The U.S. Election 

The U.S. Election

By about noon today I was inclined to emphasize two themes: social conservatism, represented by the fact that even states that went for Kerry also went against gay marriage; and the war, represented by the fact that Edwards did not help Kerry in any way. John Ellis is good on both--he also addresses other possible reasons why Kerry lost; and Kaus picks up on the running mate issue. If not Zinni for Kerry, Sam Nunn (Bill Kristol's suggestion when he was in Toronto)? Joe Lieberman, yet again?

Glenn Reynolds says it is much more the war than social issues--an e-mailer to Andrew Sullivan's site provides evidence that the gay marriage issue didn't actually help Bush--but his links suggest there is a difference on some kind of basic patriotism and decency. If I can attempt to paraphrase, it is not so much that Republicans have loads of these qualities, but that Democrats lack them, mock them, or act as if they don't matter. Ellis speaks of the pimp and ho culture of Hollywood, and the sexualization of children. I think that goes too far, if only because there is so little sign that Bush will do anything about it, either; but I think there is a sense that educated boomers want to keep celebrating the 60s and aspects of the so-called counterculture as if they constitute a lasting and valuable way of life which couldn't possibly threaten the decent raising of children or a country's ability to defend itself. A moment's reflection suggests this is not true.

It is no doubt true that many Bush voters live in a kind of bubble where they hardly have to consider views very different from their own; but this is also true, and in a way more paradoxical if not alarming, of many educated Kerry voters.

UPDATE: For an argument that gay marriage didn't help Bush more than in 2000, see Paul Freedman here.

UPDATE: Kevin Drum has a pretty remarkable argument that it was really the economy (stupid). Colby Cosh dwells on the 22nd Amendment and Bill Clinton, as I have in the past. Colby doesn't think Clinton would have won in 2000; er, who would have beaten him?