[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

If you want to understand why Democrats keep losing elections, just listen to some coastal and university town liberals talk about how conformist and intolerant people in Red America are. It makes you wonder: why is it that people who are completely closed-minded talk endlessly about how open-minded they are?

Dingdingdingdingding! And we have a WINNAH -- ! :)

[cajun scpo]

I wasn't polled, but you could say my vote for President Bush was about 'moral values'. I think it is immoral to call the president a Nazi for fighting the war on terror.

More seriously, my vote was not about gay marriage or homophobia. But part of it was about Federal Judges. I don't think any judge should be able to rule that a bride can be a male or a bridegroom can be a female. Does not compute with the definition in my old print Websters Dictionary. But that just added to my view tat Bush would is a far superrior Commander in Chief and in polls of the troops. I could not fathom Kerry as CIC. Support the troops, vote for the CIC they believe best serves them. I'm retired Navy and my sisters son is assigned to 'A' Co. 1/75 Ranger Rgt. Hunter AAF, GA. Just no way.

Some stats to back up Brooks.

11 states with gay marriage initiative.

2000 [Bush 10.34M votes] [Gore 8.83M votes] [Bush 52.22%, Gore 44.61%, Other 3.17%]
2004 [Bush 12.49M votes] [Kerry 10.27M votes] [Bush 54.46%, Kerry 44.77%, Other 0.77%]

2000 Electoral College: Bush 76, Gore 25
2004 Electoral College: Bush 77, Kerry 24 [MICH lost one EV]

39 states and DC without

2000 [Bush 40.12M votes] [Gore 42.17M votes] [Bush 46.95%, Gore 49.35%, Other 3.70%]
2004 [Bush 46.95M votes] [Kerry 45.65M votes] [Bush 50.22%, Kerry 48.83%, Other 0.96%]

2000 Electoral College: Bush 195, Gore 242
2004 Electoral College: Bush 209, Kerry 228

A few more bits.

1. My stats show 63.9% turnout based on 2000 census [18+ year old citizens] in the 11 states.
1a. My stats show 62.1% turnout in the 39 states and DC.

2. Bush percent of votes increased 20.8% from 2000 in the 11 states.
2a. Kerry percent of votes increased 16.2% from 2000 in the 11 states.

3. Bush percent of votes increased 17.0% from 2000 in the other 39 plus DC.
3a. Kerry percent of votes increased only 8.3% from 2000 in the other 39 plus DC.

You could almost make the argument the initiative helped bring democrats out as much as republicans. Twice the increase in initiative states for democrats. And Bush picked up 14 electoral votes in non initiative states because of 2000 census, picking up New Mexico & Iowa even with losing New Hampshire.