While the RATmedia's power has declined it is still enormous as witness the slide in Bush's support because of his stand in Iraq. A tremendous military victory has been transformed by the steady drip by drip attacks of the media since the major actions ceased. A few military deaths are being treated as thought this was Wake Island, Iwo Jima and Anzio all rolled into one. And the saps are lapping it up.
Bush will not get an "anti-gun" rep far from it, the VAST majority of Americans (pro and con) believe he is anything but. You vastly overstate the importance of this issue in the states you mentioned and others. Illinoisians downstate we were told would never vote Blagoavitch because he is a MAJOR league gungrabber. False, they voted for him anyway. Union independents are trivial in number they vote RAT just like their bosses tell them. Bush's base is not made up of those who would desert him for signing an AW ban extension. Those were NEVER with him at the beginning anyway they were too busy supporting fringe Losers and dumass third parties.
Bush was the most conservative governor in the nation prior to the election. He was as conservative as ANY state would accept and barely was able to win the presidency.
None of those names lost because of the gun issue. They were all liberals who lost because of a combination of issues not the least of which were scandals and too close association with the Clintons.
Not all who get 65% or over in your county would win statewide in Michigan. Like Illinois Michigan is NOT a conservative state. At best they are moderate states.
" Those were NEVER with him at the beginning anyway they were too busy supporting fringe Losers and dumass third parties."You are mistaken.
" Illinoisians downstate we were told would never vote Blagoavitch because he is a MAJOR league gungrabber."
Very few firearm owners that shoot regularly continue to live in IL. The rest that care didn't vote. The only reason bagitch won was, because he went down there and the only other choice was the scoundrel Ryan. Neither one is a friend of Freedom.
Those were NEVER with him at the beginning anyway they were too busy supporting fringe Losers and dumass third parties. Then how come I saw a ton of UAW jackets at the NRA rallies. Exit polls had 61% of union members going for Gore. Gunowning union members had over 50% voting for BUSH. I was a Keyes voter at the beginning, but I did vote for Bush at the end, and it was because of Gore on guns.
Bush was the most conservative governor in the nation prior to the election
I highly doubt that. John Engler was to the right of Bush, especially in his first two terms.
Like Illinois Michigan is NOT a conservative state. At best they are moderate states.
Illinois is different since they don't have a strong Dutch Protestant community(West Michigan), yoopers(and northern lower Michigan - Populists), and Chicago has more people than Detroit. The suburbs here are generally blue collar as well outside of Oakland County.
No moderates have won here statewide since 1978. Unless you count GHWB who ran as a conservative and Spence Abraham who ran as a conservative. A moderate COULD win here if he was an economic populist and a SOCIAL conservative.
If Bush signs that ban, Macomb, St Clair, the UP, North Michigan, Shiawasse, Eaton, and Monroe are all going rat, and he'll lose about 4-5% in my county. Count on it.