The October Suprise was 11 (anti) "Gay Marriage" amendments...

[zaj]

It was an amazingly effective "wedge" issue that peeled off a good deal of the traditional Dem base.

I think Bush lead among Catholics and among Hispanics in large part because of this issue.

I'm ashamed of the opinions of so many of my fellow Americans right now.

[aden_nak]

1. What it did was get fundies to the polls who would have stayed home.

They filed out in droves to vote down Gay Marriage, and while they were there, of course, they voted Bush. It was a very clever tactic, and annoyingly legal.

[davepc]

2. and one we hand delivered to them without realizing.

We picked the wrong time to fight that fight. And it cost us the election.

[jdj]

5. get a clue people

go read some blackboxvoting.org

[zaj]

10. Indeed... That's why the forced the issue.

You can't stop the issue from being fought though. The Reps in Congress tried to pass legistation that was so fundamentally flawed, they KNEW the Dems would be forced to fight the flaws... which then would be seen as fighting the issue of Gay Marriage.

Dirty Tricks... but it was the key to "victory", and we were so busy talking about OBL that we didn't even see it coming.

Funny thing is, that at the time of the federal gay marriage amendment debate, it was all the talk that it was being made an issue for just this purpose. I don't know that there was anyway to stop it (other than "the ground game", which the Republicans have become equal in capability).

[gatorboy]

3. Yep. That's exactly what it was.

Wasn't it Mississippi that had early voting on the matter and they came out in droves? The "Kerry will Ban the Bible" schtick worked beautifully for them....

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Marriage

Like that damn institution was in jeopardy? What to protect marriage? BAN DIVORCE! All we (gays) want are EQUAL rights!!! I don't give a SHIT what you call it! Call it the gay "ooga booga" for all I care, just give me the same rights!!

[jdj]

9. the small irony is that boy in ten years we have gone

from being discriminated against as deranged perverts, to being discriminated against for wanting "traditional family values". While some will frame this as a loss for the party (I blame election fraud instead) I have to bask in the fact that it is a tremendous victory for gay americans to have the debate framed in this manner.

[March of Time]

6. Fuck the Pope.

I wish the Soviets would have killed the bastard.

[davepc]

12. Uhm, the evangelicals who turned out for Bush

aren't catholics

[nyhuskyfan]

13. You realize when a pope dies, they name a new one

Just checking

[Radio-Active]

7. and yet Bush and Kerry are both pro-civil unions

[Catfight]

8. Yes, hate is obviously a family value. Make sure you teach your

kids about racism too.

[jdj]

11. no need

they learn that in sunday school.