A Sampling of my Friends' Views

Meighan is a 28 year old Black mother of two who is back in school trying to reach her version of the American dream. She stated "I was for Dean until the confederate flag incident. It made me take a closer look at his whole platform and it left me wondering. Not so much the flag but his plans in general." Her husband hasn't shared any of his thoughts about the candidates, yet. But she is going to do some real hard looking at their records as soon as the semester ends and she can spend more time ferreting out the truth. Then she will "make up her mind. I am not impressed with Kerry and I still want to believe in Dean."

Barbara, a county supervisor and life time Democrat, still likes Dean. She has worked for 40 years for a national health care plan and he comes the closest to what she wants on that issue. She decries the apathy of some voters and feels the more people who vote the better chance we have of deposing Bush.

Karla is a young musician who appreciated my feigning surprise at her being a Liberal (the capitol L is hers) Democrat. In a conversation we had tonight she said she had been for Dean until the local paper published the candidates views side by side. She switched to Kerry because she felt he was closer to what she wanted in a candidate.

Tyrone, 34, is a former campaign worker for Bob Graham who hasn't switched his allegiance to another candidate, yet because "once they get in office they will follow protocal, basicly-I want Bush out of there most of all-that's the #1 priority". He went on to explain that his lost interest is not due just to Graham no longer running but also to there not being a lot of difference among the candidates.