vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

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

3.04.2008

Turnout talk

It's a sure bet that Vermont Democrats will set a new record for turnout for their presidential primary today, if only because it won't take that much to crack the 21 percent previous turnout record, set four years ago.

I'm not so sure we'll break the overall turnout record of 39 percent, though. I've been checking around a few spots in the state, and its running in the 20-25 percent range so far. The words I'm getting is that turnout is "good" and "steady" but not breathtakingly heavy. As for absentee ballots, a decent number were cast, but again, no record.

Maybe there will be a burst of activity when we get close to the 7 p.m. closing time. Or maybe not. Wondering what you folks are witnessing or hearing in your neck of the woods.

-- Sam Hemingway

posted by vt.Buzz | 3:29 PM |

Comments:

Democratic turnout would have been higher had either Obama or Clinton come to Vermont in person.

McCain deserves credit for coming to Vermont - even if only for a rally at the airport - and he says he'll be back before November.

It's time the Democratic candidates stop taking Vermont for granted. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination should campaign here before November - with public events open to all, not just a fund-raiser with a $1000 price tag.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:44 PM, March 04, 2008

OBAMA HAS BEEN TO VERMONT.

And, unlike McCain, Obama made it past the runway of the Burlington airport.

In 8 years GW Bush hasn't been here once.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:51 PM, March 04, 2008

Obama hasn't done a public event in Vermont since he declared his candidacy for president.

He did an event at UVM for Bernie's Senate campaign in 2006, and a private fundraiser in Norwich in summer 2007.

He should have done a rally in Vermont as part of this primary campaign.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:57 PM, March 04, 2008

Why would Bush come to Vermont? To be spit on (and worse) by the sub-human "protesters" with no other purpose in their wretched lives except making fools of themselves and in turn, the entire state.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:58 PM, March 04, 2008

Bush will be sure to stay away from Vermont now, because Deputy Dawg from Brattleboro will arrest him if he sets foot in the state.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:19 PM, March 04, 2008

Hi Folks, check out more comments on this years Election process at vermontcam.org/exitvoices
add your sense!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:23 PM, March 04, 2008

Anonymous said...

"Bush will be sure to stay away from Vermont now, because Deputy Dawg from Brattleboro will arrest him if he sets foot in the state."

So would any public official who takes their oath and their position seriously, little nameless-nitwit fella.

Always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 5:40 PM, March 04, 2008

I'm glad that Obama came to Vermont to support Senator Sanders.

Too bad that McCain didn't make it past the airport.

I guess he was just too busy ...

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:41 PM, March 04, 2008

So, little "somebody's havin' a hard time deliverin' the Deliverance Vote fella, what you're saying is that the vast majority of the State of Vermont are "sub-human" 'protesters', eh?".

Just making it up again, JW??? Nothing new here. Where did Bubba say the VAST majority of the State of Vermont were sub-human. Those are your words and once again based on no facts other than the voices you hear in your warped little mind. Deal with the truth for a change. Oh wait in all the time you have been here you have yet to do that. Why start now!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:45 PM, March 04, 2008

I think the Richard's got opened a little early today. As lefty as Vermont is, only a handful (always the same ones, it seems) really are pond scum, like the ones that disrupted St. Johnsbury Academy graduation, or made fools of themselves at the Recruiter HQ.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:05 PM, March 04, 2008

Let's see if McCain pushes campaign finance reform in the general election. The right and corporate America ain't gonna like that. He won't though. After all, this is the guy who bowed down to Jerry Falwell after, rightfully, staying away from the idiot for so many years by choice.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:20 PM, March 04, 2008

bubba has left a new comment on the post "Turnout talk":

"I think the Richard's got opened a little early today."

I don't doubt it for a second, little "not from these parts" fella, seein' how Obama and Hillary were both a lock to smoke McCain in terms of vote totals 5 seconds after the polls opened.

It's been a tough day for you and the rest of the alleged "real" Vermonter Silent Majority that exists only in the vast wasteland between the ears of you and the 2-3 nameless nitwits still demented enough to buy your act. I don't doubt for a second you clueless cretins have been swillin' that stuff out of a brown paper bag as you huddle 'round the home fires afforded your ignorant asses by the empty 55 gallon drum that's been there since 1997 when oil was under 10 bucks a gallon and there was a legitimate, competent President in the White House.

Brace yourself, little fella. All signs point to things getting a whole hell of a lot worse for white-supremacist slime spewin' red-state rubbish.

Gee, that's a shame.

I'm sure ya cracked that stuff 30 seconds after the polls opened, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/so much for you bein' the voice of the silent majority of "real" Vermonters fella.

That's a nasty lookin' self-inflicted cut ya got there on your throat, little fella. Damn. That sucker goes from ear to ear. Ya want a little salt or lemon juice for that thing?

I know it'll make me feel better watchin' ya apply that stuff to it.

"As lefty as Vermont is, only a handful (always the same ones, it seems) really are pond scum, like the ones that disrupted St. Johnsbury Academy graduation, or made fools of themselves at the Recruiter HQ."

Ah, so you're opting for the ol' "let's talk about anything but reality and today" dodge.

Now who coulda seen that comin'.

Relax, little fella. You'll be OK This is Vermont. It's not like we're gonna lynch your ignorant, ill-informed white-supremacist scum asses. This ain't Mississippi, for Christ sake.

I know you're not familiar with Vermont history and local customs, little fella, but we were the first State to outlaw slavery.

Honest to Goddess!!! You could look it up. It's right there in the Vermont Constitution.

I know that's a source of shame and nothin' to be proud of in your dumb, white-supremacist trash eyes, little fella, but whether ya stay on here or head for redder pastures, that's just the way we do things 'round here.

Don't be afraid to whine if ya need anything, little fella.

It's always a pleasure for us Vermonters to help out the less fortunate and/or you folks from outta town.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 8:13 PM, March 04, 2008

"Let's see if McCain pushes campaign finance reform in the general election. The right and corporate America ain't gonna like that. He won't though. After all, this is the guy who bowed down to Jerry Falwell after, rightfully, staying away from the idiot for so many years by choice."

So much for the straight-talk express.

He's not only old and in the way, he's a phony and a fraud to boot.

Yeah, I'm sure the independents are just gonna flock to him and his 100-years war. What's not to like?

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 8:17 PM, March 04, 2008

Was that the sound of yet ANOTHER Richard's screw-cap being bitten off? As if ANYTHING Vermont does means anything in the real world!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:46 PM, March 04, 2008

bubba has left a new comment on the post "Turnout talk":

"Was that the sound of yet ANOTHER Richard's screw-cap being bitten off?"

You're evidently too hammered to tell, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/got your ignorant white-supremacist ass kicked again today" fella.

That crack-pot pipe you keep suckin' on sure seems to leave your dumb white-supremacist trash ass with a powerful thirst, little fella.

"As if ANYTHING Vermont does means anything in the real world!"

Well, apart from getting your ignorant, white-supremacist trash ass kicked from pillar to post on a constant basis, your next voluntary encounter with the real world will be your first, but, hey, you know best, little factually-challenged fella. If Vermont ain't real enough for ya, feel free to head for redder pastures.

You certainly have my blessings. I'll even help you and your little nameless-nitwit putz posse pack your bags and buy y'all a new sheet for your journey.

I imagine there's an Obama or Hillary supporter or 40 thousand who'd be more than happy to pitch in and help.

That's just the way we Vermonters do things, little fella.

It's a shame your stay here in Vermont didn't turn out any better than Reverend Fred Phelps' little "fag-bashin'" fiesta on the State House lawn did a few years back, but your brand of gop-slop kool-aid just don't seem to appeal to folks in Vermont, little scum of the earth fella.

Bummer.

It's always a pleasure to send dumb white-supremacist trash packin'.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:16 PM, March 04, 2008

Anonymous said...

"In 8 years GW Bush hasn't been here once."

And if there's a God, the schmuck will never darken our door. Just think what the absence of his foul stench will do for travel and tourism.

Talk about your less is more life lessons.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:19 PM, March 04, 2008

Just making it up again, JW??? Nothing new here. Where did Bubba say the VAST majority of the State of Vermont were sub-human. Those are your words and once again based on no facts other than the voices you hear in your warped little mind.

And here comes the coalition of the clueless cavalry to the rescue of the little bigot boy's dumb, white-supremacist trash ass.

Right on cue.

So, you're the fella with the facts, eh, little "boy are you one dumb, cheneyed up schmuck" fella?

Ya mean like the ones that say Vermont is Bush Country, Bubbles is their official spokesman, there's a brisk market for his red-state rubbish, McCain's gonna carry Vermont in November, and they can't keep your delusional dreck on the shelves, litte factually-challenged fella?

"Deal with the truth for a change."

Fine. Suit yourself. You're lyin' scum, delusional dreck with bupkis and you're out of your mothercheneyin' mind, schmuck.

How's that? Feel better now?

That's swell, little factually-challenged/fundamentally-dishonest/ignorant swine fella.

I so enjoy our time together.

It's always a pleasure.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 9:44 PM, March 04, 2008

Yawn. You are the most uncreative bore I have seen in years. You offer nothing.. no facts...no insights ...just garbage talk.

Be gone empty suit

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:37 PM, March 04, 2008

What bothers me about Obama's victory is that all his ads in Vermont pushed universal health care which he does NOT support. He advocates health care for children but "would not require it for adults." To me, that was disingenuous, to put it kindly.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:46 AM, March 05, 2008

Read his own literature and see.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:52 AM, March 05, 2008

I know this because it was an issue that was important to me, and one which bothered me about supporting him from the beginning, though I admired his stance on the war in Iraq. Please check out facts before name-calling. Your candidate is human, like every other and people have a right to call them on differences and inconsistencies.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:55 AM, March 05, 2008

The only supporters of universal health care were Kuchinich and Edwards.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:14 AM, March 05, 2008

That should read Kucinich.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:01 AM, March 05, 2008

Eyes on the prize, pal.

Dems don't do enough to ensure that everyone gets health care.

Gops fight tooth and nail to prevent everyone from getting health care.

Big difference.

No gop wants universal health care. Universal health care is designed to benefit the people it serves more than the insurance companies who are allegedly here to provide it.

Putting people ahead of profit is anathema to gops.

The only path to universal health care is to locate, disarm and eliminate the gop IEDs in that pathway.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:04 AM, March 05, 2008

The Canadian government has the best health care available - that is, unless you're seriously ill, in which case you may have two choices: (1) go to the U.S. (2) die.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:12 AM, March 05, 2008

Check out health statistics for countries in the European Union (who do have universal health care) vs those for the United States. Europe wins hands down.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:15 AM, March 05, 2008

And how many crack-head minorities and their unfortunate families do these European Union countries have to deal with as compared to the U.S.?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:16 PM, March 05, 2008

Do you seriously think that European countries do not have minorities or immigrants? What evidence do you have that these groups adversely affect the health statistics of the U. S. vis-a-vis those of European countries?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:03 PM, March 05, 2008

bubba said...

"The Canadian government has the best health care available - that is, unless you're seriously ill, in which case you may have two choices: (1) go to the U.S. (2) die."

Well, little bubble boy, apart from the clear case of brain death you're operating under, just what evidence do you have to support this or any of your ignorant slop?

Moreover, what good is excellent health care if it's not available to you?

That's what I thought.

Dismissed.

10:12 AM, March 05, 2008

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 3:30 PM, March 05, 2008

I can't think of anything scarier than turning over the management of my health care to the same federal government that has bankrupted Social Security, brought us the failed Great Society and now wants to have 'managed' international trade (as John Jerry puts it).

Federal programs like this have no chance for success. Every decision of importance will be mired down by special interests, subject to endless partisan in-fighting and made on how well they will further someone's re-election. Basic prudent decisions made on business and medical fundamental will never happen. Look at how paralyzed the Congress is in dealing with a fix for Social Security that everyone know needs to be made. There are tough choices that need to be made and no one with the spine to make them.

I don't need a group of detached fat cat legislators dictating my health care. I will make those decisions for myself and gladly pay for that right to chose.

The knowledge that someone like JW thinks its a good idea is enough proof to tell me how far off target it is.

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:14 PM, March 05, 2008

Amen, brother!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 6:57 PM, March 05, 2008

You don't choose, your insurance company does and they're in it for profit. How reassuring.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:40 PM, March 05, 2008

My insurance company picks nothing for me. I select my own health care providers.

And as for making a profit, its a good thing. It's called a free market society and it drives efficiency. Name how many communist economies exist and how successful they are. Let's see...North Korea, Cuba, China (which is moving to a free market economy). Hmm....any you want to move to to upgrade your quality of life?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:09 PM, March 05, 2008

As liberal and independent as everyone in VT claims to be, it is amazing to see how quickly you all are to turn over your basic 'rights to choose' to the government. That's the establishment, you know the fat cats....

Why do you want them making the most basic decisions effecting your health care and retirement security when they have repeatedly shown that when given the responsibility to do so, they fail.

I prefer to make my own decisions thank you very much. Smaller govenment is good. Big government is bad. Free market...good. Government regulation....bad.

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:25 PM, March 05, 2008

"My insurance company picks nothing for me. I select my own health care providers."

Sure, ya do, little fella.

"And as for making a profit, its a good thing."

Yeah, just like the Police and Fire Departments.

"It's called a free market society and it drives efficiency."

Sure thing, schmuck. Again, just like the Police and Fire Department.

Oh, and Comcast, too. Allowing them to operate in an unregulated monopoly environment sure has driven cable bills down.

Then there's enron, world com, global crossing, tyco, halliburton, blackwater, harkin energy and arbusto, for openers.

Is that what ya had in mind, little factually-challenged fella?

"Name how many communist economies exist and how successful they are. Let's see...North Korea, Cuba, China (which is moving to a free market economy). Hmm....any you want to move to to upgrade your quality of life?"

I hadn't realized Canada, Ireland, England, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Australia, New Zealand and Japan were Communist Countries, little factually-challenged/lyin'-scum fella.

What's more, I've got a hunch it might be news to them, too, schmuck.

Oy, what a farcockteh, meshuggah putz.

Ya got any other factually-challenged, incredibly-stupid batting practice fastballs ya wanna lob right down the middle of the plate, little too dumb to live fella, or have ya got it all out of your system already?

Gee, financial advice from the folks who gave us the Depression, record debt and record deficits every time they touch the damned ball.

What else ya got on tap, schmuck, hunting safety tips from Dick Cheney?

Nice try, nitwit. Thanks, all the same, I'll pass.

You ignorant, incompetent swine already had 'em laughin' in the aisles with your Laffer Curve comedy stylings. Take your supply-side slop and tell your story walkin'

We've gone from Kruschev poundin' his shoe on his desk while screamin' "We will bury you!" at the UN to hoping China doesn't call in Bush's loan.

Now that Forbes has listed him as the richest man in the World, feel free to tell Warren Buffett how little he knows about the magic of the marketplace. I'm sure you'll just dazzle him, shemendrik.

Capitalism, free market enterprise and managing the Economy have joined National Defense and dealing effectively with National Disasters on the ever-expanding list of things gops can't do without cheneyin' it up six ways to Sunday.

Try Civil Rights, ya just might increase gop share of the Black Vote to 11-12 percent. Ya can get the Black Congressional Caucus on the case.

Oh, that's right, he retired.

Try your luck with the Environment.
See if ya can get the Sierra Club to take your calls.

Put Laura Bush on the case now that she's done such a bang up job with the Gang thing. She could meet 'em for lunch wearin' a Mink Coat. That'll seal the deal.

# Posted by:

JWCoop10 | 10:48 PM, March 05, 2008

Yawn....no facts just insults.

you bore me

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:56 AM, March 06, 2008

Apparently jw and his double-secret-coded triple-mystical-handshake
he-man-women-haters club has now found a fresh target in Laura Bush. And this is the voice of Montpelier dimocrats? (at least in his mind)

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:58 AM, March 06, 2008

That European countries are not communist but do have universal health care is a fact. And the fact is that insurance companies do decide what they will cover of your health needs and what they will not.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:02 AM, March 06, 2008

Omigod, someone said something negative about Laura Bush. Look what HIllary has been taking for years.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:05 AM, March 06, 2008

It is also a fact that the bottom line of the private health insurer plays a large part in determining what you do get for health care and what you don't have covered.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:13 AM, March 06, 2008

Anonymous said...
"That European countries are not communist but do have universal health care is a fact. And the fact is that insurance companies do decide what they will cover of your health needs and what they will not."

And you don't think a federally managed program will? What world do you live in? Wait, I see. Let's compare it to how well the Gov't has done with Social Security. What will I get in 18 years when I am ready to collect....hmmm... nothing. Paying that tax for the last 30 years was a great investment. Thanks Wahsington.

Now tell me again you don't think the gov't will limit the type and amount of coverage you will get under a federally managed plan. Right.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:09 AM, March 07, 2008

Of course, the government will, but the profit motive will be absent, and perhaps some of the cynicism that goes along with it.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:46 AM, March 07, 2008

And won't it be just wonderful to have union hacks that could care less about their job performances (like union teachers) because they can't be fired, nor get extra money for a good job (don't want to upset the slackers, of course) in charge OF YOUR LIFE!!!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:05 AM, March 07, 2008

"Anonymous said...
Of course, the government will, but the profit motive will be absent, and perhaps some of the cynicism that goes along with it."

Given the choice between the profit motive and government bureaucracy , I'll contend with the profit motive. Look at Social Security. We can't fix it because any decision will upset some special interest group and limit some senator's chance for re-election. C'mon...step into the real world.

Less government, less regulation, less spending, less taxes...these should be the objectives.

Captain America

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:19 PM, March 07, 2008

Some special interest group? Do you mean the seniors who contributed to it all of their lives and expect, rightly, to get something out of their investment? Or are you referring to Wall street which wants a profit at their expense?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 3:27 PM, March 09, 2008