A reader's anecdotal observations from Cobb County...
Cobb county Georgia, the center heart of Newt country.
Early voting centers opened at high government/county offices last week. All week ,morning until night the lines remained 2-3 hours long to vote. An eyeball estimate is heavy democratic lean in those lines. 70-80% Democratic/Obama is possible.
Today satellite offices for voting opened adding several more voting stations around the county.
I just came back from the East Cobb polling place located in a smaller county office.
You can't get near it. This polling place is next to a large post office and a large church. (so lots of parking as the church must hold 3 acres parking anyway?) The police have cones out and are directing traffic but the cars back up a mile from it. Parking is as you choose, I saw people walking to and from both the post office and church lots to the polling area. It seems people are beginning to use surrounding neighborhood streets to park as well and then walk ......1/2 miles to vote?
The line is at least 300 people long outside of the office at 9:30 am. The weather is cool here. Maybe 40 degrees but sunny. Most everyone looked dressed for it. Lots of big coats and hats. The came dressed like a football game knowing they would be there for many hours.
This is something I have never seen (50ty) no matter what at any polling place. Not on election day and sure as hell not on an early voting day.
We have all week to vote early here now. Each and every person in the line knows that. They got in a car and drove there. So just what the hell is going on?
It is East Cobb so I can say the line is overwhelmingly white. Still it isn't all white, It is the makeup of where I live. I have a hard time believing that these lines are made up of McCain folk all excited to vote republican. They seem friendly, the crowds are smiling, chatting quietly, and i don't get friendly back these days when I talk with McCain supporters, they mostly seem mad and pinched up when the election is mentioned.
What does anyone know after looking at a crowd for 15 minutes (I didn't stay to vote, I live close, I want the reason to go back the next few days and observe this anyway.) I am just passing on impressions here obviously. But something is happening, that is for damn sure.
Saxby got a slide last time for a lot of lousy crap he did. We had the war and whatnot to pay attention to, so while it was known and disliked he got a pass. I get a sense that a lot of people remember and remember it well. How does that figure in? What are these people who have lined up to wait hours and hours to vote thinking?
Regards from Marietta Georgia,
Frank