What would you say to an undecided voter, at this point?

Would you ask them why they are undecided? I don't know what to say any more.

I am not looking for DUzies. I have to do some phone banking and walking, and they are wearing me out.

What the F&@$ is wrong with you!!

what is most important to them and their families. Get them to talk about their concerns then tell them how Obama would be the best choice.

Honestly, I don't see how anyone short of someone who has lived under a rock for the past 7 years to possible not have a preference one way or another. Maybe they were.

One will allow things in this country to remain the same... at least 90% the same... and the other will make a big difference while taking care of 90% of the people instead of 90% of the corporations.

Because McCain is promising the same policies, and more of them.

Some of them would say yes, just flat yes. They are happy with W simply because he is a republican. They might be unemployed or struggling to pay their bills, but they would say it anyway, because they are brainwashed. Those I can't change. I have to walk away from them.

But it is getting very difficult for me to be patient with anyone who says they are uncommitted at this late date. Thank you, everyone, for your answers.

ask about what they value and where they feel things could be different. I also ask whether they feel things are better now then they were 8 year ago, or whether they can list anything John McCain has done to make things better or change anything for the better in Washington. Or I ask how they feel about the Iraq war - and whether they think it was ok that we went in and how they feel about our still being there (in spite of the fact that the Iraqui government wants us out).

Sometimes, you can at least get people to open their minds a bit and look at where their values stack up to McLame. Sometimes however, it's just not worth the effort.

... have a fundamental misunderstanding of the whole political process. For example, it seems that the number one thing that turns them off is that fact that political parties have differing views and actually argue about issues. It's like they consider the actual argument or debate to be a breakdown of the whole process. The "Why don't they all quit arguing and get on with things!" attitude.

Incidentally, I'm not referring specifically to the US 08 election. I'm talking in more general terms.

Unless you're an oil company CEO or a "defense" contractor, you are not "better off today than you were 8 years ago".

What the fuck is there left to decide? If you want MORE of this shit, don't vote for anyone, just voluntarily commit yourself to a padded cell. :crazy:

I don't see how anyone can be undecided unless they are not paying attention. It's imposible. Obama and mcbush are very different.

I talked to a lady== undecided. I asked her why. She said that the election has been going on since the beginning of time and she's decided to avoid paying attention until the last 2 weeks during which she will cram and learn everything she can about the candidates and then choose one.

Most of the undecided make up their minds the last two weeks before the election.

Then I'd tell them that McCain votes with Bush 90% of the time, and that if McCain's elected it's going to be four more years of the same policies that got us into this mess. Then I'd say, you know what the definition of crazy is? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I do have to be nice to people, though. We HAVE to win this election.

What the fuck is wrong with these clowns...it's an obvious choice either way, no middle of the road shit here.

Since the housing and lending collapses didn't convince you to vote Democratic, is there a certain industry, that if it collapsed would convince you to vote Democratic?

Tell them to read the book "The Republican and Religious Diversion"

Undecideds probably have some respect and admiration for him. Just telling the truth about him should be damaging enough. And set them straight about any misconceptions they have about Obama.
Emphasize the economy!

McLame still gets a lot of mileage off the veteran and POW issues among the uninformed.

Honestly, if you are undecided at this point-- if you really don't see a difference between these two candidates-- you are simply an idiot and you could do us all a favor by just staying home and watching that taped episode of Dancing With the Stars.

Just, WTF.

Seriously, if it's not clear to someone by this point... I don't envy you your job, but thanks for taking one for the Democratic team...

Give them the basic points behind Obama's plan, focusing, of course, on those aspects that favor the middle and lower income demographics.

I would start out by telling them that he has a financial plan that is more in line with traditional "conservative" values, anyway. He'd do away with a lot of the big spending the last eight years has seen and reinvest funds in the American system instead of farming out taxpayer money to corporations that fritter it away on 80million dollar toilet paper rolls.

Maybe ask someone in the campaign? Someone somewhere mentioned that there's a place on his website you can send mail to and a campaign operative will mail you back. I don't know where it is, but maybe it's worth a look.

and start paying attention, because if you vote the wrong way, you are about to get fucked in the ass by the Republican Party!!!

My young nephew didn't want to put his Obama bumper sticker on his car because he's a musician who jams with the odd right winger at times. My nephew is a typical softhearted liberal and doesn't like to offend anyone.

Then he saw the interview with Couric and Palin. He said he went out in the night and slapped that bumper sticker on his car right then.

I've always started with talking general issues with a person...getting their feel...find out which button needs to be pushed and which issues are of importance. I've found that being a good listener is a virtue...no matter how crazy or irrational, let them get it out...the go after the issue you think you can win on...health care has always been the door opener for me but economy can work as well...again, always being the listener. Over time you can bring in more talking points...the longer you have the person, the better chance you have of making a positive impression.

Long ago, I was told that people are only undecided if they are in need of some positive reassurance...waiting for someone who cares or takes an interest. Also, I avoid talking about the opposition. If they do, fine, but the job is to make the positive impression of your candidate and be ready to answer questions.

Cheers...

and what they represent are starkly different, I'd ask what it is that stops them from choosing Obama at this point (to see how hardened they are about that reason). What would Obama have to do or say to win their vote at this point? Has he disappointed them in some way? Gives an idea of their priorities. You're assuming they'd LIKE to have a better reason to vote for Obama, since they indicate ambivalence. Don't automatically assume it's a cover-up for voting for the candidate who's slipping, which it could be.

I think some people who equivocate at this point are just afraid of change. Maybe there's some way to work with that. Reassurance about how changes can be healthy and what specifically to look forward to. Some people have resistance to change just from being downtrodden--they really don't think anything better can happen. Americans have been so jerked around by their govt, it's hard to blame them for pessimism and cynicism. Give them a reason to hope.

I encountered a person who said she couldn't make up her mind recently. This was in a real "battleground" area, with plenty of Obama support. Her 2 main reasons (stock answer I could tell) were couched in negatives about Obama:

--He didn't wear a flag pin.
--Michelle wrote an anti-American "racist" thesis as a student.

OK--what's that tell you?

Traditionalist, concerned with image and allegiances, group identification, superficial conformity (she's very civic minded and does a lot of volunteering). But her concern with patriotism doesn't allow for criticism of one's country even in places like universities. There's an unmistakable hint of "reverse racism," white defensiveness. This person is slightly older than Michelle Obama and would have remembered the black radicals of the 60's and 70's. So the underlying fear seems to be the old, "he's not like me, doesn't share my values." Fear of social upheaval is more an issue than pure racism I think. (This person would be upset to be thought of as racist, and yet there it is...fear of The Other). There's also a whiff of anti-feminist sentiment--implication that Michelle is too strong & should shut up. On the other hand this voter thinks McCain is stodgy and Palin a dingbat, but would overcome that for the sake of keeping the social order. (that's the fear you'd have to address).

Not much about "policy" there. Basically a values voter (although gays and abortion are not big issues).

You'd be wasting time debating policy issues with this voter. Just give them a couple of reasons to feel better about changes, and move on....it's all about emotions and their response to you (as representing Obama supporters).

Address their fears --very directly but sympathetically is my modus operandi with people who "can't make up their minds" at this point.

These are people who whether leaning left (fear of failure) or leaning right (fear of change) are operating out of fear.