A few things I observerd in eastern NC, including a couple of surprises to me

[unc70]

I started to post this in Tatiana's thread, but it really needed to be on its own.

While not canvassing for any candidate, I have talked to or overheard a lot of people the past few days in central and eastern NC - extended family, friends, and total strangers. Also local news.

My biggest surprise was seeing people in eastern NC talking about the election in the checkout lines. I have never witnessed anything like that before, even if it was little more than "Who are they for up your way?", "Probably none of the above.", or "How close you think it's going to be?".

Like Tatiana found in IN, I sense that NC voters know the issues, the candidate's positions, and can have civil discussions without the rancor we see at DU. The NC economy is a bit better than what you report in IN, but eastern NC is doing a lot worse than here in the Triangle.

Some things seem really different in NC. Obama hurt his own credibility while dealing with Wright when he initially denied knowing about any of it until the videos appeared. The videos of Wright and the perception that Obama had lied undermined him as a unifying new kind of politician. I think this cost him a lot of votes among white voters who had responded positively to his Reagan-like language.

High Dem registration, particularly among blacks. White males will vote Clinton and McCain in November. They still think McCain can win over either (certainly true in NC), still hate Clinton, and believe is a socialist or worse.

Most people are pretty cynical and doubt any politician will do what they are promising or anything else that will help them. There is a strong populist component in NC politics of all types.

I gained some insight at the gas pump. I heard two guys at nearby pumps joking about the gas tax holiday, that it would be more than $30 for them, no way it would happen, just pandering -- "But at least this time they are pandering to us."

CW is Obama but closer than expected.

[babylonsister]

1. Nothing like placing your own talking points into

overheard conversations. And the fact that you got all that from listening to a few conversations is remarkable!

[panader0]

3. correct.

[KoKo]

6. The poster is a North Carolinian....maybe they know more about how to read

their fellow locals.

[unc70]

8. I said I talked to and overheard. Mostly direct conversation

Over the past week, I have probably talked with 40 or 50 people about the election. Some were as short as a couple of minutes, some as long as 1-2 hours. The longer conversations were with family and friends I have known for years and includes Chapel Hill liberals, libertarian/independents, mainstream Dems, Reagan Dems, Helms Repubs, and most everything else.

I was born and raised in eastern NC and escaped to Chapel Hill in the 60's. Most the branches of my family tree were there by the early 1700's.

I spoke with a couple of people on the right, rather than my normal fleeing when politics would come up with them. My curiosity overcame me. When one of the men said he was voting for Clinton, I found out that he has remained registered as a Dem all this time. I was surprised about that and checked on a couple of others and found several others also listed as Dems. I now have to reconsider how many Reagan Democrats there might be. He said he didn't think that many people registered as Republican had gone to the trouble of changing their registration to vote for Clinton or Obama.

I started hearing people saying they did not believe Obama's denials back when the videos first came out. I posted back then I suspected this would hurt his credibility over time. This was confirmed by how people reacted after Wright's press conference. When I asked people how much impact they thought Wright had made and where, their responses were roughly that there was no effect on the college students or black voters, but considerable on younger white voters.

I have my receipt for the gas pump in Kinston.

I did not bring up the election with anyone I did not know, but did join one of them.


What are the rest of you in NC seeing and hearing as we get ready to vote?

Anyone seeing anything contradictory or even a lot different?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. Obama by 24.

Just a feeling.

[On the Road]

4. I Went to Middle School in Washington NC

and, man, was it different from New Jersey. Very rural and conservative. Schools still segregated for all intents and purposes. I wouldn't expect Obama to do well there. But it's being overshadowed more and more by the cities.

[MattNC]

9. he has an office there

he must feel differently.

cool you're from "little Washington" - my parents grew up there.

[jsamuel]

5. "But at least this time they are pandering to us."

and that is why she did it. It was more to show that she is on their side. It is really a symbolic gesture. Will it work? I don't know.

[KoKo]

7. Our next door neighbors who we thought were Repugs put out a Hillary sign this morning.

I've never seen them put out a campaign sign for anyone while (until this primary) my yard is filled with Dem Signs for every race. Also I live in a heavy Repug Neighborhood and our house is one of the very few that ever has Dem Signs in the yard. My neighbors are Country Clubbers and very much into "their crowd." Why they would pick day before election day to put up a sign for Hillary...is beyond me. :shrug: