Posted on 10/31/2004 1:21:39 AM PDT by ambrose
Posted on Sun, Oct. 31, 2004
Bin Laden videotape sways some voters, but not others
By Larry Eichel and Sandy Bauers
Inquirer Staff Writers
For Robert Blose, a retired steelworker who lives in Kutztown, seeing Osama bin Laden on TV yesterday was all it took to end his days as one of Pennsylvania's remaining undecided voters.
"I'm going to vote for President Bush," said Blose, 61, "because I think he's the better person to protect us. I'm sure a lot of other people are going to feel the same way. It makes a difference."
But in nearby Reading, another undecided voter, Carol Clouse, was having almost precisely the opposite reaction. Bin Laden's appearance pushed her from undecided to leaning to Democrat John Kerry.
"I had my doubts before, but I think I would vote for Kerry now," said Clouse, 58, who is unemployed. "It makes me think that Bush isn't doing everything about terrorism he's supposed to be doing."
And other voters who had yet to make up their minds said that seeing the leader of al-Qaeda pop up four days before the election wouldn't and shouldn't influence their votes.
"Two issues matter to me - the war in Iraq and jobs," said Dakota Parker, 47, a homemaker from Altoona, who has a son in the military. "There are some things I don't like about Kerry, like the way he seems to favor gun control, but I'd vote for him in a heartbeat if I thought he'd get the war stopped and our boys home.
"I don't like the war; it was poorly planned, and I don't think Saddam Hussein was as big a threat to us as bin Laden. Seeing him is a reminder that if we'd gone after him with the same vigor we went after Saddam, we'd have him by now."
These voters and several others interviewed Friday had been surveyed earlier in the week as part of a poll conducted by Temple University and The Inquirer. In responding to the poll, these individuals described themselves as undecided in the presidential election and expressed a willingness to talk further about their views.
Carol Cohen, who lives in Mercer County in Western Pennsylvania, said the tape definitely would not affect her vote.
"It's too vague," said Cohen, 53. "It just leaves you hanging. It's like a form of intimidating people... ." Bin Laden "thinks so much differently from what we or I do, that I'm not sure I trust whatever the man has to say."
John Hanna, an Altoona gun-shop owner, said he would not be influenced in the slightest.
"He doesn't mean anything to me," said Hanna, 60, adding that he had always thought U.S. forces had killed bin Laden. "If they want the guy dead, they can get him anytime they want, if they didn't get him already."
Hanna said he did not like either Bush or Kerry, adding that he was particularly troubled by Kerry's activism against the Vietnam War in the 1970s.
Jennifer Avery, who lives in Philadelphia, said she also was not thrilled with either candidate, and that seeing bin Laden would not influence her decision-making process.
"I really don't like Bush," said Avery, 21. "It's just that I don't like Kerry either. They're both liars to me.
"I'll definitely consider Kerry," she said, adding that she did not know as much about him. "I'm still doing my research."
Thanks for the assist, Osama :-)
The level of ignorance in this country continues to astound me.
Does anyone else get the feeling the reporter must have pushed her into leaning for Kerry?
Does anyone else get the feeling the reporter must have pushed her into leaning for Kerry?
Like what? Surrendering?
Any chump who's voting for Kerry after being threatened by Osama needs to get his frickin' head examined.
No one expects every voter to be swayed by Bin Laden, just most.
MSM at its finest!
"who is unemployed"
That explains it all. Clouse is a lazy dumbass!
LLS
Even if the press had 10 people saying that the tape is making them want to vote for Bush and only 1 wanting to vote for Kerry, they would still only write that one wanted to vote for Bush and much more wanted to vote for Kerry. They lie. I believe zero of what they say anymore.
"I really don't like Bush," said Avery, 21. "It's just that I don't like Kerry either. They're both liars to me.
"I'll definitely consider Kerry," she said, adding that she did not know as much about him. "I'm still doing my research."
So she thinks both candidates are liars, but she's definitely considering a vote for Kerry? Huh? And she's still doing her "research" on Oct. 31st on who to vote for Nov. 2nd in the most publicized presidential election America has ever had.
Dennis Miller is right when he compares these undecided voters to the people ahead of you in line at Baskin-Robbins, who use those little pink spoons to taste every damn ice cream in the place only to finally settle on vanilla. They should do us all a favor and just stay home on Election Day if they haven't managed to make up their minds by this late date.
> "I'll definitely consider Kerry," she said, adding
> that she did not know as much about him. "I'm
> still doing my research."
Let me suggest starting with Stolen Honor. What more do you need to see that he's unfit for office?
Philly.com is the Internet mouthpiece for the Philadelphia Inquirer, a New York Times wannabe.
Our election is to be decided by these permanent members of the Ignorant Masses - or will it? The last sentence, "I'm still doing my research" is just too funny - there's a gal who probably won't even bother going to the polls.
How is it possible we can think that folks who have such trouble making up their minds will actually make it to the polling place and cast a vote?
Are the "undecideds" the real target here, or is it the decided-but-silent ones that decide elections?
FWIW, my co-worker who was going to vote for Kerry is now voting Bush because of the OBL tape. She doesn't think Kerry gets what were up against. I also want to mention that about 4 weeks ago the buzz around the office was all the F16s in our skies. We've never witnessed such activity before and it has everyone on edge.
What, like sitting around the Oval Office getting BJ's, only coming out to lob another empty threat and a Tomahawk or two when America is attacked or he is called to testify?
John Kerry is Bill Clinton without the burning sensation when you urinate.
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