I can understand what you're saying but, thanks to the magic of cable, even people who live in the most isolated of areas can still have access to varied points of view through television. I think that it boils down to initiative and interest.
If they're not interesed in knowing/hearing about different viewpoints - they're not going to seek it.

Although it seems as if this country is two seperate countries after witnessing this election, we have to keep in mind the limited access to information in some of these rural states. For those of us who live in cities like Los Angeles or major cities, more liberal media and info is surely available. And although there is technology like the internet, ect... many older people in rural towns still can't even operate a computer. So they get the majority of their info from corporate media. So basically there has to be a way of broadcasting alternative media and info to these smaller cities and giving those people an option of choice. Although that is no excuse for COMMON SENSE!

I didn't want to go the way of conspiracy but then I found this site: vote2004.eriposte.com

It's not so much a conspiracy theory as it is a fundamental problem with the whole electoral process. It is tragic that a voice like Ralph Nader's, or anyone else with something to say, is silenced just because a major party doesn't want to split the vote.

That is a good point in regards to John Edwards. He took a big chance in being on the Kerry ticket. John Kerry still has his job as Mass state senator.
In retrospect, if Edwards had just waited until 2008 to run again, I think he would have won. (I don't think its going to happen now) The only thing that cost him in becoming the presidential nominee this time was experience. Just his thinking alone shows how everyone thought that Bush just had to lose.

I knew that Bush would probably win because Bush understood who backed him and he catered to them.
Bush doesn't care about New York/Cali because New York/Cali tend to go to the Democrats in regards to presidential elections. Plus he didn't want to alienate his base in the south and midwest. That is why you never saw any pro-bush ads in NY. He didn't care.
I think from the democrats standpoint, they have got to find a way to cater to the midwest and the south without losing their indentity.
If not, you will see Jeb Bush in the White House in 2008.

I think it's safe to say that the Democrats are going to have to have a major revolution within their own party to even exist, let alone run a quality candidate in 2008. For all of our sake's, I hope that they can come up with some more inspiring candidates than just Obama and Clinton. Sad to say, but I really think that John Edwards' career in politics may be over. He's lost his Senate seat and he'll be out of sight, out of mind for the next four years. Where's Jesse Ventura when we need him? Oh yeah, enough of that conspiracy stuff. If the Dems ran an inspiring candidate who could reach out to people outside of the urban centers we wouldn't even have seen a close race. The people in the "red" states are hurting as much as, if not more, anyone else economically in this country. Bush caught their ear, Kerry didn't. Plain and simple.

I guess what bothers me the most about this election is not only did the presidency not turn out the way that I expected - so did the seat majority in the Senate AND the House of Representatives! There's nothing to stop them from doing anything that they might want to do. That's a little frightening!

I live in the "red state" south and, I was really hoping that the state of our economy would sway voters in the other direction more than before.

Hopefully, in 2008, we can look forward to swearing in some sort of Clinton/Edwards/Barak combo...

Let's stop right now with all the conspiracy theories. We need to look inward and see how we can do better and build on any positives for the future. Both sides play games with the numbers, that is politics. I think more importantly there needs to be new strategy from the democrats and a candidate that can truly connect with the people.

On a positive note "big up" to P Diddy, Russell simmons and "Vote or Die" crew, they managed to mobilize a lot of first time voters. We need to build on this base.

I just wonder how many votes went missing in florida when the machines went down. So what can be done to the voting system to make them easier & fairer? I think everyone who uses the machines should get a recipt from it saying who they are & who they voted for (just like getting a recipt from a cash point), oh & the registration should be done around 2 to 3 months before the elections so any problems can be delt with in good time.

it was the electronic voting that won the election for bush. the machines are produced by a company called diebold, the owner of which personally promised bush a win in ohio. districts which used electronic machines were nearly entirely bush. hrm... plus there is no paper trail, its all data so the "card" cant even be "called" in the political arena.