My Repub Mother on Obama

[kerry-is-my-prez]

No - she's not voting for Obama but she was impressed with him. "I was surprised he was so intelligent. He really knew his stuff. The last time I saw him (I think during that "values" seminar) he was hemming and hawing. He was really prepared." She didn't have anything bad to say. Before I fell over from shock, however, she added the the usual thing that she says about Dems: "We can't have a Dem in there because it will be a disaster - they country will turn socialist."

She is also a bit racist - so it was a bit surprising to me that she was that complimentary about him. She also usually makes nasty comments any of the Dem candidates (both about their personalities and about their debate performances). It's actually the most complimentary I've ever heard her be about a Dem.

[crazy_vanilla]

1. I am glad she is seeing the light, she may eventually change

[jefferson_dem]

2. Oh my. I had virtually the same experience with my Repug mom this morning.

She sounds much like yours. I can rely on her to spout the typical repug talking points...as she's a huge Boortz fan. Anyway, this morning she pompted the converzation "so, did you watch the debate?" I answered "of course" to which she surprised the fuck out of me by saying "I was really really impressed with your guy Obama's presentation. I didn't necessarily like his positions but I definitely liked the way he presented them. He came off as ... presidential." I kid you not.

Surely, ours are not the only two repug moms (or dads or kids) feeling the same way about the debate performance last night. Good news.

[Cha]

8. I thought this might happen..

Obama's strategy to be super cordial and knowledgeable to "Widen the Circle" as Old Crusoe writes in his DU OP.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7217553

There's a little more than a whole month until the Election so who knows what could bring these lovely women into the Circle. :)

[sunnybrook]

3. yes, sometimes progress comes in spurts

especially with some of our family members... still sounds like a positive review, considering her core beliefs

[Vinca]

4. Remind mom if the Republicans have their way, her social security

payments will be determined by Wall Street. We'd be in "cat food for dinner" mode if Shrub had managed to privatize social security.

[eshfemme]

5. LOL @ your mom's Dems = socialists claim

because guess who just fucking socialized every form of insurance EXCEPT for health insurance by buying up the biggest insurance company in the world, AIG? THE REPUBLICANS!

Who's the one making the capitalist market more socialist? The Republican administration!

So yeah... granted it's good that she has a good opinion of Obama but it's kinda bad for this misconception to go uncorrected.

[No Elephants]

6. Tell her Bush already turned the country Socialist. Among many other things, an $800 billion dollar

transfer of wealth from the working class to the investing class is under discussion as we post; and we have no assurance that is even the end of it. It's just not the kind of Socialism Pubs hate--the kind that helps the poor.

[ClassWarrior]

11. Yup, Corporate Socialism. Privatize the profit, socialize the loss.

NGU.

[Roland99]

7. Apparently your mother only has a problem with socialism when it helps the poor and middle classes.

Ask your mom where she has that extra $10billion in CDOs and MBSs stashed away.

[codjh9]

9. "I was surprised he was so intelligent." Boy, that says a lot. And as to socialism,

I can't say it any better than Kurt Vonnegut, who said something like 'oh yeah, free healthcare, education and retirement - who would want THAT?'. :^) (Yes, I know it's not really 'free', as did he, but at least we all get it, and our taxes would be going for things we actually need!).

[BlooInBloo]

12. Says all one needs to know.

[mitchum]

17. Yep.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

10. My formerly Repub boyfriend was laughing hysterically at McCain - said he was "nuts."

Said that McCain reminded him of his ex (this is a woman who was mentally ill).

He says he doesn't care who wins - but he has been very negative about McCain and is very alarmed at his recent behavior - and he is completely disgusted with Palin.

[codjh9]

16. How can he be that down on McCain-Palin and not care who wins?

[dkf]

13. Making your Mom comfortable is the first step...

Then she inches towards becoming persuadable.

I'm glad your Mom was open to seeing Obama with new eyes.

[LiberalAndProud]

14. Tell her that Bush beat us (Democrats) to it,

We have socialized the huge losses incurred by greedy moneylenders. How much more socialized can we get?

[mitchum]

15. She sounds sweet; tell her you will give her a ride to the polls on Nov 5

[OneGrassRoot]

18. My lifelong Repug (not so much any more) SO said of Obama:

"I'm no longer afraid of an Obama Presidency. He showed he's not going to take any crap."

To see a Dem stand up and not back down, not let the other side get away with lies and mischaracterizations was a new experience, and reflected VERY well on Obama with the undecideds and even repugs who still won't vote for him. IMHO. :)