The Undecided: Sheepish, Proud or Set to Flip Coin

[struggle4progress]

By MARK LEIBOVICH
Published: November 1, 2008

... “My opinion of Obama has definitely risen during this campaign,” Ms. Finke said. “And my opinion of McCain has fallen .... I’d say I’m leaning towards McCain .... For as awful as things are with this Republican administration, there’s something about the whole conservative thing that appeals to me .... But maybe I’ll vote for Obama .... How many days are left?” ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/us/politics/02undecided.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

:banghead:

[psomniferum]

1. That "whole conservative thing..."

Whu?

Well, count on undecideds to be informed...

[theoldman]

2. I think that most of the undecided are Republicans.

Most of them will vote for Obama as McCain drops in the polls tomorrow. No one wants to side with a loser.

[barbtries]

4. i hope you're right

i can't get how anyone could still be undecided. but at least two people in my office are. i of course was for the democrat before we knew who the candidate was. when the republican became mccain i could almost see how some people might like and admire him. but then he said and did things that made me sick, and then - Palin??? she would be enough to turn me off the dem ticket. so i don't get it and i doubt i ever will.

these people at my office, they're not dumb. they're not uninformed, though they work so much that they can't be as well informed as some. maybe i'm uninformed, because i get most of my news from links that i get from DU. i can't decide...but deciding who should be president, that part was easy.

[glowing]

3. Michelle comes off a little strong, and someone should teach her how to dress?

Prejudiced a bit my dear.. what an asshat.. Basically, the Jewish lady in FL is a racist and that's keeping her from choosing a dem.. Seriously, she voted for Gore and Kerry.. both of whom have given their full support to Obama, along with both Clintons... Give me a break. Lady, pretend he's white, and just vote D.

[struggle4progress]

6. Dunno. There was a major shift in attitudes in the 60s. A few years ago, a middle-aged Jewish

professional in a major Southern city described to me how isolated he felt in the early 60s and how desperately he tried to fit in. Post WWII America was rather conformist: attitudes were still shaped by the Depression, and people really made character judgements based on dress

The woman you criticize comes from a different time -- and it's not clear what her background is. She doesn't sound particularly well-informed, and she may not be very tolerant of cultural differences, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's a racist: a lot of women of her generation may have had fairly inflexible ideas about how women should dress

Personally, I think Michelle looks great -- but I'm a middle-aged guy who generally thinks women look great, and I don't have much insight into attitudes of the generation before mine

[quickesst]

5. A choice....

....between swallowing a razor blade, and eating a pear. I'd have trouble with that decision myself.:sarcasm: Thanks.
quickesst

[Pharlo]

7. Not all undecideds are trying to decide between McCain/Obama.

For some, it's between a major party or a third party more in line with their beliefs, but not wanting EVIL INCARNATE (depending on their ideological leanings) to get the presidency. The MSM ignores those individuals. But, I think there are a LOT more third party/major party undecideds out there than Dem/Rep undecideds.

[pipi_k]

8. I guess this is what I don't get...

like, where's the logic?

If their Third Party (if that's the problem) had any chance at all of winning, there really wouldn't be a dilemma. They could vote for their guy and have a reasonable expectation that there would be a contest. But no Third Party has ever seriously challenged either major party, so a vote for a Third Party would essentially be "wasted" in terms of how it's going to change things (or keep them the same).

yeah, it's a right....yeah, it's a statement...

but logically?

I dunno...I guess I would either vote for the party that seems least EVIL, or stay home.

:shrug:

[Pharlo]

9. Some people are just plain fed up with both parties and

view a vote for a third party candidate as a way to make their disgust felt.

Others vote with their convictions. And, once again want their voice to be heard.

In both cases, 'staying home', for some, is unacceptable. Voting pragmatically, for the least 'evil' is not an option for that group either.

So, they do what they view as their civic duty and vote for the person they believe in.

And, some, like you stated your option would be, will just stay home and not bother voting because they feel there is no place for their beliefs in modern American politics.

If everyone who typically took the 'nothing I do will make a difference anyways so why should I bother voting?' attitude were to show up and vote for a third party candidate, maybe one of those third party candidates would win. But, it's so much easier staying home, I guess.

Oh well, to each their own. And, not voting is a right as much as voting is.