I'm bummed - A friend has asked me not to send her any more anti-McCain or anti-Palin info

[rox63]

This friend of mine has recently moved from Massachusetts (where I live) to Indiana. We used to agree on a lot of political issues, even though she's always been more conservative than me. I had just sent her the article about Palin and her witch-hunting pastor friend. I thought it would resonate, because she's been active in the Pagan community. Instead, she said she has recently grown to dislike Obama (didn't say why), and that she will be voting for McCain. She also said that she is the the only woman in her family who isn't a conservative Christian. So she thinks of the religiously-oriented anti-Palin articles like they are an insult to the women in her family.

I wanted to get into a further dialogue with her about it, and ask her why she has started to dislike Obama so much. I suspect it has to do with the hate that talk-radio is spreading about him. But I also don't want to ruin a friendship that has endured for nearly 15 years. So I said we could just agree to disagree on this.

If there are any DUers doing pro-Obama ground work in the Muncie, Indiana area, I hope you can get to her and convince her to at least not vote for McCain. She's had a positive view of McCain from many years ago, having worked on Native American issues in Washington. The agency she was with had a good working relationship with McCain on those issues.

Sigh... :(


Edit to add: This is someone who once worked at an abortion clinic, and has been very pro-choice for most of her adult life.

[sshan2525]

1. As Jack Nicholson's character said......

"You can't handle the truth."

[seabeyond]

2. i never send anti repug, pro dem stuff to people i know dont think like me.

i am not opposed to talking face to face, especially if they bring it up or welcome the conversation. but i NEVER send the stuff thru email. i have lots of repugs that regardless of me telling them the stuff is bullshit and i dont want it continually send. and i picture them giggle with glee as they hit send. i dont like that feeling and i wont subject to family or friends.

respect them.... is my 2 cents

[rox63]

4. When she left MA, she was pro-Obama

Something has changed since she moved to IN. She is originally from rural PA, the "Alabama" part of the state.

[seabeyond]

8. eeeew. that is always a tough one. i have so many repugs in family and live in area ALL repug

or the people i am around anyway. after 15 yrs, the last two i have become a hermit. i cannot go out amongst them. not anymore

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

3. Send her pro-Obama info

She didn't ask you not to do that ;)

Sorry about your friend. I have been appalled by the people I know, or thought I knew, who will not vote for Obama or talk about why they don't like him beyond "I don't trust him." It leads me to no other conclusion but that they've been hiding their racism from me all these years. Oh no, they're not racist they always claim (without it even being brought up). Well then what? What compels you to vote against your best interests? WHAT??? :grr:

[okieinpain]

6. exactly. n/t.

[Kindigger]

5. Just the other day

It was the day after ChaaarLEE's interview, and my daughter called me from SC. She wanted to know, "Why did you send me this email full of lies?" I'd sent her so many emails I wasn't sure which email she spoke of. She clarified her remark by saying, "The list of junk about Sarah what's-her-name that has to be a lie, cuz it was totally opposite what she said in that interview."

First off, I was shocked to learn my daughter had watched the interview. Then I could see a moment of epiphany on her horizon. I replied, "That was the point silly. I sent you the truth because what she was spewing were lies."

The rest of the conversation went "Nu-uh, oh yes dear, no way, yes indeedy, for real? Yes Ma'am."

And then I got to send a whole lot more :)

[shadowknows69]

7. I'm so jealous of willful ignorance

It must be such a blissful state of being.

[karynnj]

9. Here's my guess

you say:
"She's had a positive view of McCain from many years ago, having worked on Native American issues in Washington. The agency she was with had a good working relationship with McCain on those issues."

I suspect that what may be happening is that the real, personally validated positive view of McCain is the root of the problem. That experience gives her a solid, hard to shake positive view of McCain. The negative view of Obama might come more from the fact that he has made some very sharp criticisms of McCain - as he should - he's running against him.

I would try something like this. Within a letter that says your friendship is important to you and you don't want to lose it - that you were simply very worried about McCain becoming President. You can mention that your concern is because McCain is not now even similar to the McCain you saw 8 years ago. (Steal copiously from Kerry's candidate MCCain/ Senator McCain, quoting him ONLY if you think it helps. Kerry is also coming from a place of having once had both friendship and obvious respect for McCain. (I would go with just stealing the examples as it keeps it lighter - the nice thing is that that is JUST issues, not personal attacks) If you ever respected or liked McCain, say it. But keep that part SHORT, then return to speaking of your relationship with her, shared experiences, what ever you have in common.

(Caveat - I majored in Math and economics, not psychology - so take suggestion with a HUGE grain of salt.) It just seems that preserving the relationship is very important to you and she has already said not to send anti McCain/Palin literature. This isn't that but a very short explanation that were concerned enough to try to advocate for Obama and why.

[Trajan]

10. I have washed my hands of my own brother ....

I never sent him anything, and yet, just his attitude is enough ....

His little asides ... his snide comments ... his Limbaugh derived insults ....

I have asked him to restrict his political angst, for the sake of family serenity ... he refuses ....

I done with him ....

1) Stop sending your friend anything ...

2) Let her go ...


You CAN send her this though ....

[cleveramerican]

11. Palin's appeal is not a mirage

The hard truth is she is enormously appealing, until you look closer and think about it some.

"folksy" works in political campaigns, and it always has.

I think Biden's task of deflating her appeal is going to be a tough nut to crack.

[Barack_America]

12. She's looking for something personal and positive, so send her this...

(if mckara agrees, that is)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=7079934