11/09/2000

Vice President Al Gore won the presidential race in Connecticut handily over Gov. G.W. Bush on Election Day; they were neck-and-neck in the entirely unscientific SNET Internet survey during the previous week.

Q: Which of these Presidential candidates do you plan to vote for?

• George W. Bush - 4,657 (43%)
• Al Gore - 4,508 (42%)
• Howard Phillips - 20 (0%)
• Ralph Nader - 876 (8%)
• Pat Buchanan - 81 (1%)
• Harry Browne - 80 (1%)
• John Hagelin - 24 (0%)
• None of the Above: 227 (2%)
• Who Cares?: 364 (3%)

Your comments:

"I don't think Gore or Bush deserve my vote. I say this because we all know these two guys grew up their whole life with a silver spoon in there mouth and they will never know the strain of lifes ups and downs. They don't know the pressure of wondering where their next meal will come from or the mortgage payment that will never go away. These guys are living a dream life and our president should be awake and experienced to REAL LIFE." Zack, Bristol

"Al Gore I believe is for the People. The Democratic Party is for working families, they understand that you have to work while having family issues. I would not be so stupid as to vote for Bush. He wants to do away with FMLA and that is well needed and well deserved. Whoever votes for him I feel doesn't have "working families" in mind. If Bush gets into office I feel this country is going to go downhill, and FAST. You all can make your own opinion & choose whomever you'd like, but if he gets in I am scared to see what will happen. I also feel that he doesn't have to much care for unions either. Between his issues regarding gun control, health coverage,education ... Well, I'd rather not get into that I could be here forever. I feel as though the best man for the job is Al Gore with Joe Lieberman standing beside him.

"As for people not wanting to vote for them because Lieberman is still in the running for Senate ... Well, he needs to keep his options open, just like all other Americans. How many people out there have gone for a job while going for another one at the same time? It's called having JOB SECURITY. Another thing is how can people say that leaving Gore in the White House is terrible because of what President Clinton has done. GET OVER IT! For one thing, Al Gore didn't do that, it was President Clinton. In this day and age almost everybody knows somebody that has had an affair I am definitely NOT condoning that however it does happen. Once again that is in the past." Jennifer, Naugatuck

"I am not old enough to vote, what do I anwser?" Jules, Storrs

"I'm 11. I can't vote -- but if I could, I'd go Gore. (Bush has funny elf ears)" Lucy, Storrs

"A vote for anyone other than Bush or Gore is a wasted vote. Unless you want to register a protest vote, please vote for the one of the two above that most closely matches your stance on the ISSUES. The presidency is not a popularity or personality contest. Yes, I am a Gore supporter, even though I do not like some of what he stands for. However, Gore is by far the lesser of two evils when compared with George W!" G.S., West Haven

"I have been hearing a lot lately about people pushing others to vote for the independent parties. This would be great in my opinion, but you will never get enough people to vote that way. SO technically you waste a vote. Which then takes away votes from the next best choice of the Democratic nominee. Which then would help the Republican win. So when Bush becomes president, and it is obviously gonna be close, all you independent parties will feel relieved knowing it was your fault." Billy, Naugatuck

"Why hasn't anyone talked about Bush's saving and loan scandal and the land deal he made in Texas. Remember -- everyone in the U.S. is still paying a tax for that!" J.P., New Haven

"Gore may be stiff looking, but he is focused and intelligent. It is not a popularity contest to me. It is who is the most qualified to do the job. If I owned a business I would hire Gore not Bush." E.F., New Milford

"You need another choice: Haven't made up my mind yet. How can one choose between the two major candidate? They're basing everything on a surplus that probably won't happen. When you watch them debate, it seems like they're making up facts & figures right on the spot." Gerry, Waterbury

"I plan on voting for Al Gore not because he's so great but because I want to stop Bush Jr. from being elected. Why are all you people going to vote for Bush anyway? What makes you think that he's going to do anything different than his father did. Reagan/Bush is the administration[s] that left us with trillion dollar deficits, out of control defense spending, S & L bailout w/ taxpayer money, putting teenage marijuana smokers in jail w/ sexual predators, ignored the AIDS epidemic because it only affected gays & junkies, traded arms w/ people like Hussein, etc. Must I go on!? If you plan on voting for Bush just because you don't like what Clinton did with Lewinsky, than you should have your head examined!

"Bush is going to give the richest American taxpayers very big refunds to pay them off for the $200 million they donated to his campaign. What kind of promises did he have to make to them for getting that kind of big loot? Sold his soul to the devil, I bet! And that's what you'll be doing if you vote for Bush. The guy was born with a silver spoon in his nose. And if elected he'll have it gold-plated and studded with diamonds. Have you forgotten what happened in this state just 8 short years ago when everyone was moving out and professionals were working for $7.50 an hour? All of you Bush supporters better think again!" Louis, Newington

"Politics must be eliminated -- the Constitution, (none of which Congress follows) intended for one party of by and for the people. An honest money or means of exchange is essential to stop taxes and slavery by the rich. Gambling-stock market, lotteries etc. will cease and sanity returns with sharing natural resources. "Man" is insane! Self-destruction continues as history repeats itself. LET THERE BE LIGHT!" Louis, Bantam

"I was offended by the "who cares" at the end of the presidential survey. Hardly think that is necessary. Let's promote caring, not encourage it by that category." J.T.K., Trumbull

"Gore would be another Jimmy Carter. He is too nice a person to be able to deal with foreign policy. G.W. has the killer instinct necessary, but not the detachment nor the intelligence to deal with truly duplicitous individuals. That is why he is there. He can't see through his handlers' motivations. Ralph Nader is too smart and way too far to the left. Pat is too far to the right. It is a toss-up between Browne and John. John understands what the founding fathers were up to and has the detatchment and negotiating skill to make it work (He is also smart enough to sugest doing nothing when nothing is the right thing to do.) Think about it!" Jon, Glastonbury

"In 1970 and early 1980, I was forced to pay 22% interest on a business loan. Reagan reduced the rate and brought unity to most of the world. My business went very well until the Clinton administration. Now I am in the process of Chapter 7. Unemployment is low in Connecticut only because all family members have to work to support a family, whereas before 1980 one member would make almost the same. The country is now undergoing corporate wellfare and the largest small business bankruptcy and home foreclosures in history. Connecticut taxes seem to be near the highest in the nation and I believe that this part of a plan to force the poor and low income people to leave. It started in Stamford and has worked its way here. Where will it stop? I am leaving because most of my savings are being used for higher prices. We are forced to pay taxes, without representation." Al, New Milford

"The news media has been giving us a daily update of which candidate has the most electoral votes. The scary thing is -- even if we, as individual voters vote for our favorite candidate, the majority of votes is not what determines the winner, but rather the number of electoral votes he receives. To me, that does not make any sense at all! The votes of the individual American citizens should be the only method of electing an official. Let's abolish the Electoral College." E.S., Shelton

"I always felt that by my voting I would make a difference, unfortunately this is not so. When I see bills reach the Senate Floor such as HR4844 being voted down ... this is a bill that would give railroad workers' widows more income thereby allowing them to be above the poverty level and railworkers the ability to retire after 40 years and the age of 60 (Men who have worked in primitive conditions) by three Republican senators and bills for carpel tunnel being voted out these are bills that truly affect our people I have a problem with voting this year. There have been so many pork chop bills passed but the ones that affect all of us are being voted down." R.Z., Stratford

"The 3% who said they do not care are not doing their part to fufill the American Dream. Our forefathers set up a dream to help all people to have a special unit of rights. They died so people could choose who they wanted for president and such. Even this measly 35 could have a huge impact on the outcome of this election. What are they talking about "I don't care?' " Stacie, Litchfield

"Martin Sheen would get my vote. I know he reads from a script, but what's so different about that?" Janet, Stratford

"I'm very dissappointed in both candidates. Neither will work in the best interest of the American middle class ... just a lot of promises." R.J., Stratford

"Character counts. Al Gore has a proven record of not telling the truth. He wants to take credit for everything that came out good, and blame everyone else when the results are not favorable. We can not afford to have a Commander in Chief that has a problem with the truth." C.A., Canterbury

Previous survey results are available.