My Republican Dad gave me great insight on "Challenges" last night!

Both my folks are Republican D.C. insiders (going back to Nixon). They have personal friendships with MANY in the Bush camp. Both voted Kerry, but that is another story.

My dad, who has been a professional policy wonk for 40 years, had this to say:

The Republican "challenge" strategy will backfire. The problem is, if they slow down the vote in places like Pennsylvania and Ohio, the people most likely to leave long lines will be "soft Bush" supporters. There is so much more passion to oust Bush among moderates and liberals, that those people are much more inclined to stand in line for 2,4,6 hours. In addition to this logistical issue, he said from a P.R. standpoint, it plays DIRECTLY into the Democrat's hands. It totally reinforces the image of Republicans as racists and elitists...out to disenfranchise the blacks and the poor. This strategy totally undermines any headway they have made in the last twenty years with minorities and the working class.

As a lifelong Republican strategist, he thinks the "challenge" strategy is the dumbest thing the Pukes have ever pulled. Predicts Kerry between 274-280 EV.

..poll challenging for the sake of challenging and challenging which slows down the line is against the law and we will challenge it immediately in court. Minimal problems this morning where I was stationed - voters very motivated.

Except I'm putting Kerry at 310 EV.

Back in the early 90's, a Repub running for office sent armed guards to Latino polling places. It cast such a pall over the party for years, they completely lost the minority vote.

:evilgrin: And they might make new friends, forge new alliances, come up with new ideas instead of accepting the same corportist shit day after day.

Yep, the plan will backfire bigtime.

anyways? I would love to get involved in national politics, but more in a background way, not running for office or anything. how does one do that?

My dad was part of the USC/Nixon contingent. It is a lot different now. If you are really serious, I would suggest getting a Masters in PolySci from someplace like GW or American or Georgetown.

thanks for the info!

This strategy will backfire because it's a NEOCON strategy, not a true GOP strategy.

Neocons could care less about marginalizing minorities and the poor. They only care about intimidation & winning at all costs, by any means necessary.

Which is why there's going to be a split in the GOP after this election. The "old school" has had enough.

I heard Bill Clinton say on Randi Rhodes the other day, "Richard Nixon would be considered a Communist standing next to George W. Bush"

If this turnout goes about 120 million, which it might, he's gone,'' Sabato said. ``That many new people are not showing up to say, `Good job, Mr. President.'''


http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=71000001&refer=top_world_news&sid=ahdnkkPMjs4Y

Could a person just keep their hands in their pockets and look down at the ground until they got up to the front of the line?