Things You WON'T miss about the Presidential Race -- regardless of the outcome.

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- Rockefeller Plaza being re-christened "Democracy Plaza"
- Swift Boat Veterans for anything.
- The word "flip and it's brother, "flop."
- Polls of any kind
- "I'm ______, and I approved this message."
- "October Surprise!"

Otherz?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Political strategists and spinmeisters using the term "the Ameircan People." In other words, "the American people are tired of Kerry's flip-flopping", or "on November 2, the American People will re-elect President Bush."

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:33 (twenty-one years ago)

- Australian news being saturated with it

― Core of Sphagnum (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Having no say in the outcome.

― Wooden (Wooden), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

folksiness.

― results not typical (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

POLLS POLLS POLLS POLLS POLLS
YO WE GOT POLLS, MAN

― Sir Kingfish Beavis D'Azzmonch (Kingfish), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Unconsciously asking myself 'Is this good for Bush or Kerry?' about every news item no matter how unrelated to the election.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Reporters and op-ed folks deliberately asking themselves 'Is this good for Bush or Kerry?' about every news item no matter how unrelated to the election, and then going on about it for a few more paragraphs of bad speculation.

― Sir Kingfish Beavis D'Azzmonch (Kingfish), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

The Presidential race.

― caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Guests on "news" shows closing their segments by saying "good to be with you."

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:18 (twenty-one years ago)

- Bush's fucking voice

― Core of Sphagnum (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

- Bush's fucking smarmy face

― Core of Sphagnum (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

- "security moms"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

- "undecided voters" -- HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU BE UNDECIDED?!?!?!! YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

- " 'W' Stands for Women"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

The phrase 'too close to call.' IT'S ALWAYS 'TOO CLOSE TO CALL.' EVERY ELECTION IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN 'TOO CLOSE TO CALL.' SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP.

― Core of Sphagnum (Autumn Almanac), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Election threads on ILE

― Orbit (Orbit), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Amen to that.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

"Vote or Die!"

― Peanuts (Peanuts), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, spooooooooilers.

― Peanuts (Peanuts), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Nascar Dads

― Sympatico (shmuel), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"Blue States drive like this" articles

― Sympatico (shmuel), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

swing states

― Sympatico (shmuel), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:48 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'm ______, and I approved this message."
I haven't watched much American TV lately, but having been flipping through the football game and 60 Minutes, these sorts of commercials have been on a billion times. It's immeasurably annoying, how do you guys put up with this And what's the deal behind this catchphrase, why do all the candidates have to say this? I'm assuming there's a law which requires them to say this.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:30 (twenty-one years ago)

bad newspaper headlines such as

KERRY SLAMS BUSH ON UNEMPLOYMENT
BUSH SLAMS KERRY ON HIS HAIR

― still bevens (bscrubbins), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

It is a law. And it's a good one, I think.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 1 November 2004 02:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The proverbial mudslinging negative ads. For Chrissakes, just tell us what the hell YOU are about.

I think I won't be missing twisted statistics anytime soon either.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm assuming there's a law which requires them to say this.

Weve a similar thing in Aust political ads, they have to say "authorised by F. So and So, ALP Canberra". They always say it realyreallyfastsonoonenotices.

― Trayce (trayce), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Kinda like the disclaimers in commercials for meds or car financing, then. Buy the product: Ignore the side effects.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

In Canada, mudslinging ads probably outnumber the "positive" ones. And the authorization is spoken slowly and deliberately, since they want you to remember which party to vote for.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I will not miss otherwise intelligent people pretending that Kerry's "hunt 'em down and kill 'em" schtick isn't exactly the sort of stupid-ass, macho, jingoistic bullshit that they say they hate when the other party does it.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 1 November 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

- "undecided voters" -- HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU BE UNDECIDED?!?!?!! YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!

I think I'm understanding them now .. they are conservatives who would ordinarily vote die-hard Republican .. but can't bring themselves to re-elect Bush. There's no way they're voting for Kerry because they're anti-Democrat. But Bush is a total fuckup - so they're undecided on whether to vote at all, or vote for Nader. I truly don't think there are any moderate or liberal fence-sitters. I think the undecideds are mildly-conservatives without a candidate.

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 1 November 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Colin, you are (sadly) correct, and that also goes for Kerry's eloquent but disappointing tiptoeing around the gay union / marriage issue.

One thing I will miss - the clip of Bush talking about finding "50 tons of mustard gas on a turkey farm".

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 1 November 2004 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

- Bush saying "My opponent likes to say that..."

- I know that Kerry/Edwards has to keep saying it over and over to drive the point home, but if I hear the words "Tora Bora" one more time...

- Those round back-windshield decals that just say (W). I keep thinking that the car in front of me is from Wilitzenstein.

- Bumperstickers in general. Someone in my work parking lot has one that says "Don't let John Kerry GORE your guns". I get the sentiment, but I still can't figure out what it's supposed to be saying.

- Lambert Field.

- Ralph Nader.

- Non-swing states whining and complaining about their lack of attention. Here in Arkansas, I've seen John Edwards in North Little Rock's city park and Bill Clinton last night. Look, California, Texas, New York... November 3rd, you'll wake up and be the über-states that you've always been, and my homestate will go back to begging the federal governement for funds to pave our roads. Until then, let Arkansas, New Mexico, and West Virginia get our moment in the spotlight. It'll be a long time before it happens again.

Hopefully.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw a guy on my way home last night wearing a Nader t-shirt that read: SPOILER & PROUD OF IT: SPOILING A CORRUPT SYSTEM

Really pissed me off. I mean, is it a corrupt system? Sure, but must we pay the price for it with another four years of Bush?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Ed Gillespie's face.

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

The totality of Karen Hughes.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Party flacks.

― k3rry (dymaxia), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Kerry's "hunt 'em down and kill 'em" schtick isn't exactly the sort of stupid-ass, macho, jingoistic bullshit that I say I hate when the other party does it.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

People's faces turning purple when I mention my intent to vote for Nader.

― Peanuts (Peanuts), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

The totality of Karen Hughes.

I'd like to see Karen Hughes get struck repeatedly in the forehead with a 2x4.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

"What blankety blank doesn't want YOU to know about xxx..."

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

One thing I will miss - the clip of Bush talking about finding "50 tons of mustard gas on a turkey farm".

I hope this clip never goes away, no matter what happens.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Monday, 1 November 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

That Bush/Cheney commercial in which a daughter of a 9-11 victim "closes up emotionally" after the tragedy but then goes to see Bush at a rally and he hugs her so everything's okay and you should vote for him. I have seen this goddamn commercial about 1,000 times.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Right, gabbneb, I said "otherwise intelligent people", not "insufferable Party shills".

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I have never seen that commercial, and now I am very glad I have not.

x-post

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh man is it ever fuckin' sickening.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I live in south/central Pennsylvania, and it seems like they play it during every commecial break on Spike and NBC. I've take to just flipping to another channel for the 60-some seconds it runs, even if that means suffering though an infomercial.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Kerry's need to turn every complaint into an oversimplified soundbite.

― bnw (bnw), Monday, 1 November 2004 17:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Spin Alley.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 1 November 2004 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'm sorry, but they're Kerry shirts," a female Bush volunteer said. "We were told not to let people with Kerry shirts into the rally."

And as they approached the gates of the stadium, Lance "Chip" Borman, a Bush campaign worker and attorney who worked for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, directed them toward the Brevard County sheriff's deputies waiting at the exit.

"Hey folks, it's a private event," he said. "Can you find your way to the nearest exit? Maybe some law enforcement can help?"

― LE CHUCK!ï¿½ (ex machina), Monday, 1 November 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

A Bush volunteer said at the Melbourne event, "You guys know you have to love America to stand in this line, not France. Just letting you know. I don't want you guys to get beat up in there by Americans."

― LE CHUCK!ï¿½ (ex machina), Monday, 1 November 2004 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

hey, remember that time Kerry called the "war on terror" a "crusade"?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 1 November 2004 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

"Would you like to help elect John Kerry?"

― TOMBOT, Monday, 1 November 2004 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I have to dodge about 10 volunteers trying to get people registered to vote every time I take the el, which is just about every day. I think it's great, but I need some kind of sign over my head that says, "Thanks. I really appreciate what you're doing here, but I'm already registered, ok? So, leave me alone."

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

This is most depressing.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

"Thanks. I really appreciate what you're doing here, but I'm already registered, ok? So, leave me alone."

That's not what they want, though. They want FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS to the party.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

- white candidates going to the African American churches
- candidate "debates"
- "expert" "analysis"
- embarrassing statements by people who assume I agree with them on either Kerry or Bush. A favorite: "We really need you for The Cause."
- "Vote or Die"
- Joe Lockhart
- the importance of this ~~beauty contest~~ Presidential election
- the morons who still refer to themselves as undecided less than two weeks before the election

― don carville weiner, Monday, 1 November 2004 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

WTF is wrong with undecided people, anyway?

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

At least a month and a half ago I was reading stories about how lots of people were telling the media they were "undecided" because that means you either get to be on TV or you get free shit to participate in a "poll of undecided voters" so I'd take that phrasing with a grain of salt. My own granny would be the kind of person who would tell a pollster she was "undecided" if she was bored and looking for something to kill the time.

wow don you made a joke about the presidential election being a "beauty contest" we needed more high school juniors posting to ILE thanks

― TOMBOT, Monday, 1 November 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

one of our friends has decided he's not voting

― TOMBOT, Monday, 1 November 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

undecideds may well have made up their minds but don't want to admit to a pollster (and perhaps themselves) a vote against a) their party, or b) their better judgment. they'll 'admit' their vote in the booth.

there may also be people who tell pollsters they're voting the opposite way they intend. they could be on both sides.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

wow don you made a joke about the presidential election being a "beauty contest" we needed more high school juniors posting to ILE thanks

Wow Tom you're a troll we needed more of those posting to ILE thanks

I'm sure you're right about the undecideds Gabbneb. But I still won't miss them.

― don carville weiner, Monday, 1 November 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

"Thanks. I really appreciate what you're doing here, but I'm already registered, ok? So, leave me alone."

That's not what they want, though. They want FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS to the party.

That's not true, as far as I know. Deputy registrars are officially non-partisan - you are not supposed to endorse a party or candidate when you're registering people to vote.

― k3rry (dymaxia), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

1) non political ads that borrow political ad lingo, ie "I'm running for president of _____ (furniture, beer, whatever) and I approved this ad."

2) vaginal puns on Bush's name.

― BrianB (BrianB), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

- The infinite feedback loop of the media's obsession with its own effect on the election.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

This American Life this past weekend was all about undecided voters. One of the stories was about a well-educated moderate Republican who's never voted Democrat in his life, but who finds himself at odds with almost all of Bush's policies. His political affiliation stems mostly from a belief in fiscal conservatism, since he's pro-gay rights and maybe even pro-choice (don't remember), and so he loves the idea of "compassionate conservatism" -- but feels that Bush's presidency has failed spectacularly at both ends of that equation.

He seemed like a pretty smart guy, and one who'd be a prime candidate for a Kerry 2004 voter, but he was also very susceptible to Bush/Cheney talking points. One of his main problems with Kerry was that he's "the most liberal member of the Senate" -- but when Ira Glass asked him which of Kerry's "liberal" attitudes or legislation he specifically disagreed with, he couldn't name any. He's also been convinced by the flip-flopper charges -- even though Ira basically got him to admit that voting for someone who's steadfast but wrong over someone who's less steadfast but right is totally bonkers.

I think he's probably emblematic of a lot of Republicans, who've staked their self-identity on being Republican for so long that switching sides is almost unthinkable, despite how much they hate Bush.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

- The infinite feedback loop of the media's obsession with its own effect on the election.

OTM

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I am one of the guiltiest people on here, but I don't think that I'm going to miss all of the different election threads popping up every day on ilx.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Monday, 1 November 2004 19:46 (twenty-one years ago)

hearing "october surprise" just makes me hungry, cause it sounds like some sort of PIE.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Monday, 1 November 2004 20:30 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.detnews.com/pix/2001/10/10/h03pie.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

$87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION $87 BILLION

― Sir Kingfish Beavis D'Azzmonch (Kingfish), Monday, 1 November 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I was for _____ before I was against _____.

― Sympatico (shmuel), Monday, 1 November 2004 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it would be a great day for America if Tucker Carlson was forcibly raped by six very hairy lumberjacks.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 1 November 2004 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex, that's his idea of a night out on the town.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 14:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahahahaha

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

i find tucker carlson oddly attractive. though his views repulse me. if i were to become a dominatrix, i would definitely want him to be my slave. i would make him denounce trickle down economics in a compromising position. whew, is it hot in here or what?

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 16:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm posting from a remote logging town in the upper Carpathians, and I find I don't miss the presidential race much at all. It's not too late to buy a ticket and join me.

― Stephen X (Stephen X), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

a remote logging town in the upper Carpathians,

http://www.arnadal.no/film/images/bsdracul.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

He really could have just saved us a lot of trouble and used the razor fully on Keanu there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

OT: Yeah, I'm sure there's acting classes that use that scene as an example...
"Okay, Class, today we're going to learn about faking an accent. The clip I'm about to show you includes an example of a really well done Eastern European accent and a very BAD example of...well, some sort of British accent. Watch carefully and learn."

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The handing over to so and so in so and so. We might be having an election here next year.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 18:37 (twenty-one years ago)

"THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION EVER."

I mean, come on, you KNOW it isn't, and you're just debasing everything by saying that.

The Alberta election right now is really refreshing to watch, because the general sentiment is "Yeah, I guess it matters, but not that much. Things will pretty much go on as before, y'know?"

― derrick (derrick), Tuesday, 2 November 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

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