The Stupidist Show of Political Support Ever
 

Everywhere I went in Manhattan today, there were Kerry supporters out advocating for him. If New York was a swing state, I would understand this. Its not. Kerry will win New York, and probably by over 55%. Maybe even by more than 60%.

Meanwhile, a 10 minute train ride away lies New Jersey. Kerry could lose that state. So do these Kerry supporters do the rational thing and use their time and labor where its needed? Absolutely not. The only thing dumber would be to go to the local Kerry campaign HQ and attempt to persuade the people there to vote for Kerry.

On the one hand, I agree with you. It does seem silly to spend so much time in a state where you have a lock on the vote. On the other hand, it also seems wasteful and somewhat silly to spend $ campaigning in a state what you will most assuredly lose, like New Jersey. It's a typical strategy: Bush spends almost no time (or $) in California because he knows he can't win there.

During the last stages of the campaign, it's less about changing minds and winning influence, and more about trying it to get the people who have already made up their minds energized enough to go to the polls on Tuesday.

Didn't Gore carry NJ? Isn't the polling split almost evenly there?


Even if these two are incorrect . . . it still makes no sense at all - if we invert your concept, why should Kerry spend money on a state Bush is ceding?

You're right - he did carry Jersey in 2000 - but most of the polls I've been reading have said that Jersey's suburban population is more invigorated this year and they expect the GOP to carry the state, even though it's by a small margin.

Like I said, I can see both sides of the issue. I do think it's kind of dumb not to go there, but obviously the KE campaign has a method to their madness. The campaign is spending all of its time in Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan today.

Its Bergen County and South Jersey (mainly Atlantic, Cape May, maybe Ocean) AKA where all the money in Jersey is hiding.
Gore carried Jersey by 16 points in 2000, and the polls are showing that it is very close here. But I also think that is because the poll every seems to be sighting is from the Star Ledger...which has its highest base of readers in Essex (weathly depending on where you go) and Bergen ($$$$)

FYI, there are a BUNCH of Kerry supporters working in Hoboken and Jersey City. I imagine the reason any Kerry people would be in Manhattan would be to hit the LARGE commuter population that makes it way from Jersey to NYC each day.