Posted on 09/06/2004 10:13:14 AM PDT by plushaye
Email to Katherine Lopez:
PA. FOR W. [KJL]
I am a northeast Pennsylvania resident who also happens to work up the road from the stadium where Bush made his first post-convention appearance.
As expected, security was tight, traffic was a nightmare, and those of us who had to work had to find ways to get around it. To make it possible I left for work at 5 am this morning. Since we're a bank operations center, I just didn't have the option of saying "another day, time to play hooky."
Groggy and tired, I arrived at the location at 5:45 and was amazed to see the traffic already backing up. The poor officers who arrived at 4:30 am to handle a Presidential appearance at 9:15 were smiling and waving us on. The organization as they tried to route those of us who had to get to work and at the same time direct those who were determined to get to the stadium was difficult, impossible at times, but well-done and determined.
And I found I was astonished. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is a renowned Democratic stronghold, run by a political machine that's been in place for decades. Where did all these Republicans come from? How did they fill every one of the 18,000 seats they could? Why would 18,000 people (and more if they could have) come out in the pre-dawn darkness to hear a speech? Why did students from the University of Scranton arrive at the airport at 12:30 this morning to greet the President and First Lady and show their support? Why did even more crowds see him off at the airport this morning - unable to get to the stadium but needing to cheer him on?
Why did the total number of protestors at the stadium, in this Democratic town, number 3 whole people? Even the newspapers seem incredulous.
And then it occurred to me. There's a base of support that's farther and wider then realized. That people are quietly supporting Bush, keeping to themselves because they're unwilling to find themselves a part of the vitriolic smear and attack debates launched by those who hate him. That they walk away from political argument because you can't talk to someone who rants, but their silence doesn't mean agreement.
sounds good to me
Dubya landslide ping :^)
21 electoral points. Yeah mama!!!
Great article! I keep reading stories like this... how do these reports compare to 2000?
Me too.
Here's another posting from The Corner this morning:
DRIVING WHILE W [KJL]
From a reader:
I watched the convention in Connecticut at one of the thousands of nationwide "Party for the President" events. The host picked my name out of a box and I won a Bush/Cheney hat and put it on. I hate hats, but oh well. Driving home, I hit a sobriety checkpoint set up in honor of the new .08% law.
Cop: "Where are you coming from?"
Me: "A party ... watching the convention."
Cop: (Pauses, looks at hat) "Did you do any drinking."
Me: "Yes."
Cop: "How much?"
Me: "A couple of glasses of wine ... "
Cop: (Casually, as if we were buddies chatting.) "The convention, huh? You're wearing a W. hat. You a Republican?"
Me: (Not sure which was the "right" answer ...) "Yeah ..."
Cop: (Quietly) "I'm a Republican, too. Go ahead home."
KJL's comment - In Connecticut, of all places!
My computer has died so I have to take it in tomorrow. Once it's fixed - just bought it 3 months ago and have barely used it (AAARRRRGHHHH!) - I'll post my RNC pics. I think I have now finally recovered. What a week!
Any PAs want to let us know if Bush is going to carry PA this time around?
That's amazing.
I totally understand the phenomenon. The Bush-haters have been making themselves heard for years now. Most of us are sick-and-tired of it and can't wait to show up at the polls this November and make OUR voices heard when it counts.
BTW, the same thing happened in the 2002 mid-terms. The Bush-haters got trounced and they never knew what hit them.
"BTW, the same thing happened in the 2002 mid-terms. The Bush-haters got trounced and they never knew what hit them."
I was thinking about 2002 as well. The 'talking heads' all said the President wouldn't have any coattails and his support wouldn't help the congressional candidates. They were so totally wrong. Each state that the President visited just before the election showed a 'Bush bump'. It was obvious in the polling.
The President is an incredible campaigner . He comes across in his absolute best way at campaign rallies. It's like rock star concerts and he's the rock star. There's a personal connection between Bush and the people attending. I think that's why so many people want to attend his rallies. They may not want to admit to others that they attended, especially in anti-Bush areas, but they want to go to see him.
Last week NBC Nightly News had video of Bush in Ohio and the crowds were amazing !
Enormous, pumped up, cheering crowds.
Unlike the bussed in zombies that populate the Kerry rallies.
***Any PAs want to let us know if Bush is going to carry PA this time around?***
I'm not from PA, but my daughter who is tells me a local newspaper said there were 22,000 and overflow in Erie, PA which is loaded with Dems.
The Bush rally in Erie, PA on Sat. attracted about 19,000. Erie PA leans Democrat, with Republican strength well to the south. This is further evidence of the point you are making.
I am so jealous that you were able to be there in NYC and take everything in first hand! I can't wait to see your pictures. :-D
I think Bush is going to take Pennsylvania. Western PA Reagan Democrats don't vote for candidates who want to take away their guns. It's a conservative area with generations of the same family living close to one another. Combine these Zell Miller/Reagan Dems with the Republicans who populate the small towns and central PA and there should be enough to overcome the Dems and crooked voting in and around Philadelphia. Bob Casey, the pro-life Democrat governor once told other Democrats that PA was a John Wayne not a Jane Fonda state.
The Bush appearance in Lackawanna County was broadcast on the Pennsylvania Cable Network. He spoke in front of a large crowd in the hot sun. At one point, he stepped away from the microphone and whistled and gestured to someone out of camera range. Then he returned to his speech. A minute later, he did the same thing, whistling, gesturing, and then bellowing something. He did it a third time only this time you could hear what he was saying. He had noticed that someone in the crowd in front of him had fainted. He yelled, "get a doctor here now!" It was interesting.
It will probably be a couple of days before my computer is fixed but I'll post the photos on the Dose.
Thanks for the campaign update. Free Republic is the new media.
I hate to pour water on this - but I still don't see W winning in PA. For a few reasons:
1. There are just too many Ds in Philly.
2. There are just too many Rs that vote like Ds in the suburbs of Philly. Rs in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware Counties are less than useless for W - at least they were last time.
3. Gov. "Fast Eddie" Rendell will pull no punches to get PA's electoral votes for Kerry. What ever it takes....
HOWEVER, if the polls are showing a Bush blowout of Kerry, which I don't think they will be doing by then, there is a chance that the Dem turnout will not be motivated to go to the polls.
Can't wait!!! Thanks for letting me know about their arrival, once completed.
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