But my view of the world, quite obviously isn’t shared by all, and certainly not all that I know. Four examples this week kicked me flat on my face in disbelief. What can I learn from it? I’m not sure. Do I care enough to invest in trying to change just one vote? Nah, not in California since CA is going to go to Obama. But you have a look-see and tell me what you think:

Two hot girls walk into a bar and start chatting with the bartender…

Description: Tatooed dude, overweight but jolly, kind eyes.
Lifestyle: Broke and happy. Loves his life as a single dad, loves his kid, great smile.
On Obama: He’s the worse of two evils.
On Palin: She’s so fucking hot. Don’t you think she’s hot?
On McCain: …
On voting Red: I am not that into the idea of scaling down the military since I’m a military guy; my dad was in the military and I was in the Navy. I didn’t like it when Clinton did that. It pissed me off.

On being Anti-choice: I got a girl pregnant. I’d never let her have an abortion. She wasn’t my girlfriend. I just was a man about it. You gotta step up. I stepped up, so that’s not an excuse.

The Boy Next Door…

Description: White guy, medium build, football and sports fan/coach/ref.
Lifestyle: Family guy, divorced and remarried, young kids, straight laced, Catholic.
On Obama: He doesn’t have hardly any experience. He’d better pick a good running mate, but that won’t make a difference for me.
On Romney: He should be President. He knows how to run a business and America is just one big troubled business.
On McCain: …
On voting Red: I’m voting for the most experienced candidate. And I don’t want any more taxes.

Playground Whispers…

Description: Two white women with young children under age 12.
Lifestyle: Relatively upper middle class, married, church going, community involved, SAHMs.
On Obama: I wish they would have had him run for office in eight years. It’s just too early. I am older than him!
On Palin: She’s got it all together. It’s great to see a woman who has it all: work and family. …They are going to call her a bitch, but if it was a man, they’d call her tough.
On McCain: He’s gonna die in office and Palin will be President.
On voting Red: She represents ‘us’.

I’m a Libertarian, Right Dad?
Description: White first-time voter male
Lifestyle: Middle class, great family, junior college
On Obama: He doesn’t know jack shit. He’s trying to be too popular.
On Palin: She’s cool. She’s not going to be President anyway.
On McCain: He’s obviously the most experienced one.
On voting Red: Since Ralph Nader isn’t in the election, I’m going with McCain.
On Abortion: I only had one girlfriend have to have an abortion. Mexico is like a six-hour drive if abortion was ever illegal anyway.

I’ve had my ears open for a couple of weeks, trying to understand outside perspectives. I’m not going to knock on doors, make calls or invade people’s privacy; it’s just not me. Not to mention, in some cases, La Gringa and I could swing a vote in the wrong direction, so I’m trying to be mindful there too.

I am constantly amazed at how, like CNN reported today: “We keep telling them the facts, but people want to vote the way they want to vote, despite facts.” (in reference to Palin lying about the Bridge to Nowhere fiasco). I wonder, is it just smart, sophisticated people that vote Blue in this election? Maybe that’s why I counted 14 Obama lawn signs within 1/2 mile radius of my house, but not a single one for McCain. Are there lawn signs for McCain in Pennsylvania? I’d like to know…

And it’s just not in my neighborhood that I’m seeing such strong, unexpected divisions: On Twitter, I’ve had to unfollow several people whose daily lives I’ve followed for more than six months because of the aggressive stance in favor of Sarah Palin and John McCain. One woman I correspond with sent me a “Which Candidate Kills Babies” document. In many cases, on Twitter, in particular, people are drawing lines bases on political affiliation in a zone I’ve thought to be agnostic and accepting.

Facebook seems to be much more in-line with my own philosophies, but a bit trendy in the Obama frenzy. It’s cool to be an Obama fan. My ex-boss is a state senator in a swing state, and he even has backed off from being vocal. Facebook appears to be a popularity contest where Obama is king.

There is hope, though: I’ve yet to see a “McCain is my Homeboy” t-shirt.