An actual case of bush voter regret......an acquaintance called me tonight

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

she starts off with this condescending, sickeningly sweet "how ARE you?" crap and I said "fine why?" and she says "well you know with the election and all, I just wanted to make sure you were ok....I'm here to talk if you need to, you know" (like I'm some kind of mental patient).

I think I kind of threw her off because she called right when my daughter and I were laughing ourselves silly over some stupid joke book of hers (knock, knock. Who's there? Interrupting chicken....)

So I sounded all happy and out of breath and she actually sounded a bit put out.

Then she lays this on me: "I kinda wish I hadn't voted for bush."

What. The. Hell.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, I say "WHAT?" and she repeats it. For a second, I really didn't even care why. Who cares? The vote's been cast, election done stolen, deed done. So I said "look, I have to go--" and she stopped me and said "it's just that.....things are going kinda bad for him so far..."

I laughed and said "You realize he would have still been in office right now even if Kerry had been allowed to win, right?" She said "allowed to win?" and I repeated what I said and she said "yes, I just didn't know it'd be this bad."

SO I thought what the hell and asked her to get more specific. She said "well all these resignations look pretty bad and I don't think Iraq is going so well" (YOU DON'T SAY??? I wanted to yell).

So. It's just because things aren't LOOKING so good for bush. Excuse me while I savor this just a bit. Because if our guys are going to die in Iraq, if Iraqis are going to die for nothing, hey there might as well be SOME kind of silver lining and it might as well be enjoying watching bush sweat and his supporters squirm.

My final response to her was: "The fact of the matter is, you DID vote for him. Most of us saw the writing on the wall where bush is concerned MONTHS ago at the very least, but you insisted on voting for him. No the Iraq war isn't going very well, in fact, I think I'm being optimistic when I say it's a hellhole and a mess and everyone there is extremely unfortunate right now. Not only that but you forgot to mention this lovely economy he has wrought, which YOU'VE been the victim of."

I went on a while longer, just couldn't help it. She said "well, if I could go back again and do it over, I'd probably vote for Kerry."

Yeah, she was expecting me to be all "oh isn't that nice, thank you!" but I said "well you can't and a lot of good that does now, doesn't it?"

I hope she gets the message I really don't want to continue communicating with her. I think she did. If I was unclear I'll be sure to tell her straight out next time I see her.

If you think that was harsh, I really don't care. If you voted for him, you might as well "embrace the full horror of the nightmare that is bush" (Thanks Walt for that phrase I love it).

Now I fully expect some DUers to tell me I lost the opportunity to reach out and convert her to our side, blahblahblah. Sorry but I'm into tough love nowdays. I talked to her and talked to her about the issues and listened to her constantly before the election. I swear she would tease me into thinking she MIGHT vote for Kerry, then she'd be all gung ho for bush again next time I saw her (and for the record, we did talk about other things and she brought up politics nine times out of ten).

And it's not like Diebold would have said "Oh well that one lady in Texas is voting for Kerry, no messing with the results in THAT case!"

[liberalpragmatist]

1. It's ok - I understand, but I wouldn't totally blow this woman off

I've heard similar stories. Some Republicans I know said their opinion of Kerry went way up after his concession and said they're having second thoughts.

I know this is exasperating. Couldn't they see the emperor had no clothes BEFORE the election?! But keep in mind that this is still good. Better late than never. And these could be potential votes in '06 and '08. So don't blow them off, b/c we need votes in '08 desperately.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

3. Yeah I know I know

but at this point I just feel like "whatever." It pisses me off no end. She totally played me for three months before the election ("oooo tell me how Kerry feels about blahblahblah, that sounds interesting" and then "oh I just think bush is so good for national security").

And honestly I don't think she'll vote Dem in 06 or 08. She's too big into "my family has voted republican for a long time and I'm not going to stop now" despite the fact that I have told her it is NOT her dad's republican party and showed her the John Eisenhower article, etc.

[Blue_Roses]

31. I'm with you...fuck'em

sorry, but they made their deal with the devil, let them reap the full wrath of it, cause they will reap something that they hadn't planned on during the next four years.

I'm in a "fuck it" mode. Like "theDoctor" said, let this train continue to it's obvious train wreck. Sometimes, people only listen when their whole world has been turned upside down. :smoke:

[skooooo]

7. Second thoughts?

More like they're finally STARTING to think. A little too late.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

10. Like my grandfather used to say

"a day late and a dollar short" and a lot of freaking good THAT does.

[charlyvi]

2. M_B...Is this the same lady

that lost her job in the tourist industry and said she was voting for shrub because she had been raised to be Repub?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

4. YEP

[charlyvi]

12. I don't believe it.

I bet if she had it to do over again she'd vote the same way. Besides, is she saying she wished she hadn't voted for shrub just because he looks bad now? She wishes Kerry was the one looking bad? You know, the only solace I have is that Kerry isn't stuck trying to clean up an impossible mess that shrub created. He's made the mess, let him clean it up.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

20. Yeah I really

didn't buy it on a lot of levels. I wonder if she isn't just saying that. I mean, it's nice and safe to say that NOW, isn't it?

[The Wielding Truth]

16. Oh no, not her . Moon, she wants ya back.

Are ya gonna give in?This is a great story.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

19. Nah

honestly it wasn't that great of a friendship anyway. More like she only calls me when she wants something from me and not just to do things or talk.

[ClassWarrior]

5. You done right Moon.

We DO have to reach out. But you reached out in exactly the right way for that situation. Sometimes the truth is tough.

"And if there's a message, I guess this is it. The truth isn't easy. The easy part's shit." - Todd Rundgren

NGU.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Oh not from me

I have started to notice this buyer's remorse from some

I had one tell me that now that the election was over and he had time to think about it, maybe he should have voted for Kerry

I told him, he is 26, he can call me when the draft board sends him his card,. I will help him pack more thinngs than he really needs for Boot Camp (they go bad you know in storage), and push him out the door

He looked at me a strange look in his face.

I went, sweetie you voted for him. I have no empathy left for you

Now go die for your cause... remember take bug spray and sun screan and definitely keep your weapon clean, I want you to fully experience the horror that is bush ... and maybe even survive it and have nightmares for the rest of your life

That is not very liberal of you

No, sometimes teh nation needs a shock to come down to reality... you delivered the shock, now you get to live with it.

And you know what, they need to hear it... their vote has consequences.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

9. It does.

I mean it's SO hard to hear this from someone when I practically killed myself canvassing hundreds of houses and phone banking every night, giving every spare buck to political campaigns and the DNC, and living and BREATHING this freaking election for two years.

I wanted to say "oh well isn't THAT fucking special? NOW you regret supporting him??? NOW??? If you had three brain cells to rub together and an actual heart beating in your chest you would have regretted your **2000*** vote by early 2003, at the LATEST, sucka."

But I didn't.

[AspenRose]

42. "That's not very liberal of you...."

If someone would have told me that, I would have dusted off that quote from Democratic president Harry Truman:

"I don't 'give them hell.' I tell them the truth and they think it's hell."

BED. MADE. LIE.

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. You know I may have to

that said, they are in shock

So far I have unloaded on four Bush suporters, and they don't like it one bit

One of them even said, "your liberal attitudes may push us to civil war."

I just said, in the email,

So be it

He responnded, WHAT?

Your side has been pushing for one for thirty years, so be it.

[burn the bush]

8. this is what my friend said

I talked to my long time friend. My best friend for 25 years. Well, neither of us had been very political so I guess I never knew much about her political views. She had gotten involved with the libertarian party a little so i didn't think she was a bush voter.
she is...
i asked how she could be..
she stated stuff about people on welfare abusing the system, afraid Kerry wasn't strong enough to control the war.
I tried to tell her of all the terrible things that bush has done. I told her that this war was his war, that he lied.
she said
"well, we needed a war"
I kinda blew up. I couldn't believe it.
We're still friends and all and tonight I called her husband and tried to reason with him, but he thinks that we are only killing the people who needed to be killed anyway, so there wasn't' much reasoning.
I finally told him that we were going to save the country, them included, whether they liked it or not.

[ClassWarrior]

11. If they're hopeless, hardcore...

...let 'em go and concentrate your powers of persuasion on moderates.

NGU.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

17. My two cents' worth

I've lived long enough to know that dumbing down for friends just doesn't work in the long (there's that word again) run.

If these people are voicing their regrets to you - people who busted ass for JK - then I'd say you've been associating with misguided morons.

Give them bus fare to Clue, and teach them how to wave bye-bye. Some things you just don't get over.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

23. You reminded me of someting my brother used to say

"Here comes the Clue Bus, coming around the corner! Next stop: YOU! Don't miss it!"

Then he'd give a little "honk honk! Here it is!"

It was hilarious.

I agree. I've always known she isn't the brightest bulb in the pack and honestly our "friendship" has been on thin ice since about a year ago when she said the Iraqi war makes her feel better about Sept. 11 because it's revenge and she doesn't care if Iraqis didn't have anything to do with it.

Yeah. Nice "morals" huh?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

37. Now.........

I'm starting to wonder about you.

OK, THAT WAS A JOKE. OK?

But, seriously, what were you thinking? If a friend of mine said something linking 9/11 to the invasion of Iraq, I'd have to do something to help him end the misery of his ignorance.

You're too smart to waste your time with someone that thick.

Oh, and THEY NEVER GET SMARTER. Keep that in mind.

You'll have better luck teaching the dog how to yodel.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

47. No need to worry about me.

At that moment, when she said that, something snapped inside me, like a small twig and I knew that was what little respect I had for her. It was gone. I seriously was slack jawed when she said that. I didn't know whether to shake her or go home and cry because there were ACTUALLY people who felt that way. I ended up chewing her out instead. Oh I was quite the life of the dinner party THAT night, LOL!

From there on out, our "friendship" became quite superficial and I spent very little time around them.

Now I spend NO time around them and haven't in probably over a month. Tonight is the first time I have talked to her in three weeks. I think she knows she can't count me as a friend anymore.

But really I haven't been her friend in quite some time.

[Cheswick2.0]

43. OMG how can you have anything to do with her?

She isn't even anywhere near NYC, but she thinks we just need to take revenge against any old Arab. If I were you I would seriously do the following, for her good and yours:

First round up all the pictures you can of dean Iraqi children. Show them to here and remind her what she said. Give her some statistics about the numbers of dead and how much this war is costing us. Let her know that as someone who believes in God, you believe this war is immoral and that we have all been made murderers by the worst President in American History, furthermore one who was not elected by the vote of the people. Tell her that unless she be truly regrets her vote and can tell you why and promises to become better informed, being friends with her is just too painful....because you care about her but you are horrified by her attitude.
Do it all with an attitude of love and regret. She will either come around or she is simply not worth your time.

Frankly she sounds way to stupid to be friends with.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

48. I'll pass.

I tried all that. She got pissed off at me for trying to show her pictures of what we are doing over there and then her husband accused me of using pictures from al-Jazeera. The funny thing is, they weren't from al-Jazeera, but were from AP and Reuters, etc.

At that point, I knew it was no good. Soulless bastards, they are.

[The Wielding Truth]

22. I had two separate incidents were I was told it would be good for the

economy. I has as shocked as you. Are they that unaware of what war is?

[Sputnik]

13. Tell her

if you do talk to her again, that she cast her vote, so now she has to own it. It's part of Bush's "ownership society."

I have no sympathy for people who should have realized before November 2 what a little shit Bush is. Hell, how many years do they need?

[sandnsea]

14. I don't believe them

I'm not making nice nice with some of my Republian friends either. I think alot of them really thought this was just another election. One team fighting the other, cheering it on like those paint your belly fans. Some of them will say anything to make nice, because they never got it to start with.

I also think some of them are going to come out of their fog over the next few months and be horrified at what they've done.

I've got no sympathy for either of them. Actually, I have more sympathy for the abortion voters, because at least they were standing on some kind of principle, even though I disagree with it.

[muse]

21. I have no sympathy for the abortion voters, because I am just as deadly

serious in my pro-choice vote. The anti-abortion voters get no free pass from me for their Bush vote. They get held accountable for the mess we are all in and will continue to be in for years and years to come because of what their vote caused.

[sandnsea]

27. the principle of the vote

I think there were a whole lot of Republican voters out there who voted on their egotistical need to beat up a liberal. That's it, that's all. The ones who truly believe abortion is murder, that's a principle. I disagree, but I respect anybody who at least voted on a principle. Shit all over the liberals, no matter the cost or facts in front of your face, is what this election was mostly about on the right.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

39. I agree

I've seen a lot of Presidential campaigns, but nothing ever as ugly and meanspirited as this one.

"Liberal" as an epithet. Imagine .........

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

24. yeah

her husband treats it all like it was some kind of football game.

It's pretty sickening and no I won't be contacting her (I didn't tonight, she called me).

It seemed like she wanted to alleviate some kind of guilt but I wasn't buying what she was selling. She's still got blood on her hands.

[RevCheesehead]

15. Is this the neighbor whose husband defaced your signs?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

25. YEP

same one. And the same one who MOVED his bush sign after the election so that it FACED our house.

Yeah.

Which is part of why I was snippy with her to begin with. I just have NO respect for them at all. They are hypocrites and immoral. Period.

[RevCheesehead]

38. Ya know, Moon, I think she wants back on your gravy train...

If there is an ounce of sincerity to what she was saying, don't you think you'd be able to tell?

And after that sign-defacing debacle, it seemed pretty clear that you were on the permanent "outs" with that family.

Now that the election is over, and her pocketbook is still hurting, just WHY do you suppose she suddenly has "buyer's regret????"

You can still be cordial, but be VERY CAREFUL. She sounds like a user and a taker, and her call just doesn't pass the "smells test."

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

45. Oh she's definitely a user

which is why she's only going to get my answering machine from here on out. If I leave it turned on, LOL!

Most of our real friends call us on our cell phones anyway, not our land line, which we are coincidentally, about to get rid of.

[muse]

18. My cousin called (Bush voter) with the same "how are you?" crap

TWICE right after the concession. And to tell me she was sorry over how bad I felt. I like your analogy to them thinking we were mental patients or something. The second time I laid into her, I'm afraid. Do these people not know how raw our emotions are?? How serious we are about how bad this is for our country? I basically said I was holding her personally responsible for a whole list of things. Which I am serious about. Each and every Bush voter is responsible at this point for every thing that follows from here on out.

[alcuno]

28. My standard response, "59 million Americans chose to reward failure."

"How are YOU?"

[NuttyFluffers]

26. she just enjoyed the game -- false friendship.

she's just sad that the game is now over and she has no one left to play with but her own sad consequences. your friendship was based on her being a shallow tease and getting off on the attention. now that you've stopped the game she's trying to lure you back in.

whatever, i haven't the time for such people in my life anymore, and i expect neither did you. you did the right thing. if she's ever gonna learn it's going to be from something painful like this.

[spooky3]

29. You're more patient than I would be--I'd say "So sorry, I'm too busy to

talk..."

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

30. that's what it's going to be next time she calls

or she can talk to my answering machine until she gets the message.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

40. Wait, wait, let's not be hasty

Is there any way you can toy with her to amuse yourself?

For instance, tell her you sincerely regret your vote for John Kerry, and that you think the fighting in Iraq just isn't bloody enough to teach those heathens how a god-fearing christian democracy is supposed to work.

Then offer her a cupcake.

Wear a frilly apron when you do this.

Have you seen the original "Stepford Wives"?

Think: Nancy Reagan gazing at Ronnie. When he was sort of alive........

[SmokingJacket]

32. They stood up for ** because he was "being attacked"...

and now that there's no one attacking him, they're giving him a frank look. And hating what they see.

Fucking losers. I hate them.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

35. You know

I really think you are on to something there. Their backs were all up because there were campaigns going on, a presidency to "save" and now they are stuck with what they bought and he ain't looking so pretty the next morning, mascara all smudged and crap in his teeth, all hungover and dragon breath, bags under his eyes.

bush voters had beer goggles on, big time.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

41. You're RIGHT

They weren't so much FOR Bush as against anyone WE liked.

Cripes. That explains the whining and pissing that's still going on among those unwashed cretins. No sense of joy, no celebrating, no going overboard with happiness.

Of course, I also believe they suffer from anhedonia - an inability to experience pleasure. If that's true, I can only say "Good!"

Thanks for making this clear for me.

Now, I hate them much more simply and directly.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

44. You are seriously cracking me up today

you need to hang around in posts I am in more often. LOL!

"Now I hate them much more simply and directly." I love it. You kill me.

Now I will take my nose out of your ass.

Yeah, I noticed a distinct lack of celebration when he "won." And I thought that was awfully weird, since I'd be freaking dancing in the street if Kerry had been allowed to win.

Yep, beer goggles.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

46. Hey............

That was your nose?

Does my new avatar creep you out?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

50. It's some kind of ballerina

but it looks a bit like a guy. Hard to see.

Your old one freaked me out because I've seen the full size image. Egad! LOL!

[Shoeempress]

33. But people like this are fun to torture. Whenever something really bloody

from the war comes up, I'd call them and say, "God you must be feeling like sh#% for voting for Bush. those dead, injured, maimed, people are all your fault. You really must be devastated. I couldn't live with the guilt, I don't know how you can?" Then hang up. Of course, I should point out I have no friends and my family won't speak to me, so maybe my advice is extreme.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

36. Can I point out

that I took perverse pleasure in imagining doing that?

Thanks! I should send her an email with an update of how many have died in the war every day. That'd be good.

[NJ_Lib]

34. OH. MY. FREAKIN. GOD.

I'm speechless...

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. I am curious, WHY?

The country is that divided....

[Old Hickory Fan]

52. Standard Answer No. 123 goes like this :)

I wouldn't believe her. I would leave her afraid very afraid....

Here goes......................


"Oh gotta run, I am afraid ---- very afraid. I saw the report on 60 minutes and since Bin Laden was left on the loose by the fearless leader I have got to go shopping for more ductape and plastic. No time to talk got to get batteries too. Take Care and I will be praying for you and all your family. Later!"


Hehehehehe

[yardwork]

53. I'm sick of appeasing morans

There's a lot of truth in a lot of posts on this thread.

I wrote off a long-time friend when he told me that he thought it was too bad that we needed the oil in the middle east, because otherwise we could just drop a nuclear bomb on the the whole region. That was it. End of friendship.

My husband, who is far more tolerant than I (and didn't hear the comment first-hand), finally snapped at the jerk the other day when the idiot said, "You're not really upset about the election results are you?"

On another board where I post a bush-supporter actually got mad at those of us who supported Kerry for not congratuling the bush-supporters on their victory and "wishing the president well."

At least they are consistent. Too mean and stupid not to vote for bush. Too mean and stupid to get along with normal people.