Bush Goes After 'NASCAR Dads' in Reelection Effort

[Khephra]

Bush Goes After 'NASCAR Dads' in Reelection Effort
Fri February 13, 2004 04:27 PM ET

(Page 1 of 2)
By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush will woo this year's political in-group, "NASCAR dads," with a visit to Florida on Sunday to attend the Daytona 500, the showcase race of the stock car circuit.

Bush, who is to participate in the race's opening ceremonies, will be seeking the attention of the estimated 75 million Americans who follow the sport.

Some political strategists view NASCAR fans as emblematic of a major bloc of swing voters in this year's presidential campaign -- culturally conservative family men whose middle class status is threatened by a shaky jobs market.

"It's a natural constituency for us," Republican strategist Charlie Black said. "The challenge is to get 'em out to vote ... you want to show up where they are as much as you can."

more.............

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4357880

[flakey_foont]

1. What next? will he be in a match at Wrestlemania?

sometimes I think that I am the only person in NC who doesn't give a shit about NASCAR

[short bus president]

15. There are at least 2 more of us here

Welcome to DU, concernedparent!

:hi:

[calimary]

17. Welcome to DU!

This Californian doesn't. But then again, I'm in California. I didn't even care much for the "Days of Thunder" movie.

[tinymontgomery]

19. No, actually

There are now two of us that can be identified. I thought I was the only one.

[imax2268]

24. For God Sakes NASCAR Officials...

Don't let him behind the wheel of one of those cars...

I was going to watch the race but seeing him before it will just ruin it for me...

[gimme a break]

27. You probably are about the only ones.

So many racing teams have their headquarters here. Especially around Charlotte. I'm a Yankee, now in NC, and I admit, I'm a Nascar fan. I also like Indy racing. Football. Pro and college basketball. Tennis. Baseball, somewhat. And even figure skating. Hockey is good too, but when you watch on TV it's no where near as fun. You can't see the blood bounce off the ice. And here's the kicker....I bet you haven't guessed.......I'm also a woman.

[ethimtemp]

38. Not the only one Concernedparent

I grew up in NC and now live in NJ. People look at me as some type of 'god' for growing up where alot of nascar got it's roots.

when I tell them I couldn't care less about a bunch of guys making left turns for 2 - 3 hours, I get very evil looks.

[Mari333]

2. Why do I have a feeling this photo op will backfire

and I can only pray that people give him the bums rush..literally.

[[e-mail]]

11. We will be there....

to protest Bush's campaign visit to the Daytona 500. Some of us, former Clark backers and others sick of the unelected president's ethics, morals and tactics, plan to be out front of the speedway's main entrance at noon on Sunday. We will be carrying signs protesting Bush.

An article appearing in todays local Daytona paper goes into great detail, on the front page, about how the fans will not be inconvenienced by Bush's visit and that the fans will probably not notice any extra inconvenience. At the end of the article, on an inside page, a police spokesman says that if necessary, roads will be closed to accommodate security concerns. I can just imagine how many votes Bush will get from the NASCAR crowd if he delays the average fan even a minute from getting out of the speedway after the end of the race. It should be noted that when Bush came to this same area to repay his brother for delivering the election to him, I was completely stopped in traffic and prohibited from taking even back roads for FIVE hours.

[Shadder]

13. You really think he's gonna stick around for the entire thing

Screw that. Soonn as he gives the command to start the engines and gets on the TV and radio broadcasts pResident Dumbass is outta there.

[calimary]

18. Hi thom - Welcome to DU!!

Never would a big, long traffic jam turn out to be such an incredible public service (if it helps piss more people off at the bushies, that is).

[rppper]

32. i'm game...i live in daytona....1/2 mile from the track

no, the fans won't notice, but the locals will...this place will be locked up and watertight like a frogs ass.....they locked all the inroads to intl. speedway blvd for his last visit....all the way past I95( 5 miles from the beach where he was staying) and some 6 miles beyond.....i have time before i work that day.....IM me with info....

[Sandpiper]

3. I don't understand why he's courting NASCAR fans

He's already got the mullet/confederate flag vote wrapped up.

[kysrsoze]

8. On the whole, the most base, racist, uneducated, low intelligence group

you could hope for. What a consituency.

[demdave]

9. I agree, they all prejudge and paint groups of people with a wide brush.

I hate that. <sarcasm>

[Sandpiper]

14. Yeah, after all

The Nascar crowd is as progressive as it is ethnically diverse. How many non white drivers are there?

;-)

Let's not be sanctimonious and pretend that the crowds at a Nascar race are something that they're not. BTW, I lived in the heart of Nascar country for 11 years and went to college a short drive away from the Bristol and North Wilkesboro Motor Speedways.

[LostInTheMaise]

21. How many non white drivers are there?

Name just one rule or bias that prevents "non white drivers" from racing in NASCAR.

[Sandpiper]

25. Call me crazy

But it could be that a minority might feel a little less than welcome by the sea of confederate flags in the stands of every Nascar race.

I dunno, minorities are funny that way, getting all skittish at the sight of the stars and bars. Couldn't tell you why.

[frylock]

20. yeah.. negroes and mexicans too..

I love that we can all air our prejudices on this progressive board. :eyes:

[LostInTheMaise]

23. The most racist, uneducated, low intelligence group???????

Care to back up this complete and total BS statement?

[PaDUer]

34. $$$$$ n/t

[Barkley]

35. Bush can not take NASCAR fans for granted

Bush is falling in the polls and it ain't because of DUers losing faith in the President.

The Iraq war which was supposed to be a romp is looking more and more like a Viet Nam quagmire.

There have been some serious allegations raised against Bush's AWOL in the last couple of weeks. And even Bill O'Rielly has had to publicly retract his endorsement of the Iraq war.

But most importantly, the recovery has not produced jobs in the manufacturing sector, which has a lot of NASCAR fans. In fact, manufacturing has lost jobs since 2001.

Finally, the Democrats have indicated the party's intention to recruit these voters in 2004. I think many NASCAR people can identify with an authentic working class person like John Edwards and his "Two Americas" message.

I say we welcome them into our party!

[stoystown]

4. Squinty should pose for a picture with Greg Biffle (no. 16)

Or at least Biffle's car:


http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/gbiffle00/cup/index.html

[Malva Zebrina]

5. Is he going to get a costume and dress up

in one of those suits and varoom around the track in it, and then emerge,and strut about the place?

[Insider]

6. jacket logos will tell all

watch for the jacket...

[flakey_foont]

7. new campaign song?

the "Dukes of Hazzard" theme song?

[historian]

10. he should join in the race

Perhaps if he joined in the race he would run himself over and spare the world of his presence?
Nah too good to be true

[loudnclear]

12. Wonder how many of them lost a job or working below former pay level?

Just asking.

[Sandpiper]

16. Plenty of them I would think

But let's be realistic. Jesus would have hard time winning these people over if he ran as a democrat.

[wabeewoman]

22. He got a few questions about this during the

press briefing today. I think the press is starting to wise up to everything he does is political. Course his spokesman wouldn't address anything about the campaign and then made out like this wasn't political. I imagine unemployment hits the NASCAR dads as much as anybody-I really don't think he has a chance with anybody but the real RWers.

[0007]

26. Is Halliburton running their speedy car?

[DianeG5385]

28. Peeps, there alot of Democrat NASCAR fans like me

who will NEVER vote for Bush! NASCAR fans are very patriotic, but they know an idiot when the see one. Besides, Bush* doesn't match their demographics, alot of them are out of jobs beacause of Bush*! Bush* cannot relate to them. Yeah, they'll play to the patriotic thing but in the end they will vote their pocketbooks because it's the Dems who have put money there!

[Elwood P Dowd]

29. NASCAR is not exactly the way you guys portray it

Here is a link to a post I made this afternoon. I put the wrong number on the fan base (it's 75 million not 50). Most of the NASCAR fans I know are not rebel flag waving Bubbas with an IQ of 95, and many of them vote democratic.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1118951

[Lugnut]

33. Same here Elwood.

I'm not a rebel flag waver nor a Bubba. I have voted Democratic since I initially registered to vote and I'm not an idiot. What I am is a NASCAR fan. The NASCAR fans I know do not fit the sterotypical profiles I read from some uninformed posters.

[Jose Diablo]

30. Wouldn't it be grand if he was Boo'ed, by practically all. n/t

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[bluedog]

36. "Pants on Fire"

Will be in Tampa Sunday and will be crossing the Gandy Bridge about 3:30 hoping the pres will see it when his plane comes into Tampa airport....note it was suppose to leave today...but wanted to "greet" its inspiration....LOL

[Stuckinthebush]

37. Are NASCAR Dads really an up for graps demographic?

Or are we trying to have another cute "soccer moms" demographic for discussion sake. The GOP has always had the NASCAR vote. Why would this election be any different?