The Election In Three Nutshells

It is very hard to understand why Bush won this past election. Ideologically I can see people voting for Bush over Kerry, even though I don't agree, but given Bush's track record of pure incompetence how did he get 51%? Here are three anecdotal 'nutshells' that seem to sum up where those additional votes.

The first is from The Left Coaster:

...
"Oh yes, we'll be voting," the wife said, "for President Bush."

"Bush?" I was stunned. "Why?"

"Because, you know, we are Christians."

Still reeling from her first unexpected answer, all I could think to reply was, "John Kerry's a lifelong Catholic. So, he's a Christian too, right?"

The wife -- this mild mannered, shy, quiet woman -- snorted. Even over the telephone, there was an unmistakably ugly, even vicious quality to the sound.

"He's not as Christian as we are."
...

The second is from Daily Kos

...
This week she moves into low income subsidized housing. Her newest crisis is she has found out when the college is closed for the Christmas holiday (one month) she has no employment. She is hoping to find temporary employment as a seasonal retail worker if the Christmas sales are brisk to tide her over. She doesn't know what she will do when the baby is born, hopes she can work up till the last week (she is on her feet all day with this job). She will be eligible for subsidized daycare.

She voted for Bush because of his "family values."

The third nutshell isn't a posting but a video based on the theme song to the movie Team America! Bush characterizes America in manly, macho terms and appeals to those who think of themselves as, well, manly and macho. This video us pure NC-17 so please don't play it at work or around children, but I think it sums up the macho vote quite well. The flash video is here. Ah, the power of sarcasm....