing those in my own party, unlike Republicans who circle the wagons when one of their own gets caught with the hand in the cookie jar (or down a Congressional Pages pants).
Posted by: William J. LePetomaine | Oct 7, 2008 12:59:29 PM
Kim wrote:Hey Jake!, why are you and abc not reporting on the Corsi story, why is it that Fox News is the only news that will report the truth?
Hon, nobody cares about your Corsi story. It's only news worthy for the mouth breathers that watch Fox. Normal Americans just aren't concerned what happens to your Mr. Corsi...we have the economy and important things in our lives to contend with.
Posted by: Trish | Oct 7, 2008 1:00:07 PM
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