Greetings from Clayton, NC!

So I just went into a convenience store to buy my winning Powerball ticket (I'll let you know) and I had my "I Voted" sticker on my wallet. The cashier - whom I know and really like, young girl with a couple of teeny kids - said sotto voce and not moving her jaw: You didn't vote for Obama, did you?

I said yeah, I did. Thinking everyone I like is a Democrat I said "do you prefer Hillary?". She said, with a flap of her hand, "no way - I'd never vote for her".

I said "are you voting for McCain?" Yep. I said "Well, when your kids grow up we'll still be in Iraq if he wins, so I hope that's okay with you."

She laughed, again with the hand flip and said "Whatever, girl."

On my way out the door she says -- "Obama won't even salute the flag!"

I spun around and said -- "That's bullshit. And really, you don't even want to get me started on the lies that are being spread about him."

I have to say, though, I'm not surprised, but alarmed for BOTH Hillary and Obama when it comes to the GE in my little neck of the woods. I've heard several women say they wouldn't vote for Hillary because - and I'm not making this up - they're STILL pissed about the 'baking cookies' remark, and I know several people I know wouldn't vote for Obama because he's black, although they'd never admit that to me.

Sigh. What are we gonna do?

Fight as hard as we can. We might not win NC but if we can make it close we make McCain spend money in a place he shouldn't have to.

Charlotte and Raleigh are being flooded with us northerners and midwesterners looking for better jobs and better weather. Than it will resemble PA with its rural GOP strongholds and liberal cities and subburbs. Till than keep up the good fight and prepare for the take over.

I guess, with all the polling that's going on here, I forget that this is just among Dems, not the populace at large. :hi:

but I really DO love the people. They're exceptionally REAL and GOOD.

Got some good friends that live there.

Gotta admit, NC is full of red voters. x(

than there were in 2000 ! thank god. keep up the faith !

And as Howard Jones said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmBEO5OT5lI

who is the only comic on the "Blue Collar Comedy" shows that I can stand to watch.

week. Heard some "ladies" shopping, talking about reading something on the internetz about Obama and how he was a Muslim infiltrating the US with the help of his pastor. I bit my tongue until one of them said: "He's gonna be our next Prezeedent.. you jist watch. Them terrists' been lookin for a way to git over here and he's a filtrator ! "

"You know", I said, "You can't believe everything you read on the internet(s). Unless, of course, you're ignorant."

At that point my daughter took me by the arm and ushered me into the Fine Linens.

I love East Tennessee.

fight like hell to get the TRUTH about our maligned candidate out there, but all anybody remembers is the crap. Like baking cookies. *shaking head*

people who are narrow in their thinking.

pounded.

Seriously. The race issue is going to get ENORMOUS- we will be talking about it everyday, everywhere- and their minds are just going to get blown. Their preconceptions are going to be destroyed.

as it said in an email he got, and Obama answered no, going into how he LEADS the pledge in the Senate sometimes, those emails are false, and he told the guy if he ever gets an email from a guy from Nigeria who wants to give you money, don't believe THAT one, either. :D

I'm hoping for the best but trying to prepare for the worst. Sometimes I'm hopeful but then I see the reality and as one talking head said there are lots of "low information voters" out there. :-(

have made their decision on who they WON'T vote for (woman, black guy) instead of listening to what they all have to say.

And I don't think the GE debates will sway many people in this particular mind-set.

Thankfully, there ARE a lot of voters out there who don't like McCain, so....

those who want to help them. My Grandma used to say: "You can't help folks who won't help themselves." She was born in Rural South in 1875. She knew a thing or two. Raised poor on a farm during Reconstruction in the South. Lived to be 105...she passed on alot of wisdom. :-(

And I get more and more depressed that no matter who we nominate, we're going to lose. We've fielded two extraordinarily weak candidates against the best candidate the republicans could hope for.

because she's too cynical...and enjoys her own misery. What can you really do to inform people like that who are "out of the system" because they choose to be. :shrug:

The rest of us have to make up the difference.

I spotted a "No Osama, No Obama, No Chelsea's Momma" bumper sticker while driving on 401 South the other day and needed to start counting to ten. Or head to Carrboro.

They're OK with McCain and 100 years in Eye-raq since this is a big military state. And Blackwater state: last fall I got into with a woman whose husband works for them and lawd have mercy, it wasn't pretty. "It's the media's fault!" she cried.

This flag issue is like Gore and The Internets, Kerry and the medal throwing and Dean and The Scream. Yeargh.

C'mon, Tuesday...

have to believe what we're doing is the right thing -- it's all they can hang on to when their loved one is over there fighting. But even for them, bringing them home has got to sound way better than being there 100 years.

God - I thought I was on pins and needles the last primary -- I'm a wreck now! Paging Dr. Xanax!