This is the last pre-election Eyes and Ears post. Thanks for all your submissions! This is our final chance to read about how people across the country are reacting to the campaigns, and the results are fantastic! Naturally, Palin costumes abound for Halloween. Others communicated their hopes for the next president with bumper stickers, yard signs and phone calls. America is buzzing with anticipation, and thanks to all the writers sending us their observations, we can get some of that civic pulse here.
There is still reason to send us a note! If you have heard something while waiting on the voting lines that the rest of us would enjoy, or if you have an election day anecdote that tickled you, please send them on to us in 100 words or less. Submit your note to us using this Survey Monkey page. We will keep posting the best entries each Monday. Vote early on Tuesday! ~ Edited by Annie Shreffler.
I've been working in a costume shop for the last couple of weeks to make some extra money. The Sarah Palin is the number one costume, and we have thousands. We've dressed men and women--actually mostly men! We have the right wig, so we can really help people out. The best so far was a woman carrying a gun and moose head with her outfit, and a $150,000 price tag on the lapel of the suit. It's hilarious!--Lara Gardner, Honolulu, HI
My wife and I marched in conservative Findlay Ohio's Halloween parade for Kerry four years ago and again for Obama last week. This parade is the town's biggest event of the year. What a difference! Instead of boos, single finger salutes and thumbs-down we saw 4 years ago, yesterday we were cheered with kids yelling "Obama!" and an unplanned chant of "Yes we can" from the crowd on the curb. We had planned to just peace sign back at any profanity but we never saw anything but a positive response to the Obama float. It's looking very good here. --Lee Weygandt, Findlay, OH
Passing thru the 'reddest' part of Texas, I stopped at a Dairy Queen and noticed a man looking carefully at the Obama stickers on my car. Being in Texas, I often get flack for having Obama/Democrat stickers so I prepared myself. He got in his car and circled towards me as I walked to the building. When he got close, he lowered the window and called "Obama's the man! He's the man!"
--Donna Turman, Dallas, TX
I received a call from a pollster. The naive questioner asked me if I were going to vote for Obama or McCain. "Barr," I replied. She said she didn't have a Barr, only Obama or McCain. I told her to mark me down as "other." She didn't have "other," either. She would put me down as "undecided." I let her know that I was very decided and there were six candidates on my ballot, not two. Now I see why TV news polls report decisions for Obama, McCain, and sometimes "undecided." --Ken Pope, Nipomo, CA
On a visit to New York from Vancouver, I noticed the women of New York, who are a visual feast of style and originality. But I thought there was a fashion trend I had missed. Women wearing 50s girdled and high-heeled constrictions were walking children in their Haloween costumes. It took a while to connect them in their updo's with Sarah Palin, but it made me chuckle. Post 9/11, when it became unpatriotic to express dissent from the White House party line, this statement of satire speaks well for the state of the Union. You GO America.
--Fiona Jackson, Vancouver, BC
My daughter, who is seven, has taken notice of my passion for politics this year. She seems to have a genuine interest and frequently asks questions about the election. While driving in the car last evening, I decided to see exactly what she knows about the candidates. "Who are the presidential candidates?" I asked. "Barack Obama and John McCain", she says. I asked, "Who did they choose as their Vice Presidential running mates?" "Joe Biden and Sarah Palin," she answers. I ask, "Where is Sarah Palin from?" Without hesitation she belts out, "Russia!"--Christine Manning, Astoria, NY
Everyday on my drive home from work I noticed a sign in the front yard of a house that says McCain/Palin, its been there for several weeks. I drove by the other day and it was replaced with an Obama / Biden sign. That put a big smile on my face.--Robin Mackey, Sacramento, CA
I called the McCain Western Regional Campaign Headquarters in Nevada today to protest the most recent robocall from the McCain campaign, spoken by the senator's war buddy Orson Swindle (really?). It said that Obama would be a 'weak president' who would "endanger American lives." Sure they are a little defensive, can't blame 'em. Their glowing desperation can't be masked by Palin's lipstick and powder, my friends.--Donna **, Pacific Palisades, CA
Centered in the middle of Dallas with an African American population (according to the 2000 census) of less than 1%, this soon to be new hometown of George W. Bush has been inundated with OBAMA-BIDEN signs. Thoughtful residents throughout the GOP enclave are showing support for a Democrat, a first for this area of Texas nicknamed "The Bubble" for its traditionally GOP ticket, white population. It's time to give Obama lovers in Texas a YEEE HAW
--Sarah O'Leary, Dallas, TX
I have a bumper sticker on my car that raises eyebrows and gets a good response here. It says: Republicans for Voldemort. The Harry Potter fans get it. The Obama sticker on the same bumper pretty much tips off the rest. --Joanne**, Austin, TX
I was walking around a local mall with my Obama/Biden t-shirt on and a African-American man stopped me, saying that in these parts there are ropes for people like me. I told him, "I have to stick to what I believe in." He said, "You need to be careful not to disturb the Republicans in town." What a surprising thing for him to say in a town with so many churches.--Tom Roderick, Greenville, SC
I live in a suburb of St Louis. On Saturday, my neighbors had their annual pumpking carving party. Three families wouldn't allow their kids to come to the party because of the Obama signs in the front yard. The kids missed a great party! On the other hand, today when we had to move our truck for road work, "Joe the Supervisor" thanked us for the Obama sign in our yard. Hoping Missouri goes Blue on Nov. 4!--Linda Sides, Ballwin, MO
I drove to Vegas recently and had every intention of attending a conference. But after my "check engine" light illuminated on Vegas' north side, I found myself sitting in a Honda dealership. While waiting, I read in the Review-Journal that Obama was holding an afternoon rally. Of course, I played hooky from the conference and attended the rally. Interestingly, my car trouble was due to a mistake by my local mechanics. If they hadn't been incompetent, I never would've learned about the rally. Hmmm...incompetence followed by Obama saving the day? I like the sound of that.--Carrie Hill, Paragonah, UT
It's waking in the middle of the night in a cold sweat or checking the cable news channels every 15 minutes to decipher the polls, it's having a sick feeling every time the opposition is televised revving up the base --- it's Election Fever. I am not alone it is an epidemic. The hardest hit areas are the small campaign offices where blood, sweat, and tears have been shed for their candidate. The antedote will be administered in a few days with an enormous inoculation of HOPE. --Lorraine in Petrosky, PA