Straw In The Wind Watch

Another reader email to be taken for what it's worth (but I've learned to listen to many of these kinds of emails over the years):

My died in the wool Republican, midwestern born, septuagenarian mother shocked me during a phone conversation yesterday by asking me what I thought of Obama. I responded cautiously (though I'm strongly inclined in Obama's direction). She generally avoids politics with me, and I've always assumed that this is because she knew we disagreed.  As the conversation continued it became clear that she was intrigued by Obama and would be strongly inclined to vote for him were he to win the Democratic nomination.  She volunteered her strong dislike for Hillary Clinton, however, and said she would never vote for her. 

When I attempted to probe her on the Republican candidates, she wouldn't be drawn (apart from echoing my crack about Huckabee's brand of religiosity). What really floored me was her final remark that if Hillary won the Democratic nomination, she "probably wouldn't vote at all,"  i.e., she wasn't contemplating voting for any of the potential GOP nominees. This from the widow of a career military chaplain, still living in a heavily military community.