Is the race really this close? Who do you think will win?

[GreyhoundsRUs]

I think that used to be the traditional wisdom, but I think it's changed quite a bit. If I has to guess which demographic would be more inclined to answer a call from an unknown number to their landline phone, it would be square on older voters. Also, add to that typical polling behavior that a LOT of elderly have been alarmed by the Ryan budget and frequent GOP comments about changing how Medicare and Social Security should be changed/limited, and I think there could be a significant older voter shift. I was surprised as hell when my very GOP mom, grandfather, and great aunt all decided to not vote for Romney.

Interesting, because our very Democratic great aunt decided to vote for him because Obamacare worries her I think it's a crapshoot

[diggitydot]

Interesting. My mom is exceedingly religious, but she's adamant about equal rights and is rabidly pro-choice. Grandpa is freaked out over the SS and Medicare proposals from Ryan. Great aunt is a retired union machinist who doesn't like all the anti-union rhetoric.

[Deebs]

I am excited to see election day results come in. I think it's interesting that Obama rallies were consistently crowds of 100K+ 4 years ago, and more like 30,000 now. I also find it sad - He IS the president of the United States. I guess that (and maybe FB) are where I think that strong Obama supporters are more vocal, but it seems there are so many people that don't feel well represented by either party. I do think our country is strongly divided, but don't have a good sense of who will come out on top.

[peggyfromwastate]

DD, my grandma who has always voted dem for her whole life (and she's 93!) is staunchly Romney this time around. I think it's the 1984-ish things with Big Brother seemingly taking over more parts of everyday life. Could be she's ticked off at her son who is a super super liberal because he keeps strong arming her to spend her life savings on new computers and crap like that.

Our family is super politically divided. We don't talk politics and it's kind of a mystery how all the cousins (my generation) votes bc the older generations are so hotly split on it. It's come to where my dad (republican) and my uncle (super lib) got into it so that they didn't even TALK for a year. Totally ignored each other at family functions.

That's why the cousins and I do a collective eyeroll and choose safe comments like "politicians are egotistical slime balls... Generally..."

And DD I see a lot of wisdom in what you say about the landline polling reflecting a greater portion of elderly. Who under 40 answers a landline? Or has a landline? I don't know.

[v-girl]

DH's diehard Dem godfather invited us to a Tea Party rally when we were in St. L this summer. I almost fell over. I think FIL was almost ready to disown his favorite cousin over that. Ha ha ha!

[peggyfromwastate]

Politics in families can get so nasty! Ugh!

As we approach the Thanksgiving season...

I remember how bad thanksgiving the year if the GWB vs Gore supreme court decision. Man, that was an AWKWARD thanksgiving. Liberal uncle kept making snide remarks about how Gore really won and my parents kept sputtering on about how Gore was only close bc of voter fraud... It was ugly!

[alison]

We are somewhat divided even within our own household. I'm a diehard liberal, and dh is a fiscal conservative. We avoid talking about politics unless absolutely in the mood for a fight!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

We were a house divided last election. This year, DH is voting with me. We had some terrible fights about last election but this time he has decided to vote for the correct side

[migirl]

I am so, so relieved that Election Day is finally here. We are not technically a swing state, but our home phone (yes, we have a landline...) has been ringing off the hook for the past few weeks and our mail is filled with campaign flyers (I don't really watch TV, otherwise I'm sure I would be complaining about all the television ads too!). I am just tired of it all.

Our votes (DH's and mine) were going to cancel each other out, but now he's unexpectedly faced with a long OR day and didn't have time to request an absentee ballot so he won't be voting. So our household vote goes to my candidate.

[corn poffi]

I just hate politics. Elections turn people into monsters. In few normal-person conversations would anybody actually say "i think your personal opinion is incorrect, so now I'm gonna rattle off some facts so you'll agree with me. You probably won't change your mind, but that's because you're .I might also yell at you, depending on how wrong you are, just in hopes to get you to vote on the correct side. Correct, of course, means whatever I believe." That's basically any political argument. Political agreements are less amusing until they get into insulting the other side behind their backs. Because obviously anybody who disagrees is a raging moron. That's my basis for why political ads shouldn't exist. Everybody mudslings enough on their own. Why spend the money?

I was at a corner grocery store the other day. The cashier was talking with a man I'm assuming was a regular. She asked him if he had voted early. He replied,"I did, but now I'm regretting it. I just drove past this yard sign for the other guy, so I'm thinking about changing my vote." I'm not sure how he kept a straight face!

Anyway...the talking heads are already doing the "what if there's a tie?" discussion. Apparently there is nothing actually going on in the world today, so they must talk about hypothetical situations.

[Michele]

I am excited to see election day results come in. I think it's interesting that Obama rallies were consistently crowds of 100K+ 4 years ago, and more like 30,000 now. I also find it sad - He IS the president of the United States. I guess that (and maybe FB) are where I think that strong Obama supporters are more vocal, but it seems there are so many people that don't feel well represented by either party. I do think our country is strongly divided, but don't have a good sense of who will come out on top.

I think when Obama ran the first time more peoplewenttothe rallies bc he is black and it added a racial component to the politics. Now we already know him and some of his supporters probably don't feel the urgency to prove he's worth it. Or maybe he just has that many less supporters.

Please excuse the crappy red light post.

[SoonerTexan]

I was reading about how the process would allow for a Romney/Biden White House if a specific situation happened. I don't think anyone wants that

[Pollyanna]

So am I the only one who likes election season? I love it, the debates, discussions, commentary, etc. I like when candidates go after each other in heated debate (about issues, not extraneous bs), I want our politicians to be passionate and fight for our Country. I'm not looking for people to come to the middle and get along. I've had to seek out election coverage this time around because you can barely tell there is an election around here. I did get one call and did that poll but other than that not much election excitement in TN, lol.

[SoonerTexan]

I liked elections better before Facebook

[Pollyanna]

I liked elections better before Facebook

Lol, I just ignore Facebook election stuff. Very little of what people post is worth reading.