An exchange with my republican mom about the presidential race [View all]

[A Little Weird]

I know anecdotal tales are not worth much to most people but I just wanted to share this.

Awhile back (somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas), I was visiting my family and my rabid republican dad mentioned that he loved Trump. Our exchange was something like this:

Dad: "That Trump is something else, he doesn't give a shit what anybody thinks, he just tells it like it is."

Me: "You can't be serious! That guy is a total moron. Would you really want him in charge of the country's nukes?"

Dad: "He wouldn't be so rich if he was a moron. And I hope he nukes the Middle East back to the stone age!"

Me: "Jesus Christ."

Mom: "<using my first middle and last name> - don't you take the name of the lord in vain!" Then to dad: "I don't like Trump either, how can any Christian support him?"

Me: "Who do you like Mom? All the republicans seem like nutjobs to me."

Mom: "I think that Ben Carson seems nice."

Me: "Sigh."

Mom: "Who are you supporting? Surely not Hillary Clinton!"

Me: "No, I like Bernie Sanders. I think he has good ideas and is a genuinely good person."

Mom: "But he's a communist!! He scares me."

Me: "He's not a communist, he's a democratic socialist. People get scared by the label but if I had to compare him to someone, I think he is a lot like Franklin D. Roosevelt. Listen to his speeches sometime and I'll bet you'll see what I mean."

Mom: "Hmm."


Fast forward to this past weekend.

Mom: "I can't believe Trump is in the lead! America is in deep trouble."

Me: "Me neither. The republicans are all trying to out-crazy each other."

Mom: "I think that John what's-his-name from Ohio seems like the best one."

Me: "John Kasich. I don't like his policies either, but I agree that he seems to be the least crazy in the bunch."

Mom: "I listened to Bernie and I like him pretty well. If it's between Trump and Bernie, I will vote for Bernie. I like that he's consistent - he doesn't just say whatever he thinks the crowd wants to hear that day."

Me: "Wow, I'm glad! I really think he would make a good president."


I know it's not hardcore support and it's just one vote, but it's huge for me personally to hear my mom say that! For the most part, she doesn't pay much attention to politics. If she bothers to vote at all, she votes republican, but Trump is scaring her enough that she is paying attention this year!