The presidential race likely won't be won or lost in Mississippi — though not entirely impossible — but that doesn't mean supporters from either side of the political spectrum in the Magnolia State lack passion.

This year's race between Democratic Sen. Barrack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain has galvanized the country — as well as enraged some.

Some folks from each side have plenty of verbal ammunition for anyone who dare disagree with them.

It's no secret that Mississippi — and more specifically East Mississippi — is a Red State. Four years ago, President George W. Bush claimed the state's 7 Electoral votes with ease.

In East Mississippi, it wasn't even close. In some communities in Lauderdale County in 2000, Democratic challenger John Kerry failed to get even 10 percent of the vote.

This year, the South continues to be the only region of the country where McCain is leading Obama, according to Gallup polling. In fact, the latest Gallup poll of registered voters for Oct. 20-26, showed Obama enjoying double digit leads over McCain — 57 percent to 35 percent in the East; 54 percent to 38 percent in the Midwest; and 54 percent to 40 percent in the West. But in the South, McCain was still up 51 percent to 43 percent.

Some believe a presidential race cannot be won without the South, an area of the country Obama still does not have control of, according to most polls. In year's past the main point of focus in the South was Florida. While less conservative in the lower portion of the state, it is still considered, for the most part, right-leaning overall. For this reason, Florida is the southern state Obama's camp seems honed in on, as it is perhaps the southern state they feel is most plausible to win over.

While it doesn't appear that Mississippi will "turn blue" anytime soon, there's no doubt Obama's popularity will be noticed during Tuesday's election, even in the most rural parts, and typically most conservative parts, of Mississippi. And while this may increase Obama's popular vote, it will not do much in the way of actually getting him elected through the Electoral College. Each candidate will be vying for the magical 270 number of the 538 electoral votes come Tuesday, and unless you win the state, you won't get the votes.

There is someone who does stand to gain, however, by the noticeable liking some Mississippi residents have taken to Obama: former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. Looking to replace U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in the GOP-stronghold seat formerly occupied by Trent Lott, Musgrove may well benefit the most from increased Democratic support in the state. While most polls still show Wicker in the lead, Musgrove will no doubt be helped by Obama's popularity and newly registered voters.

Aside from traditional conservative values, two other factors — whether anyone will admit it or not — will factor into local decisions come Tuesday.

The first: religion.

They don't call us the Bible Belt for nothin' — and East Mississippi may well be the big shiny belt buckle.

Rev. Bill Freeman, pastor of Covenant Life Baptist Church near Collinsville, recently told the Meridian Star he couldn't understand how any Christian could "be so far in the dark on this issue."

"I believe that if McCain wins, that this is God's mercy on this country; if Obama wins, I feel this is God's judgement on this nation," Freeman said of the presidential race.

"I would never have believed that abortion, homosexuality, and the liberal thinking that I see now, would have ever existed here," he said. "It is my prayer that Mr. Obama would actually get saved; but with all these facts, and knowledge of the Bible, how could a true Christian vote for Obama?"

But while religion is used to oppose Sen. Obama's candidacy, others, typically backers of Obama, argue their candidate should be the choice of Christians.

"One of the biggest calls in the Bible is for us as Christians to lover others, even our enemies, and lift up those less fortunate than us," one local man in his mid-30s told me, wishing to keep his name out of the newspaper for fear of a negative reaction from the community. "That's what God taught us when he sent Jesus into this world. We are to learn from that example of Jesus's selfless love, fighting for those with the least. I think Obama, more than any other candidate in recent memory, embodies that concept. I connect with Obama because his faith seems honest, sincere."

The second issue (and the one few talk openly about): race.

Don't believe me? Check your e-mail.

I was sent a forward one day that had a photo of an airplane with two images super-imposed on the front and back of the plane: one was a monkey holding a watermelon and the other was Barack Obama holding the same as well. The words "Watermelon One" were written across the plane.

And it goes both ways.

Another email I received this week read:

"If you're black and you vote for John McCain, you don't deserve the right to vote." The photo attached had a photo of McCain with a white pointy hat superimposed atop his head.

While both are bottom-of-the barrel, they're tame compared to some.

Anyone who says race won't play into Tuesday's voting obviously isn't listening to what their neighbors say (or reading their e-mails); they certainly aren't reading between the lines of conversation.

What is wrong with people? Can we not simply have open dialogue about a candidate and their stance on issues without this? Can we not keep the discussion related to the past leadership experience, political qualifications, and future intentions of each candidate?

That was a rhetorical question of course.

I recently overhead the presidential race summed this way: "the choice is simple ... it's a vote for socialism or capitalism."

At first I scoffed at the oversimplification. But after all of the nastiness I've heard in recent weeks, I was at least thankful that it was politically relevant.



Fredie Carmichael is executive editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.