Anecdotal: 7/11 Experience

Since I live in Las Vegas, my cornerstore is a 7/11.  I used to know all the employees at my local 7/11, but because I've moved apartments, I'm having to acquaint myself with a whole new set of employees.  Over the past several weeks, I've gotten into the habit of asking many of those I come into casual contact with if they plan to vote in the presidential election.  I generally don't try and convince any of these people of who they should vote, but do tell them I plan to support John Kerry.  I generally just catalogue their responses into my own cerebral database.  Most answer either they do not care or they'll be voting for Kerry.  Admittedly, these are not the people who are making over $200,000 a year, but the answers I receive are generally encouraging.

Tonight, as I was buying cookies and milk at my 7/11, I had an interesting exchange with the cashier.  Earlier in the evening, I had asked him if he planned to vote and he responded in the affirmative.  He said he was going to vote for Bush and gave a sort of 'whadaya-think-of-that?' smile.  He said that he saw Bush as a strong leader, but that one of his friends was telling him he should vote for Kerry, for his pocketbook.  I responded that Bush was certainly consistent, but he seemed to be consistently wrong about a lot of things and then walked out of the door.  

Tonight as I was paying for my cookies and milk, I asked the cashier if he was really serious about voting for Bush.  His response with a shit eating smile was, 'Nah, man.'  I told him that although I've only ever voted once before and am not overly political by nature, I was really 'fired up' to vote this year.  He said that from his experience, lots of people felt the same way.  I think his exact words were, 'A lot of people who don't vote usually are going to vote this year.'  (To provide a little context, I am a white dude and the cashier was a black dude.)

I'll spare you the cheerleading, but I really do believe that we will carry John Kerry to the white house on the backs of people who generally don't vote.  It is most definitely hard to keep an optimistic outlook when the media trumpets away at Bush's huge lead ad nauseum, but I submit to you that we're in good shape and minus a complete Kerry meltdown we will defy the polls and put a compassionate, competent man in the white house come November!