In most polling organizations on the presidential election, people are asked whether they are happy with the direction the country is headed. A no answer to that question is generally interpreted as being negative for the incumbent. In this case I think that interpretation was wrong. Put simply, the direction of the country emcompasses everything from Janet Jackson's breast to the the War in Iraq. For Values Voters, the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision on gay marriage, coupled with actions by Gavin Newsome, the mayor of San Francisco decreeing gay marriage by fiat, were definite indicators that the country was headed in the wrong direction. Couple that with court decisions invalidating the partial birth abortion ban that was passed and they are very unhappy about the direction the country is headed in. But, Most Importantly, they didn't blame the president, nor should they have. They blamed the Democrats, and should have. The most wonderful thing about this election is that in very few instances were voters fooled by Democratic campaign rhetoric which tried to obscure their true positions.
The Bush Realignment: "What Kerry failed to see, and ultimately what sealed the fate of his candidacy, was a similarly momentous change in people's view of social issues brought into play earlier this year by the high court of his own home state. As we argued in these pages a month before the election ('The Rise of the Values Voter,' Oct. 11), survey research commissioned by Time and MSNBC/Knight-Ridder revealed that concern over social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage had taken a quantum leap this year and had become far more favorable to Republicans than in previous election cycles, particularly in the swing states in which the election was ultimately decided.
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