Early voting is down in the Helene-hit counties (10-18-2024--Hour3)

[00:00:04] What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to 3 on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to thepetekalendershow.com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button, get every episode for free, right to your smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for your support.

[00:00:28] And now I've opened up my email and I see that apparently I cannot move past this topic because I have a whole bunch of messages. So that is my mistake for opening my email and reading your messages. All right, let's see. Let's see what we got going. Joseph says, it seems like Mike's logic is that, quote, I like this story. Oh, sorry.

[00:00:57] Mike's logic is, quote, I think this story is more important. Therefore, you should cover it. Well, I think the story about how Democrats overthrew Joe Biden and blatantly lied about his mental health for years and accused Robert Herr of lying is more important, too. But Mike doesn't want to cover that more important story. Mike doesn't know how to evaluate his arguments to make sure his logic is actually logical.

[00:01:22] That's interesting, Joseph. I wonder if this is an issue that afflicts lawyers because they argue based on case law, right? And it's so and because there's so much law.

[00:01:44] That you just kind of go to that. It's like sort of your answer sheet.

[00:01:49] And so logic doesn't really have to apply so much because the ruling says what it says and like, here's your rule, you know?

[00:01:58] And so, well, this rule says this. So we do that. And under this rule, we do this. And under that rule, this is how you do it, right?

[00:02:05] And now you can get, quote, creative by trying to find ways around rules.

[00:02:10] But when it comes to making a logical argument based on, say, reason.

[00:02:18] And judgment.

[00:02:20] Then maybe that's a.

[00:02:23] Maybe we give them too much credit.

[00:02:24] No, I don't want to see. OK, I don't see.

[00:02:26] I don't want to judge all lawyers by Mike's performance on the radio with me in that one call and well, virtually all the other calls.

[00:02:35] I don't want to do that because it's not fair. It's not fair to Mike.

[00:02:38] Like, right, if Mike had more time and I'm sure he would.

[00:02:42] OK, I'll just stop that sentence right there, but like, I'm sure there are a lot of people.

[00:02:46] Look, there are a lot of smart lawyers are a lot of people that are very good lawyers.

[00:02:49] They think logically and all of that stuff, too. But I do wonder.

[00:02:51] It just it got me thinking right there. So I'll have to think that one.

[00:02:54] Yeah, I'll have to turn that one over in the head a bit.

[00:03:01] Whether or not there is something that maybe by training.

[00:03:06] You lose.

[00:03:09] Right.

[00:03:10] Because you are so reliant on the rulebook spelling out if this, then that.

[00:03:17] And so you just kind of fit.

[00:03:18] You just plug stuff into that formula.

[00:03:21] I don't know.

[00:03:25] Stan says, Pete.

[00:03:27] So, Pete, you are actually self-aware.

[00:03:30] Maybe you should run for president.

[00:03:39] Not cool, Stan.

[00:03:40] Not cool.

[00:03:41] Why would you do that to me?

[00:03:43] Well, I would not know.

[00:03:45] I would never want to be president.

[00:03:47] I would know.

[00:03:48] I take it back.

[00:03:48] I would never want to run for president.

[00:03:51] That would be awful.

[00:03:53] I was actually you know, it's funny that you say this.

[00:03:56] I was actually thinking today.

[00:03:58] I don't know why.

[00:03:59] What was it?

[00:04:02] Because I was getting ready for work.

[00:04:03] They were talking about something on the radio.

[00:04:05] I forget what the topic was, but it prompted this thought of, oh, I know what it was.

[00:04:11] It was the morning show, and they were doing their news quiz, and they asked about the chicken in every pot question.

[00:04:17] And I was like, I wonder if I could ever, or it started off with some, if there could ever be a president that just didn't appear anywhere and do anything.

[00:04:28] And then I started thinking, if you could be president, if I could be president and just not do anything, you wouldn't even know I was president.

[00:04:37] You would never see me.

[00:04:39] I would just be like, I'm getting out of your lives.

[00:04:44] I'm not going to mess with you.

[00:04:46] I'm not going to do anything.

[00:04:47] You're not going to see me everywhere.

[00:04:49] You're just going to, I'm going to be working.

[00:04:53] I'm going to be doing my thing over here.

[00:04:55] And then I was like, that probably wouldn't work, because then people were like, where's Pete?

[00:04:58] We need to see Pete K-Liner, because nobody would know how to pronounce my name.

[00:05:02] And so then I figured, well, I'd probably have to do some sort of like a daily video update, like a TikTok.

[00:05:08] Right?

[00:05:08] I could do that.

[00:05:10] Maybe.

[00:05:13] Anyway, I don't know how I got done that fast.

[00:05:16] Scott says, Pete, your reason for why you are voting for him, for Trump, has convinced me to now do the same.

[00:05:24] Just kidding.

[00:05:25] I was already going to.

[00:05:28] You had me going for a minute, Scott.

[00:05:30] Okay.

[00:05:31] Actually, a couple seconds.

[00:05:32] I was already going to, but if you needed another reason, it would be the endorsement by Dick Cheney, who they called a war criminal for 20 years.

[00:05:41] And Carl, the dry erase board dork, Rove.

[00:05:44] Right.

[00:05:44] Yeah.

[00:05:46] Yeah.

[00:05:46] Like, that's the thing is.

[00:05:48] They don't understand how the Republican Party has evolved or devolved, I guess, in their minds.

[00:05:56] There are a lot of people that have been running the party, that have been running the Republican Party, what I think used to be called the establishment, right?

[00:06:04] The GOP establishment, GOPE, whatever.

[00:06:09] They are.

[00:06:11] They look at a lot of Republican and conservative voters as icky.

[00:06:17] They needed the votes and they use their votes in order to get power for themselves.

[00:06:22] And by the way, this happens in the Democrat Party as well.

[00:06:25] Okay.

[00:06:25] It happens in any organization where there is power.

[00:06:29] People who don't care about the actual philosophy, they don't care about the principles, right?

[00:06:34] They just want the power.

[00:06:36] They don't care about even the institution, right?

[00:06:38] They just care about being close to power.

[00:06:43] And unfortunately, I see some of this going on in Raleigh now that the Republicans have been in charge for, what, 12 years, right?

[00:06:51] Since they won the majorities and supermajorities, there are a lot of people now that are just kind of, these are your throne sniffers.

[00:06:59] Right?

[00:07:01] If they ever even held conservative principles, they may have abandoned them in order to protect their power.

[00:07:11] And once you've been in a place for a long time, it becomes scarier to think, you know, what becomes of me after this?

[00:07:18] What am I going to do after?

[00:07:20] What if I can't do the stuff I'm doing now?

[00:07:22] I become accustomed to having power and influence and money and that sort of thing.

[00:07:26] So, like, this is part of the, this was why the founders set up our system the way they did, right?

[00:07:34] With terms in the house that turn over every two years.

[00:07:37] The idea being that you're not supposed to make this a lifelong career.

[00:07:40] It should just be a temporary thing.

[00:07:42] You come in, you serve, and then you leave.

[00:07:43] Let some other people step in.

[00:07:47] Oh.

[00:07:49] I feel like I was going somewhere else with that, but I got on to another tangent.

[00:07:53] Dennis was apparently keeping score.

[00:07:56] I don't know how he keeps score, but during the debate with Mike, today's score with Mike is Pete 5, Mike 0.

[00:08:05] I'll take it.

[00:08:07] I'll take it.

[00:08:09] Scoreboard, baby.

[00:08:10] That's all that counts.

[00:08:15] So, here's a message.

[00:08:16] I went to Davidson at the same time Mike did.

[00:08:20] I've talked to him through the years.

[00:08:22] He's a very good guy, but he should wear a sandwich board that reads Democrat Party talking points.

[00:08:31] Keep up your excellent work.

[00:08:33] Remember, no matter how much you hate corporate media, it's just not enough.

[00:08:37] Yeah.

[00:08:39] Well, I appreciate that.

[00:08:40] Like I said, I think Mike is a very nice guy.

[00:08:42] I got along fine with Mike in person.

[00:08:45] Like, I don't wish any ill will on him or anything.

[00:08:48] And when I came back to Charlotte, he welcomed me back and we chatted over email and stuff.

[00:08:53] But his arguments I don't find to be persuasive.

[00:08:57] And I want – and I guess I expect a little bit more.

[00:09:04] You know, I want more in those types of exchanges.

[00:09:08] But, yeah, it's – a lot of it is just – a lot of it is just talking points.

[00:09:15] John says, is your leg tired?

[00:09:18] First, you spent several minutes kicking Jabril's butt and then he did a whole segment – and then you did a whole segment kicking Mike's butt.

[00:09:25] Your leg must be tired.

[00:09:27] You probably won't be able to walk straight tomorrow.

[00:09:29] That's –

[00:09:31] Ah, nah, it just makes me stronger.

[00:09:34] Um, you should –

[00:09:37] I'm sorry.

[00:09:39] I do have some other stuff to get to.

[00:09:41] Did you know that early voting started yesterday?

[00:09:45] I feel like I'm a little late telling you that.

[00:09:47] No, I told you yesterday.

[00:09:49] Early voting is underway.

[00:09:51] A lot of people are taking advantage of it.

[00:09:53] But if you know who you're going to vote for and you don't really care about any, like, potentially late-breaking news that might possibly persuade you differently, probably a good idea to go bank your vote just in case something happens to you.

[00:10:05] Or, you know, something else happens, can't get to the polling stations, whatever.

[00:10:10] So, apparently a lot of people have gone out to vote early.

[00:10:13] We'll give you some of the stats in a second.

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[00:11:19] Email is Pete at thepetecalendershow.com.

[00:11:22] Sure, why not?

[00:11:23] Let's take a couple of phone calls.

[00:11:24] Here's Nick.

[00:11:25] Hello, Nick.

[00:11:26] Welcome to the program.

[00:11:29] Yellow?

[00:11:30] You mean Snake?

[00:11:31] Oh, Snake.

[00:11:33] Yeah, man.

[00:11:34] Okay.

[00:11:35] How you been?

[00:11:35] I'm good.

[00:11:36] How are you?

[00:11:38] Well, I got to tell you, I went to vote.

[00:11:41] It's a 50-minute line in Cornelius.

[00:11:45] On the other hand, it's a nice day and you get to meet people.

[00:11:50] And it's worth it.

[00:11:52] And, you know, my mom asked me the other day, like, well, why would you go vote early when, like, last time, maybe your candidate said to vote on Election Day?

[00:12:04] And for whoever's listening, the answer is there's a lot of resources that are devoted to trying to get people to vote who haven't voted yet.

[00:12:14] And when you vote, you free up those resources for that machine to get other people to vote.

[00:12:21] Right.

[00:12:22] So, I'm here to say, please go vote.

[00:12:25] It's worth it standing on the line, especially if it's a nice day.

[00:12:29] It's worth it even if you think your candidate kind of sucks but is still way better than the candidate who can't answer a single question, whoever that may be.

[00:12:38] Just protecting their names.

[00:12:40] That's my two cents for Friday.

[00:12:41] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:12:41] Just to protect the names, to protect the privacy of the individuals.

[00:12:45] Right, right.

[00:12:46] No one would ever figure out who I was talking about.

[00:12:48] Well, and here's, well, okay, here's the other thing, too.

[00:12:52] Donald Trump was wrong about early voting.

[00:12:56] And he will never say he was wrong.

[00:12:58] But the fact that he now tells people to go out and vote early is proof that he has been convinced to change his mind.

[00:13:06] He won't say he was wrong before.

[00:13:08] He just says, now, go vote early.

[00:13:11] But the people around him, I think his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, was the one that convinced him, if I remember reading the reports correctly, if I remember right, that she was the one that made the argument to him that convinced him.

[00:13:25] You know, same thing with, like, abortion.

[00:13:26] He wasn't always more pro-life than he is.

[00:13:32] He used to be pro-choice.

[00:13:33] And then somebody came to him, had a conversation with him, and he changed his mind.

[00:13:37] So the guy changes his mind.

[00:13:40] But he never, you know, he'll never say he was wrong about something and why he changed his mind.

[00:13:45] Well, that's, you know, I just, I told my mom, I said, in 2016, the truth is he'd never run for office.

[00:13:53] He didn't know a damn thing about politics or how to get elected.

[00:13:55] Yeah, probably.

[00:13:57] Yeah.

[00:13:57] But, you know, so, but.

[00:14:00] Well, even in 2020, he was saying that.

[00:14:02] In 2020, and that's a problem because he told people in Georgia, you know, don't vote early and that cost them the Senate race.

[00:14:10] Like, so he has said a lot of stuff over his time in politics that have undermined his own chances at success.

[00:14:18] But that being said, he is now saying, you know, go vote early.

[00:14:23] And he is right, I think, to tell his supporters to do that.

[00:14:27] I voted early in virtually every election since it became available because it's just more convenient.

[00:14:32] And I don't need Donald Trump to come out and say I was wrong.

[00:14:36] But I also know that, you know, people who I vote for don't have to be right about everything.

[00:14:43] They're human beings.

[00:14:44] They're going to be wrong about certain things.

[00:14:46] I don't have to agree with them on everything.

[00:14:47] It's fine.

[00:14:48] I don't have to agree with every single thing that Ronald Reagan ever did.

[00:14:50] But, you know, I'm my own person.

[00:14:53] He's his own person.

[00:14:53] That's fine.

[00:14:54] So that's how I answer the question on Trump with the early voting stuff, too.

[00:14:58] So is your mom that asked you that question, is she more on the Democrat side?

[00:15:06] My mother voted based on a bunch of garbage that she hears on the mainstream media, unfortunately.

[00:15:14] So I had to go cancel that.

[00:15:16] And we still love each other, but that's how it is.

[00:15:19] Right.

[00:15:20] Well, when you say she's voting based on a whole bunch of garbage, the media says that tells me she's Democrat.

[00:15:25] No, I'm kidding.

[00:15:28] No, she's older and she doesn't understand that they're not telling her the truth.

[00:15:32] And so she votes on what she thinks are the facts.

[00:15:35] And you know, I know better.

[00:15:38] Right.

[00:15:38] Well, we like to think so, at least.

[00:15:40] I don't know how I don't hold many opinions that I think are wrong.

[00:15:43] So that's that's kind of where I go.

[00:15:45] Nick, I appreciate the call.

[00:15:46] I think that's that is how I try to.

[00:15:51] You know, I try not to hold opinions that I think are not true.

[00:15:55] That's how I just found it a little bit easier to move through life like that.

[00:15:59] Let me go to Scott up next here.

[00:16:01] Hello, Scott.

[00:16:02] Welcome to the show.

[00:16:03] Hey, B.

[00:16:04] How are you doing?

[00:16:04] Can you hear me OK?

[00:16:05] Yes, sir.

[00:16:05] I sure can.

[00:16:06] OK, great.

[00:16:07] So I went out early voted yesterday just to get it done.

[00:16:11] And I had an observation that led to a question.

[00:16:15] Maybe you have an answer.

[00:16:16] Maybe you don't.

[00:16:17] When I took my ballot over to the to the booth to market on the presidential ticket, I'm used to seeing if I'm correct in this.

[00:16:27] The two main people usually at the top of the ticket and then all the rest that nobody votes for underneath.

[00:16:33] Well, I don't know if that's the case or not, but I did notice yesterday kind of jumped out at me.

[00:16:39] Harrison Waltz are at the very top on the top line.

[00:16:42] There are six candidates, if I'm not mistaken, five or six.

[00:16:48] But I think it's six.

[00:16:49] I had to go down the list to like number four or five before I found Trump and Vance.

[00:16:55] And so is there some reason they're down there near the bottom and Harrison Waltz are at the top?

[00:17:03] Or is it an alphabetical thing or is it a party thing?

[00:17:06] Or is it just something to confuse people to get them to mark the wrong box?

[00:17:11] It is not that third option.

[00:17:14] It is it is.

[00:17:17] They actually have rules about this where I'm trying to remember what they are because it like it is super specific and it rotates from year to year, election to election.

[00:17:29] So they will do like random drawings to see what letter of the alphabet that they start with.

[00:17:36] Um, they flip the party identification.

[00:17:40] And I believe there is a difference in the presidential race versus all of the down ballot races.

[00:17:48] So like they'll start.

[00:17:50] So like sometimes you'll see the D listed for the Democrat listed first than the Republican.

[00:17:54] And then in the down ballot races, it'll flip or something.

[00:17:57] So they actually do have and it's the point is to randomize it year to year.

[00:18:03] Now, that being said, there is there.

[00:18:05] There is a great debate in political science circles about whether or not being at the top of the ballot gives you benefit or an advantage versus being the last one on the ballot.

[00:18:17] Because some argue that if you're listed first, people check that first and then they move to the next race.

[00:18:24] And so you have an advantage.

[00:18:26] There are others who say no, that if you're going in there and you don't know who you're voting for, you would read the whole list.

[00:18:33] And then whoever's at the bottom, you're like, oh, OK, I'll check them rather than go back up the list.

[00:18:38] So I don't think that the ballot order actually matters, really.

[00:18:43] And I don't know if there's actually any science that that proves it does.

[00:18:48] So, yeah, I think in today's day and age, people, you know, they know who they're voting for, by and large, before they walk in.

[00:18:54] And and the way the the way the names are listed doesn't really impact one way or the other.

[00:19:00] Well, you would hope if someone's taking the time and the trouble to go vote, that they're going to be right there for.

[00:19:07] Yeah. But anyway, voters beware.

[00:19:10] You have your if you're going to vote for Trump, you have to look for it.

[00:19:13] You actually have to read your ballot.

[00:19:15] So let's it's a good recommendation, Scott.

[00:19:18] That's some good advice. I appreciate the call.

[00:19:20] Read the ballot.

[00:19:21] One of the big things that people go by are the palm cards.

[00:19:24] While they're waiting to go vote, the parties and campaigns will hand out those little cards and it'll have all the endorsements.

[00:19:32] And so whoever gives me a palm card like I'm happy to get one because I get it from the Democrats.

[00:19:37] I'm like, thank you. Now I know who to vote against every time.

[00:19:39] That's I kid the Democrats.

[00:19:42] So when I was a kid, my grandpa died with Alzheimer's.

[00:19:45] And before he died, my mom and my dad and all of us really helped take care of him as he got progressively worse.

[00:19:50] 40 years ago, there were no treatments and not much support for caregivers and family.

[00:19:56] Things are different today because of the work of so many people, including the Alzheimer's Association of Western North Carolina.

[00:20:02] It's a great organization with awesome people.

[00:20:05] They've got huge hearts.

[00:20:06] I've been a supporter for like 25 years.

[00:20:08] This cause means a lot to me.

[00:20:10] I participate in the annual walk to end Alzheimer's and I am leading a Charlotte team this year.

[00:20:16] It's called Pete's Pack.

[00:20:17] You can sign up and join the team and walk with me.

[00:20:20] It's on October 19th at Truist Field in Uptown.

[00:20:24] Sign up at alz.org slash walk and then just look for my team, Pete's Pack.

[00:20:29] And there's also a link in the podcast description here.

[00:20:32] Also, I'm going to be emceeing the Gastonia Walk on October 5th.

[00:20:35] So make a team and join us or make a donation to help me hit my goal.

[00:20:39] I would really appreciate it.

[00:20:40] There are a bunch of other walks around the Carolinas and you can go to alz.org for all

[00:20:46] of the dates and locations.

[00:20:48] We are closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer's.

[00:20:51] And if you can help us get there, we would really appreciate it.

[00:20:55] Will you come walk with me for a different future, for families, for more time, for treatments?

[00:21:00] This is why I walk.

[00:21:02] Let me give you some of the data points on the early voting.

[00:21:07] Dr. Michael Bitzer from Catawba College put out a couple of graphics earlier today on the

[00:21:16] Twitter machine.

[00:21:17] And he says, yesterday's North Carolina early in-person voting.

[00:21:22] So this does not include the mail-in ballots.

[00:21:25] It's just in-person voting.

[00:21:28] Exceeded 2020 numbers.

[00:21:30] But it was close.

[00:21:32] So if you're just comparing the first day this year versus the first day 2020, in-person voting

[00:21:39] in 2020 was about 349,000, let's call it.

[00:21:45] I'm rounding up.

[00:21:46] It's like 348,599.

[00:21:47] So I'm going to round up.

[00:21:48] 349.

[00:21:49] 349,000 in person.

[00:21:53] Yesterday's first day was about 4,000 more.

[00:21:59] 353,000 versus 349.

[00:22:03] 353 more than 349.

[00:22:06] So off to a pretty good start, right?

[00:22:10] But wait, there's more.

[00:22:12] In the 13 counties that have been most impacted by Hurricane Helene, the numbers are down.

[00:22:23] A lot.

[00:22:26] 29,000.

[00:22:27] This includes in-person and vote-by-mail.

[00:22:36] Looking at, let's see, there was, yep, not a single county had more turnout on the first

[00:22:43] day.

[00:22:44] Um, in-person and mail ballots accepted through the first day of in-person early voting in

[00:22:51] the 13 counties.

[00:22:52] 29,412 deficit.

[00:22:56] All right.

[00:22:57] The biggest deficit is in, as one would expect, is in Buncombe County because they have more

[00:23:03] people in Buncombe County.

[00:23:04] That's where Asheville is located.

[00:23:06] They were down about 8,300.

[00:23:08] Um, Ashe County is down about 1,100.

[00:23:13] Avery down 681.

[00:23:16] Um, Haywood down 3,000.

[00:23:20] Henderson down 4,200.

[00:23:22] Henderson, uh, has become, is becoming a little bit more blue, particularly Hendersonville.

[00:23:26] Um, but all of these other counties are, uh, predominantly Republican counties.

[00:23:33] Dr. Chris Cooper at, um, Western Carolina University.

[00:23:42] He says at the same day in 2020, about 84,000 votes.

[00:23:49] Um, yeah, 84,000 votes had been accepted in these counties compared to right now about 30,000.

[00:23:59] Um, this is in a larger statewide turnout context that looks on par or perhaps even up a hair

[00:24:07] compared to 2020.

[00:24:09] And then, uh, he cites back to Dr. Bitzer's, uh, data.

[00:24:13] He says it's very, very early.

[00:24:15] Of course, I would expect that as the situation improves and more people get power, potable

[00:24:20] water and internet, voter turnout will probably pick up.

[00:24:24] Maybe election day itself will be through the roof and this drop will disappear.

[00:24:29] Hopefully that will happen.

[00:24:32] Um, he says, this is a case where the caveats and the fine print are really important, but

[00:24:38] at least after one day of in-person early voting, it appears that the effects of Helene on voter

[00:24:44] turnout may be significant and even greater than I would have expected more to follow over

[00:24:50] the coming days.

[00:24:52] Um, also I would point out that in Buncombe County, they're only doing early voting for,

[00:25:01] uh, their hours are nine to five, 9 a.m.

[00:25:05] to 5 p.m.

[00:25:06] But all the other counties that I looked at in the area, they're all running 8 a.m.

[00:25:10] to 7 30.

[00:25:11] Now, maybe some others have a shortened window too, but, uh, the, the criticism of the nine

[00:25:18] to five early voting opportunities was always that, um, you know, people who are working

[00:25:24] nine to five shifts, they can't go to vote early.

[00:25:27] And this was one of the ways that not to sound too partisan here, but when Democrats controlled

[00:25:33] the election site, uh, the boards of elections and the opening of these sites, they would,

[00:25:39] they would craft the hours like this in order to avoid or to make it harder for people to

[00:25:46] vote early.

[00:25:47] If they worked a nine to five job based on a theory that people who are working nine to

[00:25:53] five, uh, probably are going to be voting more for Republicans.

[00:25:57] I don't know if that's true, especially nowadays, a lot of people working from home, whatever.

[00:26:02] But I think the flexibility that was given to these boards of elections because of the

[00:26:09] hurricane, um, I think they may have been allowed to change some of their hours because normally

[00:26:15] this, this should be a universal, uh, time period.

[00:26:20] You know, everybody should be voting on an 8 a.m.

[00:26:23] to 7 30 p.m.

[00:26:24] Schedule.

[00:26:24] You're not allowed to, you're not allowed to make changes like this.

[00:26:28] And they like the, the, the state, when the Republicans took over, one of the things they

[00:26:31] did was to make uniform these, uh, these time periods.

[00:26:39] So yeah, I don't know.

[00:26:40] So we'll see, we'll keep monitoring it.

[00:26:42] Um, let me go over here real quick and get Spencer on.

[00:26:47] Hello, Spencer.

[00:26:48] How are you, sir?

[00:26:50] Doing fine.

[00:26:50] How are you?

[00:26:51] I'm doing all right.

[00:26:52] I'm still a little blinded by that massive moon, but, um, but you missed, you missed the

[00:26:59] comment, right?

[00:27:00] Of course.

[00:27:02] Okay.

[00:27:03] I think, look, I, every, like every few years I get people telling me I got to go see the

[00:27:07] comment because I'm never going to see it again.

[00:27:09] But then a couple of years goes by and then there's some other comment coming by.

[00:27:13] So I feel like I can, I, and I've seen, I've seen a comment.

[00:27:16] So I feel like I checked the box.

[00:27:19] Okay.

[00:27:20] Well, what I called about was, uh, the voting totals for 2020.

[00:27:26] Um, I did a little experiment and I don't have the data with me cause I'm on the road,

[00:27:30] but I did a little experiment.

[00:27:33] Uh, Trump won in 2020 state of North Carolina.

[00:27:37] Mm-hmm.

[00:27:37] If you take out the votes of all of the counties affected by the hurricane and that's Democrat

[00:27:45] and Republican votes, take them all out.

[00:27:48] Mm-hmm.

[00:27:50] Then, uh, Biden wins North Carolina.

[00:27:54] Mm-hmm.

[00:27:55] But they're all not, but all the votes aren't going to be taken out.

[00:27:59] If those guys don't vote as big as they did in 2020, then we're in a mess.

[00:28:11] Well, yeah, that, I mean, it, right.

[00:28:13] It's possible, but you, first off, all the voters aren't, are not going to be not voting,

[00:28:19] right?

[00:28:19] As I just went through, you already have that tens of thousands of people that have voted

[00:28:23] early already, right?

[00:28:24] So it's not a complete zeroing out the, um, and then you also have to keep in mind that

[00:28:30] Asheville, I mean, you know, Asheville as the, uh, the biggest city out there, they've

[00:28:35] got a ton of Democrat voters.

[00:28:37] You know, if they turn out in greater numbers than all of those other counties, then they

[00:28:42] could offset that.

[00:28:44] Sure.

[00:28:44] But if all things are equal and there's a reduction in Democrat turnout and a reduction

[00:28:50] in Republican turnout, then it seems like that might, it might be a wash, you know?

[00:28:55] I don't know.

[00:28:57] It's just, it's going to come down to turnout like it always does.

[00:29:00] Yep.

[00:29:01] Yeah.

[00:29:01] And if, if there was no turnout in any of those counties, uh, Biden won.

[00:29:07] Mm-hmm.

[00:29:08] Yeah.

[00:29:09] Cause Trump only carried the state by, uh, I want to say it was like 15,000 votes or something.

[00:29:14] It was very small.

[00:29:15] So.

[00:29:16] It was more than 15,000.

[00:29:17] Do you remember what the number was?

[00:29:19] I don't have the data in front of me.

[00:29:21] It's sitting on my computer table at home.

[00:29:24] Well, that's not helpful for right now.

[00:29:27] Okay.

[00:29:27] Spencer.

[00:29:28] I appreciate it, sir.

[00:29:29] Have a great weekend, man.

[00:29:30] See you at the, uh.

[00:29:32] Yeah.

[00:29:33] Beer.

[00:29:34] At the beer and cheer.

[00:29:36] Yes.

[00:29:36] At the news and brews.

[00:29:37] Yes.

[00:29:37] We'll see you there.

[00:29:38] All right.

[00:29:38] Take care.

[00:29:39] Uh, have a good weekend, Spencer.

[00:29:40] I appreciate it.

[00:29:41] Final segment here of the Pete Callender show.

[00:29:43] Quick reminder.

[00:29:44] I'm going to be out walking, uh, with the Alzheimer's association.

[00:29:47] Um, and you got a team.

[00:29:49] So if you want to come on out, well, you can go to the Pete calendar show.com, uh, sign

[00:29:53] up to be on the team and then come walk with us, make a donation.

[00:29:55] I certainly appreciate it.

[00:29:57] Um, we're, uh, we're trying to get to our goal of a hundred thousand dollars for the

[00:30:02] Charlotte walk.

[00:30:03] So, uh, we would, I think that's a hundred thousand.

[00:30:06] Wait, wait, wait.

[00:30:06] No, that's hang on.

[00:30:07] No, that's guest.

[00:30:08] That was the Gaston Cleveland Lincoln County goal.

[00:30:11] Sorry, a hundred thousand.

[00:30:14] And, uh, by the way, that is open through the end of the year.

[00:30:16] So you can still make donations, uh, through the Alzheimer's association, alz.org slash North

[00:30:21] Carolina.

[00:30:22] That's the Western chapter and Western North, uh, yeah, Western North Carolina chapter for

[00:30:26] all of our area.

[00:30:28] And, uh, they fund, you know, research and support services for caregivers and family members,

[00:30:34] uh, resources that are vital.

[00:30:36] If you have a loved one that has gone through dementia, you know, it's very difficult.

[00:30:40] Um, and so there are a ton of resources available through the Alzheimer's association.

[00:30:45] You should take advantage of them.

[00:30:47] Um, have you ever heard of crunchers?

[00:30:53] You know what crunchers are?

[00:30:57] They eat dirt.

[00:31:00] It is, they've, I don't know if this is, yeah, I think it's actually regression from

[00:31:07] the Tide pods.

[00:31:08] Apparently this is a new thing now, although I guess it's kind of old because people have

[00:31:13] been eating dirt for a long time.

[00:31:17] Um, it's some sort of a new online quote unquote diet craze.

[00:31:22] Viral videos on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook have unearthed the centuries old practice

[00:31:31] of chewing earth, chalk, and clay.

[00:31:37] They call it a diet hack.

[00:31:41] And of course this is, this is running amok among the 20 somethings that are trying to

[00:31:47] slim down.

[00:31:47] And I guess they can't afford the Ozempic.

[00:31:49] They claim the organic compounds in the soil give their skin a natural glow, erases acne,

[00:31:58] and soothes digestive problems by improving gut bacteria, and it reduces bloating.

[00:32:05] Dirt.

[00:32:06] Is there anything it can't do?

[00:32:09] Right?

[00:32:09] When you get injured, you rub dirt on it and it fixes that too.

[00:32:12] My goodness.

[00:32:13] Who knew all this time?

[00:32:14] Some people say they are addicted to the tingling sensation.

[00:32:19] And the sound of munching dirt.

[00:32:23] According to the Washington Times article on the matter.

[00:32:28] People are insane.

[00:32:30] All right.

[00:32:30] That'll do it for this episode.

[00:32:32] Thank you so much for listening.

[00:32:34] I could not do the show without your support and the support of the businesses that advertise

[00:32:37] on the podcast.

[00:32:39] So if you'd like, please support them too and tell them you heard it here.

[00:32:42] You can also become a patron at my Patreon page or go to thepcalendorshow.com.

[00:32:47] Again, thank you so much for listening and don't break anything while I'm gone.

[00:32:51] obscene.

[00:32:51] Thank you.

[00:32:51] Thank you.