Prop 8 Blogger Conference Call

This afternoon I participated in a conference call with other bloggers who have been promoting California's Proposition 8, the initiative that would reverse the newly found "right" to gay marriage. The principle speaker on the call was Frank Schubert who is one of the guys running the "Yes on 8" campaign. Frank had some interesting info for us.

• This initiative has a 97% awareness number in California, meaning 97% of the voters know about Prop 8. That's a tremendously high number for a ballot initiative.
• The race is polling at a dead heat - 44% to 44%. When voters are read the ballot description, the numbers are still tied at 48%-48%.
• Frank thinks if the numbers are still tied on Monday night, Yes on 8 will win by 4%-5%. Why? It seems there's a gay marriage version of the "Bradley Effect" (it needs a name, so I'll call it the "Adam & Steve Effect") in which some voters will lie to pollsters rather than risk being thought of as a "hater", "bigot" or "homophobe" (all of which I've been called by "No on 8" supporters). In some similar statewide propositions there have been as many as 7% of the voters who fell into that category. Frank thinks the number in California is closer to 4%-5%.
• I asked about the story I posted yesterday in which churchgoing Latino and Black voters, who are expected to turn out in big numbers for Barack Obama, will also vote in large numbers for Prop 8. Frank confirmed that among the various demographic groups, Black support is at the top with Latinos not far behind. A big turnout among those groups will be good for Prop 8.
• According to Frank, "hundreds of thousands" of "Yes on 8" yard signs have been stolen or destroyed. Dozens of arrests have been made for theft of vandalism, and some volunteers have been beaten up for their support. Given the hatred that has been directed at some of my posts on the subject, I can believe it.
• The big issue that's currently being debated in the ads from both sides is whether gay marriage will be taught in schools. The No side is running ads featuring the California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell, who claims that teaching marriage is not required in California. Frank assured us that O'Connell's claim is dead wrong. 96% of the schools in California teach the sex education module, and a required part of that module is marriage. Should gay marriage continue to be the law in California, it will be taught in California schools just as it is in Massachusetts, where parents are not allowed to opt out of the gay marriage indoctrination for their kids.
• Frank made an additional point about the teaching of gay marriage in schools. If in fact gay marriage is a "fundamental right" as described by the Supreme Court, can you name any other fundamental right that isn't taught in schools? Of course gay marriage will be taught if it's allowed to be considered as a "fundamental right".
• And let's not forget that I have numerous posts on the imposition of the homosexual agenda in public schools. How could marriage be left out of that indoctrination? Just click on the "gay rights" label below and you'll get a host of items from that category.
• The "Yes on 8" campaign will continue to run their "Consequences" ad, but will also reintroduce California voters to San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and his "It's gonna happen, whether you like it or not!" ad, which personally I think was very effective. Seeing and hearing that smarmy jerk has to help the "Yes on 8" cause.
• On the "No" side, Frank mentioned that there has been more than a little upheaval in that campaign. Senior leadership has left and been replaced lately and their ad campaign has been somewhat sporadic. Their most recent ads have probably been the best of the bunch.

You can find more information and resources for the closing days of the campaign at the official website.

It's far from over, but the momentum seems to be toward the "Yes" campaign.