The process of electing a President is a very frustrating one... especially for the True Believers.
We go through the primary process where the candidates try to appeal to their respective liberal and conservative bases.
At the conventions, they gear their speech to fire up the party faithful, making their most partisan statements of the campaign.
Then they immediately hit the road and start sucking up to the moderates.
And this year, those moderates could be more important than ever.
The races is close. And both candidates have had their best success in appealing to the the uncommitted. That's how each of them won their nomination.
[0]The Pollsters at Zogby International calls the people in the middle "Purples."
They are independents and moderates who could vote either red or blue this time.
With the Reds and Blues evenly split again, the Purples may just decide this election.
So what kind of people are these Purples?
Zogby & the USC Annenberg School's Norman Lear Center have done some research.
So take the Purple test:
--- Purples trust their local newspaper more than any national paper (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today)
[0]--- Tom Brokaw is the most respected Journalist by Purples, and they don't watch Fox News.
--- Purples watch crime shows (Law & Order, CSI) and don't watch reality shows.
[0]--- Purples like Classic Rock on the radio, and local Talk Radio (but not national programs like Rush Limbaugh).
--- Purples love the internet. But they are surfing for information, not chats. And they don't like Blogs (oh, my).
[0]--- Purples hate celebrity endorsements for President... but Oprah is apparently an exception.
--- Purples won't vote on Abortion or Gay Rights... it's all about the economy.
[0]--- Purples are Green.. most want the government to invest more in environmental causes.
--- Purples don't think the Iraq War has worked... 70% say it wasn't worth the loss of life.
[0]--- Purples like to hear the candidates promise to throw the bums out... they blame the political parties for the mess in Washington.
--- Purples are turning against corporations... 90% say they don't operate in our best interests... 57% want more regulation.
--- Purples don't demonize illegal immigrants... they believe they are here to work, not get handouts.
--- Purples like tax cuts.
--- But Purples are also split down the middle on several national issues.. like the role of religion and guns.
So are you a Purple? I'll have to admit, I might be a Purple too.
But if you are a Conservative who is sick and tired of this middle of the road mish-mash, I've got a bone for you too.
Check out the Red State Update on such political topics like Palin Vs Oprah & McCain Vs The View.
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