We’re utterly fascinated by this.

In 2004, we don’t remember hearing about anyone scared Kerry was going to take their guns away – and we worked Pennsylvania for Kerry (Pittsburgh area). There were a lot of gun shops and firing ranges there, and we never heard anything about people stocking up on guns because they were scared Kerry was going to try to take them away.

Obama is perceived as more liberal than Kerry, and in fact the most liberal Democrat that’s run for president in as long as anyone can remember. Biden as VP makes this the most liberal ticket that Democrats have ever fielded. There is nothing about it that puts the bitter, gun-and-relgion-people-who-are-apathetic-to-those-not-like-them living in Pennsylvania at ease.

Absolutely nothing.

In fact, the thought of Obama becoming president freaks these people out. So much so that they’re stocking up on firearms.

We just don’t see how this can bode well for Obama. These are “Reagan Democrats” and Republicans. They’re Clinton Democrats too. And they recoil at the thought of an Obama administration.

Have you ever heard of anything like this? We checked, and can’t see any evidence of this in past elections — where the Democrat so freaked rural, working class, sportsman types out that they felt compelled to stock up on weapons to protect themselves.

We think this is a piece of a larger puzzle…one that’s becoming much more clear as we inch closer to November 4th:

(1) Democrats like us at HillBuzz are working with Republicans for the first time in our lives to elect John McCain/Sarah Palin because we do not like or trust Obama/Biden.

(2) Hillary Democrats not openly working for McCain are silently voting for him — and voting Republican for the first time in their lives in most cases.

(3) Early voting has not met Obama’s expectations — Republicans are tied or ahead in most states, and nowhere is Obama enjoying blowout advantages he claimed he’d have.

(4) In all states, there is a marked “enthusiasm gap” between support for Obama and support remembered for Kerry in 2004 or Gore in 2000…lack of yard signs, stickers, posters, and excitement to vote for Obama, despite what the media claims.

(5) Gun owners afraid of Obama, and stocking up on weapons because they are that freaked out by the thought of anyone voting for him.

We’d love your thoughts on that last one, as we think it could be a cultural barometer like the Family Circle cookie baking contest or Halloween mask sales — something that shows a large scale cultural like or dislike of a candidate.

All of these anecdotal signs point to a McCain win…with those gun sales being the most fascinating of all.

Because those gun owners are the heart of the country. If Obama hasn’t won them over, and instead seems to have driven them away, screaming, then we just don’t see how he wins.