I’m in northern New York right now, back to my hometown for the weekend for my nephew’s 1st birthday party. Always a good place to talk politics, and some pretty memorable conversations with the family:
Friday morning, on the plane
Me [talking to my wife]: [something about the Obama administration]
Anna [my 3-year old daughter]: Who’s O-bom-uh? What are you guys talking about?
Me: President Obama.
Anna: Like on our place mats at dinner?
Me: Yes, that’s right. The leader of our country. We might pick a new President next year. What do you think of that?
Anna: When will you be President?
Me: Well, I’m not old enough.
Anna: You’re plenty old, Dad! You should be President next.
Me: Would you vote for me?
Anna: Ummmm. Maybe. I think Abby [my 1-year-old] would.
Friday midday, at my mom’s house
Mom [RFK liberal, mild follower of politics, not thrilled with Obama]: Who’s this Herman Cain clown?
Me: Why do you say ‘clown’?
Mom: Isn’t he just a rich pizza baron? Why do the Republicans like him?
Me: I’m not sure his polling numbers are reflective of deep attachments. He’s probably just…
Mom [interrupting]: I saw him talking about the social security system in Chile. And his 9-9-9 thing seems gimmicky.
Me: Well, he’s not going to win the nomination.
Mom: He just seems like Perot to me. Except black.
Friday evening, at childhood best friend’s house
Me: You been following the GOP debates?
Friend [center-right Republican; very religious Catholic family]: A little. Seems like Romney and a bunch of crazies right now. I can’t really see any of the rest of them as President.
Me: No kidding. I was meaning to ask you and [wife] — how would you feel about a Mormon President?
Friend: Interesting, hadn’t thought of it. Wouldn’t bother me at all, but I could see that being an issue for some. I doubt any Catholics care, but the Baptists might. But geez, the Mormon thing would make great late night fodder. They’d ride that for four years.What do you think?
Me: Not sure. I would think it a small marginal effect, maybe something like the magnitude of people who would have voted for Obama, but didn’t because he was African-American.
Friend: I could see that. On the other hand, Obama being black is about the only thing I like about him!
Me: Ha! What do you mean?
Friend: Makes me feel good about our country that a black man can win the presidency.
Me: I know what you mean. Did you see Perry at the frat house at Dartmouth?
Friend: I heard something about that. Was it like the Sweeney thing at Union?
Me: I wish. He just said that the American Revolution was in the 16th century.
Friend: So Romney’s going to President, I guess.
Me: Yeah.
My sister’s house, Saturday afternoon
My sister’s father-in-law [moderate to conservative, GOP leaner; follows politics]: So what’s going on in Washington?
Me: Gridlock on the Hill, that’s for sure. The election has more or less started.
SFIL: You think it’s going to be Romney?
Me: Yes, and I think he’ll be President in 2013. You?
SFIL: Well, I think Obama is cooked if it’s Romney. If it’s someone else, he’ll have a chance.
Me: I agree. I think he could beat…
SFIL [interrupting]: and I guess if the economy comes back he could beat Romney. But that’s a big if.
Me: Would you vote for Perry against Obama?
SFIL: God. I don’t know. That might be a in-the-booth decision.
Me: What about Cain?
SFIL: No chance.
Me: [joking] Racist!
SFIL: [joking] Oh, yeah. Me and all the segregationists will be forced to go with the half-black dude! [More serious] I just can’t pick a guy to be president who has zero experience. I mean, I don’t even think I could have voted for Ike. Maybe. But a pizza guy? Come on, that’s just ridiculous.
My mom’s house, Sunday afternoon
My aunt [preacher’s daughter and preacher’s wife; liberal; mild follower of politics]: So who’s going to be President?
Me: Romney. Maybe not more likely than not, but definitely plurality favorite right now.
Aunt: Don’t you think he’s a little slippery? And [joking] what about the whole Mormon thing? Polygamy ain’t going far.
Me: You mean [husband] didn’t preach it this morning?
Aunt: Oh, yeah right. Might as well have, no one was there.
Me: What did you mean by slippery?
Aunt: He just seems a little slick? You know, like you can’t trust him.
Me: Weren’t you a Hillary supporter?
Aunt: Yeah, but we all knew she was a cold-blooded killer. Romney seems more like an empty suit.
Me: So who do you like?
Aunt: I’ll probably just vote for Obama.
Me: [joking] there you go again, all the Jesus-freaks voting for the socialist. Stop taking the Gospel so seriously.
Aunt: [laughing] you know, [husband] actually pitched that to me as a sermon a few months ago.
Me: Really? Since when does [husband] do political sermons?
Aunt: He doesn’t. I think he was just fed up the whole Republican gay marriage thing. Get over it, right?
