by James Glaser
October 13, 2006

Something was different as I road around the streets of Tallahassee, but I couldn't put my finger on it until today. All of a sudden it dawned on me that I wasn't seeing those magnetic yellow ribbons on cars that support the troops or America, nor had I seen a Bush/Cheney bumper sticker in a while.

When I got to work this morning I went over to the guy down the block who had his truck bumper plastered with pro Bush bumper stickers. Yeah I was right, his bumper was clean and looking shiny chrome again.

I had to ask, not a needling ask, just a mater of fact ask. Like, what happened to your bumper, you get a new one? He looked at me like he was ready to get into a verbal fisticuffs, but then he backed down and said, "it was time." He sounded almost sad, and explained that he no longer had the pride in President Bush that he had back during the election of 2004. He was so sure that the war in Iraq would be over by now, and many of our troops would be coming home.

I showed him the front page of the Tallahassee Democrat, with the front page story about one National Guard unit that was heading out on its third tour of duty since George Bush was first elected President, this time they were headed to Afghanistan.

I have written about it before, there are no longer home made lawn signs that profess support for the President. I guess when those yard signs were taken down the people thought that it was time too. A poll came out this week, and now over 60% of Floridians think Iraq was a mistake.

No state in the union was more "red" than Florida during the last two Presidential elections, but the State's attitude is now turning decidedly "blue" when it comes to Bush's war on terror. The people I talk to still admit that they voted for George, but the vast majority of them now say that maybe that vote was a mistake. No one has said they should have voted for a Democrat, but many now say if they had the chance to vote on George Bush again, they might pick a third party or just stay home and not vote at all.

When the people of Florida start feeling bummed out about what Republicans are doing in Washington, you have to know that most of the country has felt that way for some time now.

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