vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

11.21.2007

Talking turkey

So here's my deep question for all you political junkies who check in with this blog -- do you talk about politics with family over the turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy?

Will you talk state politics or presidential politics?

Are your family of friends of one mind on political issues or polar opposites?

By the time the pumpkin pie is served, have you reached consensus or ceased speaking to each other?

I just wonder if political debate takes place at dinner tables anymore, or only out here on the Web. I know growing up that my grandmother (of one political persuasion) and my father (of another) had some fascinating exchanges, all while remaining great friends.

Happy Thanksgiving to you. We'll be back in business Friday.

--Nancy Remsen

posted by vt.Buzz | 3:55 PM |

Comments:

Anyone who brings up confrontational politics during Thanksgiving family functions is a jerk.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:21 PM, November 21, 2007

It's no fun because George W is such an easy target!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:31 PM, November 21, 2007

We talk about what a warm, loving person Bubba is.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:27 PM, November 21, 2007

Does anyone wonder what jwcoop10 talks about?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:31 PM, November 21, 2007

He's not allowed out of that upstairs room.

By the way, did anyone notice that jewppo appeared and Hoffer disappeared . . .

Hoffer at least talked substance. His Mr. Hyde alter ego just hurls non-sequitur insulting psychotic nonsense.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:38 PM, November 21, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:42 PM, November 21, 2007

"Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." –President Bush, standing under a "Mission Accomplished" banner on the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier, May 2, 2003

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:26 PM, November 21, 2007

Ya, we all know Bush is an idiot. But is it the anniversary of that speech or something? Why bring it up now?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:57 PM, November 21, 2007

Talking politics with my family is always fun. My dad is a former school teacher who never really took a shine to the union and always retained a bit of his New England conservatism, thus voting GOP most of his life. (I think he might have voted for Perot, but I don't know that for a fact; maybe I'll ask him if I have enough Vigonier at dinner) My mom grew up in a more Democratic household in Massachusetts and loved to "cancel out" my father's votes for Republicans.

Now even my dad has come to think our current president is an underachieving Yale legacy who had the keys handed to him as a fluke of history rather than earning them on his own. He even voted for Kerry in the last election, he was so disgusted with Bush.

Hey, the old adage used to be you don't talk about politics, religion, or sex in polite company but with your family, anything goes. If you can't have a serious argument with your relatives over politics, who can you have one with?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:52 PM, November 21, 2007

Certainly not jwcoop.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:12 AM, November 22, 2007

And I'll bet your father is enjoying many benefits from the union he never took a shine to.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:06 AM, November 22, 2007

Anonymous said...
Ya, we all know Bush is an idiot. But is it the anniversary of that speech or something? Why bring it up now?

Good point. It is a bit off-topic when you, yourself and bubba have clearly turned this into the whine about jwcoop thread.

Every day's Thanksgiving when I've got the likes of you to cheer me up.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:18 AM, November 22, 2007

We found the weapons of mass destruction." –President Bush, in an interview with Polish television, May 29, 2003

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:35 AM, November 22, 2007

If you follow politics as hoffer, bubba and most of the other folks on this blog do, what's amazing about the dinner table conversation at TG is how much your friends and relatives don't know. And, often, the less they know, the more they express opinions based on obsolete of dated information. I have one relative who doesn't want to talk about politics unless she knows in advance that we already agree on the specific topic at hand...she doesn't want to believe, for example, that the Vice President of the United States could be involved in the outing of a CIA agent. The real debate, of course, is whether it's treasonous or is of little consequence, not that it happened...but that's the part this relative, and others I'm afraid, can't swallow along with the turkey and stuffing. pearl onions, anyone?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:02 AM, November 22, 2007

I hate politics. Why would I ever talk about politics?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:06 PM, November 22, 2007

"Good point. It is a bit off-topic when you, yourself and bubba have clearly turned this into the whine about jwcoop thread.
Every day's Thanksgiving when I've got the likes of you to cheer me up.
Always a pleasure."

Everybody -- everybody -- hates you at the Thanksgiving Table.

You can show yourself out.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:25 PM, November 22, 2007

Please, someone, please!!! Tell me jwpoop is not the product of Vermont government schools!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:35 PM, November 22, 2007

I suspect our pal jw is less likely a product of the VT school system and more probably one of the original cast members from the film Deliverance.

jw, do you play the banjo perhaps..sport?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:27 AM, November 23, 2007

Taking a shine to a teachers union
would make you completely brainless!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:26 PM, November 23, 2007

"Anonymous said...
I suspect our pal jw is less likely a product of the VT school system and more probably one of the original cast members from the film Deliverance."

"jw, do you play the banjo perhaps..sport?"

Nice try, nitwit, but if you'll check your red state rubbish stats and map again you'll see that gop success was predicated on herr rove's ability to deliver the deliverance vote.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 4:53 PM, November 24, 2007

Matt Dunne for Governor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:59 PM, November 24, 2007

He could win.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:14 AM, November 27, 2007

Pollina all the way

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:34 PM, November 28, 2007

All the way to Speeder & Earl's for a double latte and an all-afternoon sit-down?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:15 PM, November 28, 2007

Hopefully, whichever coffee shoppe hosting Pollina will also furnish a photographer to capture the moment on camera, so Anthony can let Vermonters know that he can drink coffee with the best of them.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:00 AM, November 30, 2007

"Coffee drinkers of the world, Unite!"

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:13 PM, November 30, 2007