Psychologists Cite "Mortality Reminders" To Explain Bush '04 Victory

The New Republic:

In June 2004, I went door to door in a white, working- class neighborhood of Martinsburg, West Virginia, a small blue-collar town in decline. There, I found voters disillusioned with both the Iraq war and the flagging economy. But, when I returned five months later-- the Sunday before the election--I had difficulty digging up anyone who didn't plan to vote for George W. Bush. As far as I could tell, Martinsburg voters were backing him for two reasons: first, because he opposed gay marriage and abortion ("There are two gays around the corner who are voting for Kerry," one fellow, with a Bush sign in his yard, advised me scornfully from his stoop); and, second, because he was leading the war on terrorism ("I feel more safe with Bush in there," an elderly disabled man explained). There was still grumbling over the war, the economy, and other topics--the same elderly man who praised Bush for making him feel safe also bemoaned America's lack of universal health insurance--but these issues were eclipsed by the threat of gay weddings and terrorist attacks.

Read the whole story: The New Republic

Comments

[Sundialsvc4]

11:21 AM on 08/22/2007

"Mortality reminders" sure sounds more academic than "electronic ballot-box stuffing," doesn't it?

[NeoConDeath]

03:09 AM on 08/22/2007

Cons still gleeful about Bush destroying the USA?

[TurgidCaterwauling]

12:53 AM on 08/22/2007

My elderly father relates that in his circle of friends the fear of attack by invading hoards of jihadists in their Ohio homes and on their Ohio streets is very real. No matter that it's not possible, he points out, these folks are solidly behind Bush. Need proof?
No attack on American soil since 9/11. You've got to admire a machine that does such a great job of persuasion, but you've also got to be more than a little scared.

[LibsRHilarious]

12:45 AM on 08/22/2007

Libs still belly-aching about Bush kicking their ass?

priceless.

[katlade]

11:59 AM on 08/22/2007

Bush did not kick the libs ass in 2000. The supreme court and his brother Jeb did that. He did not win the first time so he really should not have been eligible to run as the incumbant in 2004. So he really is not the president which explains why he doesn't follow the rules of office.

[nighthawk808]

04:04 AM on 08/23/2007

Losing the popular vote in 2000 = kicking ass. Priceless.

[researcher]

12:29 AM on 08/22/2007

this mentality is not limited to martinburgs. take a trip thourgh the midwest and southern states.

most of these self rightous moral majority voters feel clinton was more immoral than bush.

over 3600 dead and it does not phase these folks.

it all boils down to ignorance. religion is needed the communists proved that.

it is not about religion or atheism or anti religion but simple ignorance.

[BadChristian]

02:19 AM on 08/22/2007

I live in a midwest state.

I think it ties in with urban vs. Rural, and why most Republicans live where most people don't... And why they don't like cities, and why fear seems to be such a powerful motivator for them. How urban people can tell them apart... holding hands in the subway, and pretending not to make eye-contact as they hustle down the street.

[MissFortunate]

11:50 PM on 08/21/2007

Who needs protection from gay people? What the fuck is wrong with people? I'm so fred up with this. Gay and lesbians don't want to have anything to do with homophobic neighbors, they just want to live thier lives with the same rights as anyone else, that's it.

I couldn't even keep reading because it made me ill.

[VOTER]

11:15 PM on 08/21/2007

Well those folks in West Virginia were right, by golly!

The gays have not attacked us and

abortion Doctors can't help the raped and wounded

women of America. So ............................

All is well in West Virginia!

[SaintN]

09:41 PM on 08/21/2007

So what the author is basically asserting here is that this "wage earning" segment of the American public really didn't have any important or pressing issues in the 2004 elections to worry about so instead they just focused on some of their peripheal prejudices to determine who to cast their vote for!
So additionally what this author is saying is that all these people have an IQ below that of Forrest Gump!

[BuzzingAlong]

08:59 PM on 08/21/2007

Don't forget ignorance and sheer stupidity.

[NoblesseOblige]

10:26 PM on 08/21/2007

Yes. And, you can add a cup of gullibility to the mix.

Fear + Religion + Bigotry + Ignorance + Stupidity + Gullibility
in equal parts = a winning recipe for republicans.

[waiguoren]

08:36 PM on 08/21/2007

It's been said many times before ( like "Merry Christmas" )so I just better say it again:

The most ignorant creature on the face of the earth is a working class Republican.

[InFRAUDweTRUST]

08:22 PM on 08/21/2007

What the Broadcast Media does to ignorant people is cause them to focus on the things that are LEAST likely to harm them personally. This has created a priority inversion where people worry and obsess about terrorism. It is far more likely they will die from cancer. Television is a window on reality that shows you the most improbable. The republicans have capitalized and exploited this to this country's detriment.

[Qbear]

08:08 PM on 08/21/2007

In 2006 all the TRICKS failed and they got SOUNDLY THUMPED!
In 2008 Republicans will look back at 2006 FONDLY and with nostalgia, as the LAST election their Party MATTERED.

[rar728]

07:58 PM on 08/21/2007

You should have to pass an IQ test before registering to vote.

Having said that, I agree with those who have commented that this is NOT why Bush won. Bush won thanks to Republican owned/backed Diebold and their CEO, Walden “I am committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president” O’Dell and Ohio Secretary of State, Ken Blackwell (who was co-chair of Bush’s campaign - can you say CONFLICT OF INTEREST?).

[Qbear]

06:29 PM on 08/21/2007

"morality reminders".....name it what it was FEAR MONGERING.
Cheney/Bush scared the hell out of Security Moms with well timed color coded TERROR ALERTS, and closeted Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman acted out their own self loathing in putting anti-gay amendments on 13 battleground state ballots. Karl and Ken....when ya got a minute the queers in America want a little chat with you BOTH!

[Ladyrantsalot]

05:57 PM on 08/21/2007

In other words, Bush won in 2004 because the US had been reduced to a nation of blubbering woosies. No news here.