Hunting for Scarce McCain-Palin Signs in Conservative Indiana

I routinely drive from Chicago, down through the heavily industrial Gary/Hammond area known locally as "The Region," and from there, deep into Indiana farm country. It's pretty much a drive through the spectrum of American politics. I start out in staunchly Democratic Chicago, and less than four hours later, by the time I pass the second shrine "in memory of aborted children," I'm deep in rural Republican territory.

But this election cycle is a bit different. All along the route, there are political yard signs for all sorts of candidates, township assessor and the like. Interestingly, very few of the signs declare party affiliations either way. For the first time, I'm actually noticing more signs for the Democratic presidential ticket than for the GOP's side. Yes, amazingly, even while passing those farmsteads surrounded by corn, you're more likely to see an Obama sign than a McCain sign.

There might be slightly more Democratic signs this year, but it's absolutely the case that there are fewer signs for the GOP ticket than there were in 2004 or 2000. There are rows of signs for candidates in local races, but they are almost never accompanied by signs for McCain. For example, Don Lehe is a popular Republican candidate for Indiana's state legislature (as measured by the large number of yard signs supporting Lehe). I don't know whether it's official policy from the Lehe campaign or the choice of the homeowners, but not one single time in several hours of driving did I see a Lehe sign accompanied by a McCain sign. Apparently, affiliation with Lehe can be proudly proclaimed, but not in combination with McCain/Palin.

On my return, I was closing in on Cook County, and I tried to think about whether my own bias could be faking me out. I'm an Obama supporter - is it possible I was just seeing what I wanted to see? I tried to think carefully about 2004, and whether things were really different then. And that's when it struck me - bumper stickers. In six hours of driving, I never saw a single McCain/Palin bumper sticker. Remember how George W. Bush had those oval stickers that said "W '04"? They were everywhere throughout the Region in 2004. You couldn't get away from those stickers in 2004.

It's not like you can't buy McCain bumper stickers. They have about twenty designs here. I'm half tempted to buy a couple just for the novelty of it, because these are going to be rare collectibles.

I just spent six hours deep in rural Indiana, among hunters in camo, carrying shotguns and compound bows (it's hunting season, Chicagoans). I was stuck behind their red pickup trucks driving 45 mph from one cornfield to another, doing the final rounds of harvesting and cleanup. And not once! Not one single time, not one single truck - I didn't see a single McCain bumper sticker on any of them. Not one.

My friends, this season is different.

Comments

[amoore34]

Maybe if narrow minded vandels would respect private property and freedom of speech, you would find more McCain/Palin signs. I am now on my 4th sign. Have the courage to engage in open intelligent dialogue.

[celts1]

Glad to know it's not just us. We proudly have a couple of Obama bumper stickers on both vehicles---and RARELY see another one, or a McCain either. We've been discussing it because it seems so strange. We travel regularly from our home in central Illinois to Indiana and western Kentucky---we see at least 10 times more Obama signs in yards than Mccain--which would usually all be plastered in Repub signs---but not this year. Because Illinois is a heavily Democratic state, the candidates rarely campaign here, and we NEVER get campaign merchandise. But this year--because Barack is heavily campaigning in Kentucky and Indiana--they are blanketing those areas and it's great to see. In other years--my Gore signs and Kerry signs were all stolen from my yard. This year, I have 3 Barack signs ( imported from another state with an over abundance) and I believe they are the only ones in our town of 4500 people and I've had them on display for 3 weeks at least.

[pamkaren]

Another Texas report: In Cedar Park, a northwestern suburb of Austin, a good number of McCain, but LOTS of Obama. On Thursday, I drove from Austin to Port Aransas (close to Corpus Christi --- refining country), using the back roads through rural Central and South Texas.....­whoa.....h­ardly any McCain signs....l­ots of local race signs. In Port Aransas, so far I've seen 3 McCain, and 2 Obama. Only 1 pickup truck with a sticker for McCain in the 225 miles, and that was in Luling, where oil well pumps go 24 hours a day. I was beginning to think this was odd, and am glad to see this blog and posts. I also passed through some small towns that are heavily hispanic. Just a few McCain signs. So are the normal Red areas ashamed, or are they going for Obama??? I guess we'll know on November 4th.

[bluestateGeorgia]

That's because all the McCain signs are here in Georgia. Ugh. It's late Friday night, and I'll bet that when I get up tomorrow morning, someone will have stolen my Obama 2008 sign for the THIRD time.

[Teckwreck]

I live in northern Indiana and a two hour drive today confirmed the reports findings. I did not see a single bumper sticker for anyone (my car has an Obama 08 sticker as does my yard). My neighborhood, in which my son and I are the only two Dems to vote, has 7 Obama signs and 3 McCain/Palin.

I have felt for weeks that the absence of signs of support is very important. I am hoping that it will result in low turnout. Just in case it does not, I am also channeling a blizzard on the fourth.

[LindyLee]

I was in Austin a few weeks ago and saw a LOT of Mccain/Palin signs and stickers.

I guess it depends upon the neighborhood you were cruising in---probably the university, huh?

[walkerke]

I canvassed in southern Indiana for Obama last weekend and was surprised by the lack of support for McCain. We were working in an apartment complex, talking mostly to working class voters. One guy told us how surprised he by all the Obama bumper stickers he sees while driving home after work everyday.

The woman running Obama's office there said he was down by about 6 points in the area at that time. She seemed to think this was totally surmountable, that the campaign was putting resources into the state, and the wisdom is, if the southern part of Indiana swings, so will the rest of it.

Because we had to do very little persuading, our main goal was to get people to vote early. Most people seemed never to have considered it. So if you know supporters in Indiana (or other swing states), make sure you encourage them to vote early!

[LindyLee]

There are tons of McCain/Palin signs all over California. Northern California is plastered with them.

There are very few Obama signs, though there are a lot of non hybrid, gas guzzling, old cars with Obama stickers on them....hm­mmm......

[MargaretO]

I saw my first McCain/Pailin bumper sticker, today, in Arizona.

I've seen quite a few Obama stickers.

Seriously, you wouldn't know there was a presidential election around here. I've not seen but a handful of yard signs. All those were Obama. Absolutely none of the bigger street corner signs for either.

Just a few street corner signs for some of the other races.

[ewoman]

Thomas, I've driven that same route many times myself, and I thought the same thing - I thought I was hallucinating over the lack of McCain signs. But, it's that way in KY as well - small pockets of McCain signs surrounded by Obama signs, then...not­hing. I'm hoping KY has a better than 10% leaning toward Obama, and I have hope from the lack of yard signs that this is possible. I hope that the lack of signs means that some Republicans are leaning away from the McCain rancor.

[mrboyd]

In Northwest Ohio, we're seeing more Obama signs. In fact my parents drove up from our hometown (also Republican county) and saw more Obama signs than McCain's through the most rural area of our part of the state. These people are die-hard Republicans. However optimistic we are, we are still tense until election day is over. We are very cautious in our optimism ... but it is good to hope again.

[OldSkooler]

Was in southern Indiana this weekend canvassing for Obama and, to my eyes, there was a dearth of MCain signs there as well.

[JimMan35]

I've heard a similar report from a friend (who's in the marketing business and is sensitive to these things) that the same thing is happening in Oklahoma--one of the reddest of the red states. Lots of visible Obama signs and bumper stickers. Very little support showing for McCain.

And yet, I think those Oklahomans will still go out and vote more than 60% for McCain. I keep hoping it might be different, but I think it will still be 60%/40%. Maybe even wider.

[Maka]

Yeah, I grew up in Oklahoma, (my family is still there), and I'm quite sure it'll still be red as red can be. I think the difference this year though is - so many of the Republicans are voting against Obama, not voting for McCain. In 2004, Republicans seemed to be truly excited about their candidate so they proudly displayed signs/stickers proclaiming such. Not so this year. But I still think people will vote for McCain in goodly numbers in Oklahoma anyway. A couple friends in Oklahoma have reported problems being Obama supporters - dirty looks when out wearing an O t-shirt, and one having his Obama yard signs repeatedly stolen. So, people might not be so enthused about McCain, but plenty sure don't like Obama.

[Icantbelieveher]

I think there are going to be a lot of surprises on November 4th -- Like red states they thought were safely red, turning blue!

[gretchenart]

In Texas, it is the same, though they have some huge party signs in key areas of conservative counties, the paucity of McCain/Palin signs is remarkable and the almost complete absence of bumper stickers is nothing short of amazing! There are a couple of NObama stickers, but I have only seen one McCain sticker on a car all year and half the time I am in one of the most conservative counties in the country, Williamson County that some in Austin call Jackboot or Brownshirt county.