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MICHIGAN: DOWN TO THE WIRE & DIFFERENT STRATEGIES [Henry Payne 11/01 01:06 PM]

Troops are mobilizing on both sides to get out the vote Tuesday. Republican volunteers will be driving voters to the polls, while in Detroit, Democrats are organizing "Knock and Drag." As a volunteer told WJR news radio: "We're gonna knock on the door and drag you to the polls!"

With voter surveys showing the Michigan race too close to call, campaign surrogates continued to stump around the state. Michigan's 2000 choice, Al Gore still can't let go of that campaign as he harangued the faithful at Lansing's New Mount Cavalry Baptist Church: "Anybody ever tells you that a single vote doesn't count, ask them to come talk to me about that. I am Al Gore. I used to be the next president of the United States."

In Romulus, Mich. north of Detroit, Veep Cheney presided over a pep rally of several hundred supporters wearing t-shirts emblazoned with "48 Hours to Victory." Cheney said this weekend's Bin Laden tape was a reminder of the need for leadership in the Oval Office. "President Bush understands the War on Terror and has a strategy for winning it, and Sen. Kerry does not," said Cheney.

Under union contract, the Big Three auto companies give their employees Election Day off, which should be a boon to Democrats trying to get their base to the polls. Union turnout in the 2000 race was above expectations, a key factor in Gore's victory. However, union membership is not a guarantee of party support, as many union members are also cultural conservatives. Reports one election volunteer: "On three streets in south Oakland County (north border of Detroit). I met quite a few Bush people who were 'quiet' supporters: no lawn signs or bumper stickers. One woman, a public school teacher, told me that she had to be 'in the closet' about her support for Bush because of her union (NEA)."

The Election Day forecast in Michigan is for 50 degrees and rainy in Southeast Michigan (Kerry country) and cloudy in more conservative western Michigan.