11/03/2008

Curiouser and Curiouser: I Didn't See Any Obama Signs Today

Today, the day before Election Day, I was driving around a good part of southwest and west San Antonio for work - and because I wanted to have fun with the new navigation system in my car, I chose the "least obstacles" route and let it have its fun.

My car's version of HAL took me on a nice tour of that part of San Antonio better known as the "west side." It's a cultural experience unique to our community. You can buy agua frescas (don't even try and knock these if you haven't tried one, they put smoothies to shame), you can smell barbeque cooking as you drive the streets if you've got the windows down, and signs are often written in Spanish instead of English.

Bright colors are everywhere, especially pastels -- pinks, greens, yellows -- it's always a little bit Easter here. There are still small mom and pop groceries and taco joints, and while I sat at a long red light, I watched a man in the front yard of his family's body shop, white tee shirt and jeans, expertly taping newspaper over the exterior of what appeared to be a 1940s sedan (think Humphrey Bogart's two seater in The Big Sleep) in preparation for painting it.

My drive was far from efficient, and I got a pretty good tour of the area from HAL. And here's what I found so very interesting today:

There wasn't a single Obama sign, anywhere.

Here in what everyone assumes is a Democratic Heartland, zip. No "Change" signs, no "Obamanos" bumper stickers, no traditional "Obama/Biden" yard signs or fence banners.

Nothing. Just nothing Obama at all.

But there was McCain stuff. There were flags with McCain signs next to them, and I saw one of the biggest McCain signs I've ever personally laid my eyes upon pretty close to where Division dead ends, pretty near the Pan American Mexican Restaurant, where my daddy took me to have my first puffy tacos when I was 4 years old.

Curious, isn't it?

Over at The Drudge Report, I clicked a link where some pundit is pontificating on not just whether Obama will win, but whether he'll win by a landslide -- like Reagan over Mondale, or Eisenhower over Stevenson.

Maybe my ride today means nothing. But if Obama is such a sure fire winner, you would think I'd would have seen some support for him during my ride today.

I think this is something to ponder.