That’s how many votes political scientist Alan Abramowitz believes George W. Bush won in Ohio on the marriage rights issue. Not enough to swing the state to Kerry. Nationally, the issue didn’t work for Republicans. Interestingly, of those in exit polls who favored civil unions for gay couples, most were Bush voters. The Economist explores some of the nuances here.
PRO-GAY CONSERVATIVES: No, I’m not the only one.
BEAGLE NEWS UPDATE: Not only Muslims can gain from getting beagles. here’s an email I just received:
I empathize with Ahmed Tharwat’s beagle experience, and agree that maybe beagles are the answer to cross-cultural understanding. It may even bridge the red state/blue state gap and bring about the time for healing that seems to be evading us.
As a Republican living smack between in the Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan neighborhoods here in Washington, D.C., I had grown accustomed to dirty looks and rolled eyes sent my way whenever I stepped out wearing my “W 2004” hat.
But at the worst, most frenzied depths of Campaign 2004, I adopted my beagle, Shorty. Suddenly, regardless of the W hat, partisan politics was tossed aside among the Kerry/Edwards lawn signs and window stickers of Dupont Circle. Men and women of all stripes stopped me to make a fuss over Shorty and chat about dogs. The best example is the young woman in a DNC t-shirt who, clipboard in hand, began to ask me if I wanted to help kick George W. Bush out of the Oval Office, saw my hat, then saw my dog, and said, “Oh never mind. What kind of dog is that?”
Works every time.
The Dish 