Wake Up and Smell the Kool-Aid...

At this very moment, John Kerry has the biggest opportunity of his life.

It’s obvious that John Edwards and Hillary Clinton must sing the school fight song, since they must keep their base support for 2008. But what about John Kerry?

He’s got less than a 2% probability of becoming president through the court system. He’s got a 98% chance of losing. As a loser, he is confronted with two choices:

1. If he concedes with grace, maintaining his desire to “unite the country,” then he will tick off the 50% of his base that voted against the president but gain the heartfelt respect as a true “statesman” from his other 50%. He would gain 100% of the Republican electorate respect for his “statesmanship.” He would maintain his voice in the political discourse, and be part of the democrat leadership cadre in the next election.

2. If he fights and loses, his place will be with Al Gore. He will take on AlGore’s “crazed fool” look and stand along side with the sour grapes demeanor of a politician who will never again be taken seriously or have any merit in the political discourse. He might as well grow a beard, smoke some dope and move to Maui to windsurf for the rest of his days.

John, please don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Like Mel Gibson in “Braveheart,” “unite the clans!”

CONCEDE BEFORE NOON

Martin Barone just asked, “will the Democratic party implode by challenging implausible provisional ballots in an election that was fairly decided?”

I guess that if a person can sue McDonalds when she burns herself by spilling a cup of coffee on her lap, then some will contend that there are “rights” for a a democrat “win at all costs” challenge. A slash-and-burn strategy is inconsistent with the Kerry/Edwards promise to bring our country together, and I am ashamed of them.

It is impossible that 5 out of every 6 provisional ballots would have been incorrectly handled by the government of Ohio when there have been international observers and public scrutiny nationwide to make certain no voter has been “disenfranchised.” We expect drivers to prepare themselves to pass a driving test before getting a license, it is not intimidation to expect voters to virtuously and responsibly handle their own voter registration.

Fianlly, it is both shameful and sickening that John Edwards, a trial lawyer, was chosen to start a legal dispute. I am praying for our nation.

Barrow unseats Burns

Fox 5 Atlanta calls it… a loss for Republicans in the House, though of course they will still control the House…

She's baaaack!

Cynthia McKinney will return to the House of Representatives…

Georgia Goes Republican

Local television “11 Alive” WXIA, just announced Johnny Isakson winning the senate seat vacated by Zell Miller, and that Georgia is a “big Republican win for the president.”

Begala is saying that Florida will not be finished counting absentee ballots until Thursday.

Georgia’s electronic voting system worked well - essentially without a single problem. Every state without automated voting systems needs to go to school on Georgia…

Yes, but will my district have a State Senator?

Former Georgia Senate Majority Leader Charles Walker (he, again, with the 142-count indictment) will almost surely return to the Georgia State Senate… but will the governor seat him, or will he be voted out by his fellow Senators? That is a strong possibility.

An early night! (in Georgia)

South Carolina too close to call for the president and US Senate…

Will try and find out about the Cynthia McKinney, Charles Walker/Cheeks, etc. races if I can post…

Also I posted that Walker/Cheeks post a while back… sorry about that.

- Henry Hanks

More News from the College Front

Results from another survey from within the hallowed halls:

The Eagle Scout survey finds 1 Kerry/Edwards voter out of 30 chemistry class students. I would have figured an almost 90% turn-out among students. Not even close.

I’m projecting that the Georgia youth vote will NOT be a factor.

DE OPPRESSO LIBER

Poll Tax?

Shemp on Fox News just reported that some of my fellow Georgians camped out last night to get a good place in line to vote…And I thought you had to camp out for Grateful Dead tickets…I mean “Dead” tickets. I mean “Vote or Die.”

You will find this chilling bit of trivia on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website…

But what might knock the breath out of you is James Carville’s assertion that requiring proof of identification at the polls is “intimidation.” I’ll tell you what intimidation is: go drink four dirty martinis, start driving home, and then explain to the trooper that he or she is intimidating you when he/she asks for your driver’s license and proof of registration.

NON COMPOS MENTIS

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State University is the third largest university in Georgia and boasts over 17,000 students. 1,200 of these students are from 123 different countries. I dropped my son off at school after he voted in his first presidential election. While at KSU, I decided to conduct an informal survey. I counted one hundred students. Out of the one hundred students, I observed ONLY ONE student wearing the “I’m a Georgia Voter” sticker. Oh yeah, he was my son the Eagle Scout, who’s trying to transfer to the US Naval Academy. He did not vote for a former navy man.

Keep smiling! There is hope for our FREEDOM!!!

Atlanta: The First Half

We visited three poll sites this morning. Before the opening in east Cobb, voters waited in line for up to an hour. The turnout in each of the three locations was primarily 30-70 year-olds. At noon in my polling place in west Cobb, we waited only a few minutes to go through the registration checking process, and we waited to vote for less than a couple of minutes. The onsite election officers stated that they had seen few young people voting, and there had only been one provisional ballot cast so far. So much for the “Vote or Die” program. I’m afraid that Sean “Puff Daddy” Coombs’ next party will have to be a wake. Make that a BIG wake. Oh yeah, would somebody check into Carmen Diaz’ connection with rape kit manufacturers…

This sample represents a pretty efficient process, and Georgia’s electronic voting system seems to be performing flawlessly.

Voter Arrested for Wearing Mask

A man wearing a John Kerry T-shirt and President Bush mask at an election office was charged with disorderly conduct for breaking a law that bans campaigning outside polling places, police said.

Kevin Dodds also was charged with the seldom-invoked crime of wearing a mask. A Georgia law aimed at the Ku Klux Klan makes it illegal to wear masks except on “holidays and special occasions.”

The case started Friday, the last day of Georgia’s early voting period, when Dodds’ wife went to vote accompanied by an infant wearing a Kerry-Edwards shirt. Poll workers asked the woman to turn the child’s shirt inside out so she could remain and vote, but she allegedly refused and left.

Later that day, Kevin Dodds went to the polling place saying he wanted to protest the objection to the baby’s shirt. A police report said Dodds stood outside screaming, sometimes using foul language, and refused requests to take off his mask.

Election Day isn’t a special occasion?

Read more…

Voting status

Got to the polling place, which is less than 3 miles from my home, at 6:59am, just as I’d planned. I’ve done that in every election since 1998 and the longest it’s taken is 6 minutes as I generally walk up to no line, sign my forms and go vote. Today, the line was out the door, to the street, curved and about 25 feet away from going into the next street. The parking lot was full, the next parking lot across the street was full and the streets were lined with vehicles.

By the time I got back to my vehicle, it was 7:45am and on the way home I heard the Secretary of State on the radio predict around 72% (more than 367,000 voted early) and long lines as many have taken a personal interest in this election.

And, as I’ve stated earlier, since there is no “big” race in the state that is getting people to the poll (like Governor in ‘02) and since Isakson, the marriage amendment and Bush will all win easily, it can only mean that people are wanting to have their “voices” heard.

Landslide Predicted!

From CNN - Georgia poll: Landslide predicted

I hope that gets a chuckle out of you, so just take a deep breath, VOTE, and stay calm…Or as Ivar Haglund out in Seattle once said, “Keep Clam!”

Here in Georgia

Early voting was a huge success.
Actually, that’s an understatement. In some areas of metro Atlanta, the wait was over 3 hours. Here in my small neck of the woods (Cartersville), the line was out the door (and it was a long hallway to the voting booth once you were in the door).

The SoS is projecting a 70+ percent turnout, which is doubly interesting since there are really no big races that are in question (one congressional race is a tossup, but the rest would be shockers if the incumbent lost) and Bush should win in a walkover.

So, for all the talk about the new voters, one must keep in mind that the existing voters are quite hyped, as well. And for every cell phone user who is never polled, there’s a military vet currently serving that isn’t, either.

There are two main amendments: the gay marriage amendment to the constitution and one that streamlines how the legal process affects the courts. A sample ballot is here.

My advice….get there when the polls open. That’s what I’m doing & I’ll have two sleepy kids with me.

Georgiae Princeps Senatus

Fellow Voters For Freedom…

Here’s the lowdown on Georgia’s Race to replace “Give ‘em Hell” Zell Miller’s seat.

UPI calls Republican Rep. Johnny Isakson (Atlanta native and Dykes High School graduate) “a shoo-in to win.” Love him or hate him, Zell Miller at least has the backbone to stand up for what he believes, and all Georgians should be grateful for his service to our country as a Marine, as our Governorn and as a Senator.

Georgia - Avoid Confusion: Be Prepared...

You’ll need a .pdf reader, but here’s a Georgia ‘Sample Ballot for the November 2, 2004 General Election’

Atlanta Gets Started

Greetings Fellow Voters For Freedom…

Georgia was “early voting” last Monday through Friday, and our Secretary of State Cathy Cox thinks we could have a 70-75% voter turn-out.

Sunday morning after Mass, on every car windshield in the parking lot, I saw fliers which described each candidate’s position. It looks like we will see a solid Republican Catholic vote. Also, I conducted an informal poll this morning during rush hour while driving south-bound on I-75 into Atlanta: 24 total bumper stickers on 300 cars. 19 Bush v. 5 Kerry. Obviously not scientific, but I could swear that in the last few weeks I saw mostly Kerry stickers…

Overheard from a 20-something professional female customer to her partner this morning while we waited in line for donuts on Ponce de Leon Avenue (in what I would guess to be the most pro-Kerry section of town), “I can’t imagine Teresa Heinz Kerry as the first lady.” They got into a Camry - with North Carolina plates.

I sense that something pro-Bush happened to the electorate this weekend…