MEL'S MOVIE ALSO AROUSES POLITICAL 'PASSION'

New York Post ^ | 2/29/04 | DEBORAH ORIN

[kattracks]

February 29, 2004 -- Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has become such a huge phenomenon so fast that campaign analysts are starting to ponder political fallout on the 2004 election - and some Democrats have got the jitters. "Whenever religion becomes a central topic of discussion, Democrats don't do so well, and now it's really out there," said a Democratic activist, who thinks the film links into concern on gay marriage and even Janet Jackson's breast flash.

[FormerACLUmember]

Mel was born in the Hudson Valley of New York. His semi-crazed but brilliant dad won big money on the TV game show "Jeopardy" and moved his 12 children, including 12 year old Mel to Australia.

[Common Tator]

One of the myths stated over and over by both politicians an the media is that the public has no memory. That anything that happens 8 months before an election will be forgotten by the voters on election day.

They base that on the fact that voters do forget details of events. But what they fail to consider is voters especially centrist voters vote on impressions.

If voters get an impression about a candidate that does effect their votes even if they can't tell you the source of their impression.

That is why defining John Kerry early in the campaign is so important. IF he is defined as a tax and spend Democrat he will be hurt.

The election will be decided on the votes of independents and the turn out of more centrist democrats. People are always telling me that Democratic turn out is always very good. Anyone who says that never worked in the Democratic party trying to get out the base.

Republicans have never had 1/10 the effort to get out their base, as do Democrats. Unions both blue and white collar go to great lengths to get out their base for Democrats. There is evidence that it is not working this year.

If one takes out the high profile states of Iowa and New Hampshire the Democratic turn out this year is bad. And in Iowa neither the AFL or the while collar unions could turn out their people. If they had Iowa would have had Gephardt and Dean in a tie for First place.

If Democrats can't turn out their base there is just one reason. The economy is good, and the rank and file union Democrats are not all that interested in changing things.

Remember when times are good many voters don't want change. If we are safe at home, and there are no more nine elevens before the election, then the economy will be the issue that decides turn out.

The economy is good. A year ago I was nearly always driving at meal time. My schedule was packed, and I ate mostly McDonald's food while driving down the road. Mickey Dee's was never busy. No matter where I stopped they were not busy. Today they are always busy. Friday at noon and at 6 Pm, I passed 4 McDonald's before stopping at a Wendy's because I did not want to wait in a long line. There was a line but shorter at Wendy's.

What does that mean, it means working class people have enough money to eat out. The Democrat base is eating take out at fast food joints. Their wives and girl friends are not cooking. They have money. That means overtime at the plant. Unions can't get their workers to the polls, if their prime complaint is they are getting too much overtime.

It does not matter about the war on Terror as long as the US is safe. Ask George McGovern how that works. Nothing was more hated than NAM in 1972 but reagan won the biggest landslide in the last century when what Kerry calls Nixon's War was still going on.

So if Kerry and the Democrats garner a negative impression on several issues with the voters, and if their base is not hurting enough to vote, then it will be a hard election for the Democrats.

The turn out in 88 was about 90 million votes, in 1992 it was 105 million votes, in 1996 it was 95 million and back up to 105 million in 2000. In 1988 the democrats were not motivated to defeat Bush 41. In 1992 they were. In 1996 the Republicans were not motivated to get rid of Clinton. In 2000 both parties were fully motivated. The question is are Democrats motivated to get rid of Bush 43.

I suspect that they are not. If they are not then Bush 43 will have an easy win. The media will be very surprised.

[Sabertooth]

February 29, 2004 -- Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has become such a huge phenomenon so fast that campaign analysts are starting to ponder political fallout on the 2004 election - and some Democrats have got the jitters. "Whenever religion becomes a central topic of discussion, Democrats don't do so well, and now it's really out there," said a Democratic activist, who thinks the film links into concern on gay marriage and even Janet Jackson's breast flash.

And the Return of the King, and the Two Towers, and The Fellowship of the Ring, and the War in Iraq and the capture of Saddam, and of homicide bombers in Jerusalem...

All of the post-September 11th cultural events -- which have torn the post-modern veil to remind us that there is good and evil in the world -- have prepared the right audience in the ripening of its time for the right film...

And they are responding.

[b9]

You can be so eloquent, Sabertooth.
I can hear your words with James Earl Jones' rich voice.

[FormerACLUmember]

Democratic strategist Bill Carrick predicted "The Passion" won't have much political impact. "It's happening early in the cycle - I think it will be come and gone in terms of public consciousness" by the November election, he said.

LOL, from the very same people who said the Passion would flop!

[Ronin]

"It's happening early in the cycle - I think it will be come and gone in terms of public consciousness" by the November election, he said.

He said as he walked, whistling, past the movie theatre....

[vanmorrison]

I agree with your point that Kerry doesn't follow the tenets of the Catholic faith and shouldn't call himself a Catholic. But the fact of the matter is that the Catholic Church has allowed itself to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Democrat party for a very long time. Think of all the photo-ops the bishops and priests give to Democrat politicians to legitimize them for their elections, after which they go off and vote for abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, human cloning, etc. And there is never any negative repercussions from the Catholic Church for doing so. In Michigan, the governor voted against a partial-birth abortion ban, a parental consent for abortion law, and is equivocal about supporting a gay marriage ban; yet she's allowed to get up in front of the congregation every Sunday and dispense the Holy Host by the "good Bishops" of the archdiocese. And Kerry is from the same state that brought us the Kennedy clan and the Bishopric that perpetrated the molester priest debacle. Not to mention that Daschle, Leahy, Biden, Pelosi, and a large number of the most repugnant politicians this country has ever produced call themselves "Catholics". The American Catholic Church is very confused, indeed.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Kerry and the Democrat Party have no religion! Their God and religion is secular, power, ego, greed, hate, anger and the destruction of our great country. I urge all voters to destroy the current Democrat Party at the polls this fall! As proven by Kerry and his "Passion" critics, the real party of intolerance is the "traitor" Democrat Party! This film wll have an effect on the 2004 elections no matter how some brainless Democrat idiot tries to spin it. Unite and defeat the SECULAR Democrat Party that is ruining our beloved USA! Defeat "Big Brother" and the haters of freedom! Men and women of faith, let us send these bigots into the black hole of obscurity now!

[Use It Or Lose It]

He recalls how pundits and journalists scoffed in 2000 when Bush was asked to name his favorite philosopher and said Jesus. "They laughed, but it was a brilliant answer," said McLaughlin, who worked for one of Bush's rivals at the time.

Wonder if they're laughing now. Dollars to donuts Kerry will start whining that the Conservatives are trying to use the "Jesus" card in the election. Maybe he'll hop over to the Vatican to get face time/photo op with JP2.

[L`enn]

Interesting story, Mel was born in Peekskill , NY. He moved with his family to Australia at the age of 12 after his father won a sum of money in 1968 on Jeopardy.

[AmericaUnited]

Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has become such a huge phenomenon so fast that campaign analysts are starting to ponder political fallout on the 2004 election - and some Democrats have got the jitters

Yes, wailing and gnashing of teeth in the evil party...

[leprechaun9]

But Democratic strategist Bill Carrick predicted "The Passion" won't have much political impact. "It's happening early in the cycle - I think it will be come and gone in terms of public consciousness" by the November election, he said.

Mr. Bill - you hope that is the case. I am not a movie goer, but the everyday discussions that I hear about this movie are causing people to talk to each other that ordinarily would just walk by. It is happening in the super markets, on the commuter train, etc.

This movie is a catalyst that will make people more aware of each other. The courtesies of the movie goers leaving the theatre and the mega parking lot stood in sharp contrast to what I have seen at other large public gatherings!

And the discussions are not limted to the movie - John Kreakin' Kerry's "Catholic" practices have been in some of those discussions.

[Nathan Zachary]

Kerry would sell his soul to Satan for a win. You can see it in his eyes, he's a liar, untrustworthy> He has that "guilty" look about him.
But hey! look at the good side! Bush is doing well in Iraq, the people love him, although the media here doesn't report those stories.
No fag marriage by the looks of things! And if Christmas just can't be Christmas, then I guess Christians should celebrate Christ, and not the pagan part of the Season. A year or two of that, and we will see even democrats begging to have Christ back in Christmas.

[longtermmemmory]

On chris mathews show they were bashing this movie's political impact.

The BBC chick, who said homosexual marriage is a non-issue, this is american seeking comfort from 9/11.

Obviously she has no clue and I wonder which country she covers while stationed here in the US.

[mathluv]

Mel has bought the movie rights to Bill O'Reilly's book "Those Who Trespass". (murder in Journalistic/TV world)

[longtermmemmory]

...sell his soul... BR>
I'm just a gigolo....

[schaketo]

I went to the theatre yesterday with my wife and viewed the “Passion”. First time I’ve stepped foot in a theatre in at least six years. Not that I have an affinity to theatre movies, I just find most stuff produced today trashy.

Phenomenal. I don’t know how else to describe it. I’ve read the 4 gospels at least four times. Read the entire bible twice. I have never been as moved by the written word as I was by the visualization Gibson produced. The power of the picture, I guess.

My wife and I didn’t speak for probably 10 minutes after leaving the theatre. Absorbing, I guess. We both picked up our New Testaments yesterday evening and began reading again about Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.

Haven’t seen it? You should, regardless of your faith or spiritual journey.

[schaketo]

Kerry is catholic and I am a marathon runner!

Didn’t JFK discover recently he was jewish? Similar to Hitlery suddenly discovering she was jewish during her senate campaign?

[FlatLandBeer]

But a Democratic strategist says the movie poses real risks for Bush in an election where he hopes to win over swing Catholics

I saw this film..I can best discribe it as the Stations of the Cross..practing Catholics will find common ground with the president.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Kerry isn't Catholic, he's toast, French toast!

Kerry is MILQUETOAST!