***Operation 4 More Years - Situation Room - Day 1 - LIVE THREAD***

Various | 2 November 2004 | Various

[An.American.Expatriate]

As I and many of my fellow expatriates are often hard pressed to get any non-biased information from the media (we are often stuck with CNN-International!!), I have decided to start this thread in the tradition of the Operation Iraqi Freedom Situation Room threads.  I hope this meets with the approval of Jim & John and the Admin guys . . .

The purpose of this thread is to be a place to collect information from all sources into one area for discussion.  Specific threads for specific topics and cross linking are highly encouraged.

[concerned about politics]

When I drove by I made eye contact with one of them and flipper her off, I know I shouldn't have done it but I couldn't resist. She put her sign down and didn't look happy.

I'll bet she's seen a lot of fingers already today.

[Bahbah]

I'm just watchin Air Force One land in Ohio. It's raining. Weenies will stay home.

[Bahbah]

"I'm just watchin..."

Can I get me a huntin license here?

[Pappy Smear]

I voted at 10AM Central. Pretty busy for my precinct (rural Iowa), but I only waited 2 minutes in line. I live in the most R precinct in the county (based on registrations). My county, Story, is the home of Iowa State, so it tends to lean left, and went for Gore in 00. I was #218 to vote, but in 2000, 750 people voted in my precinct, so we are running at about the same pace as 2000.

As I was leaving, something odd happenned, a school bus pulled up, and let a bunch of kids off. I think some were just watching, because I know some kids were under 18. Others were seniors, so I imagine they might have been old enough. I find it a little bothersome that the school district is busing in voters. However, considering where we are at, it might be a good thing, as I bet these kids would tend to vote R.

As an aside, my impassioned speech for Steve Forbes in the 2000 Iowa Caucuses, with a bunch of high school kids in attendance, let Steve to victory, with almost a majority of votes, over Bush, Bauer, Keyes, Alexander, and whoever else.

Another thing, I had poll watchers in attendance. Don't know what side they were on. Might have had both sides I think.

[rwfromkansas]

Where is that?

[traviskicks]

"When I drove by I made eye contact with one of them and flipper her off, I know I shouldn't have done it but I couldn't resist."


I know I shouldn't have LMAO at that.... but I did!

[rwfromkansas]

Does it seem the people voting are more Republican or Democrat (I know...not easy to tell?)

[David1]

Good! Rats hate the rain.

[theophilusscribe]

Alexandria, Virginia

[rwfromkansas]

How was the Dem turnout?

[streetpreacher]

My five-year-old son voted with me. I showed him Bush and Cheney, Kerry, etc. and explained to him we were voting for Bush. He knows Kerry is "the bad man who is trying to take President Bush's job."

Lately, he likes to pretend that he is in a jet when we drive in the car. So playing along, I told him that we were in Air Force One, the President's jet. He told me that if Kerry kept it up, he would make him fly a "small" plane and then fire a missile at it.

It occured to me then that he probably understands the importance of this election more than any of us. :-}

[cosulo res publica]

I arrived at my precincts polling place at 6:35 am (EST) 5 minutes after they openned. Wait time = 1 hour. Chalk up 1 Buckeye vote for W.
I'm leaving work a little early to watch our kids while my wife adds another W Buckeye vote.
Condition of the polls, fairly quiet, no obvious shananigans, a little slow, but all in all pretty good.

[usmom]

Just voted in Waukesha County, WI. Went at 9:30 expecting to walk in and out as usual, but I had to park down the street on the grass and wait about 20 minutes in a snaking line. I was number 434. The line moved quickly and remained steady to the door. I have never encountered a wait or line of any kind when voting here in 12 years- not even in the presidential elections. Looks like no time will be 'off' time today! My husband voted before work and same story- had to park on the road and wait in line about 20 minutes. He was number 68.

[MisterRepublican]

Just returned from the polls here in St. Augustine Florida. I didn't wait in any line. It took about 5 minutes. No problem figuring out the ballot. I had no problems whatsoever. Of course, I live in a heavily Republican precinct.

I voted for BUSH/CHENEY and MEL MARTINEZ!!!! And against the silly ACORN minimum wage amendment.

WHAT FUN. WISH I WERE DEMOCRAT SO I COULD VOTE 2 or 3 TIMES!!!

[Riprock_Dash]

Voted at 7:00 am. The lines were extremely long. I was ballot number 274. The building was not big enough to accommodate the steady stream of people pouring in. People were becoming impatient about the wait and about the long lines to get inside just to obtain your ballot, which then meant another fifteen minute wait for an open booth.

People from all walks were voting, many on their ways to work. There weren't many old people voting, as it is inconvenient to get to the location out in the middle of the sticks, in the rain, in mudville. I suspect the site was picked to discourage voter turnout.

The plan wasn't working.

[rwfromkansas]

Hmm......not sure what to make of your about 2000 turnout there, but hopefully it is not a bad thing.

[retrokitten]

find it a little bothersome that the school district is busing in voters. However, considering where we are at, it might be a good thing, as I bet these kids would tend to vote R.

We did that in high school. We just went to the polling place and they showed us a blank ballot and how to vote. The election judges and our teacher explained the process. That was it.

[streetpreacher]

And I voted last Friday.

[2Jedismom]

I don't know. I really didn't even hardly look around.

[NCjim]

My wife was in line at 6:30, waited an hour to vote. I got there at 7:45 and it took twenty minutes. I was number 340 at our precinct. It will be a long time until this is over, I am afraid. I hope that I am wrong!