Some post-election comments on the 2024 US Presidential Election regarding the state of Maine.

Maine is only one of two states (with Nebraska being the other US state) where the its electoral votes can be divided between two presidential candidates. In this years, election, Vice President Kamala Harris received three (of four) electoral votes and former President Donald Trump received one electoral vote.

I attempted to find a breakdown of how each of Maine’s sixteen counties voted in the recent presidential election. Of course, the town of Collinsport, Maine is said to have been located in Hancock County. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find out exactly who the residents of Hancock County did vote for on November 5. (Maybe only Buzz Hackett knows for sure?) 🤔🧛‍♂️

Another aspect of November 5’s election that I wondered about was whether “The Collinsport Star,” Collinsport’s newspaper of record (and, in fact, Collinsport’s only newspaper) formally endorsed either of the two major presidential candidates? Or, did “The Collinsport Star” refrain from endorsing either Kamala Harris of Donald Trump for POTUS as did such renowned newspapers as “The Washington Post” and “The Los Angeles Times”?

There has also been much discussion and speculation as to why Vice President Harris was defeated by former President Trump. Attorney Sunny Hostin, one of the panelists on the long-running television show, The View,” attributed Kamala Harris’s loss to Donald Trump to “uneducated white women,” who did not possess the insight and intelligence to make an informed selection in the recent election. I wonder if Ms. Hostin would consider Maggie Evans, Sarah Johnson, newcomer Nelle Gunston and Susie, the silent Collinsport Inn coffee shop waitress as all being “uneducated white women,” incapable of making a reasoned choice in the 2024 US presidential election? And, what would such sage and thoughtful women as Elizabeth Stoddard and Dr. Julia Hoffman have thought of Ms. Hostin’s rather dismissive observation?

Finally, one thing I noticed at the Dark Shadows Festivals I attended in New York City over the years, was the absence of any partisan political campaigning by the DS actors at these events, specifically during the years when a DS Festival and a US presidential election both took place. At the 1988 DS Festival at The World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, I don’t recall either Jonathan Frid or Lara Parker expressing a preference for either Vice President George HW Bush or Governor Michael Dukakis in that election. Similarly, I don’t recall any DS actors openly supporting either President George HW Bush or Governor Bill Clinton in the 1992 US presidential election.

However, I do remember there was much discussion here on the Dark Shadows Forums (both pro and con), when a DS actor at one of the later DS Festivals, openly advocated on behalf of Senator Barack Obama of Illinois over Senator John McCain of Arizona for POTUS in 2008. I think that refraining from political discussions at Dark Shadows Festivals, much like refraining from political discussions at family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas, is the definite way to go.

Anne,

You know, maybe Barnabas eventually became a naturalized American citizen and was eligible to vote after we saw him and Dr. Hoffman exit stage left during their final appearance on DS on January 27, 1971?

Gerard,

Your point about how Barnabas Collins killed many of his victims is well taken. Of course, we never did exactly see how Mr. B. disposed of that group of young hippies after he told of them how much he was impressed and moved by the writings of author Erich Segal (a personal favorite of Buzz Hackett as well, I understand).

Yet, it looked to me as if Barnabas completely “drained” a couple of those construction workers, who accidentally dug Barnabas up. 

By the way, I wonder if Johnny Depp’s Barnabas Collins knocked off more people in that so-so DS film, than Jonathan Frid’s Barnabas Collins did in over three years of DS episodes on the original series? 

Anne,

Adam was probably so bored, being cooped up in that dingy room in the west wing of Collinwood, that I think he would have been overjoyed in being able to watch Svengoolie on tv.

You would think that Carolyn would have supplied Adam with a portable TV set to watch sporting events, soap operas, the news, old movies and anything else on tv to lessen Adam’s unrelenting boredom in that lousy room.

No doubt, Adam would have really enjoyed watching Herman, Lily, Grandpa, beautiful Marilyn and young Eddie on “The Munsters.” Watching the residents of 1313 Mockingbird Lane would have provided Adam with a family that he wished that he could call his very own.   

Gerard,

You know, I’m such a fan of the Jason films, that I wish that they’d do even more of those intriguing films. But, then, again, I also wish that the producers of the wonderful 50 Shades of Grey film trilogy would reward us all with additional films following the further adventures and “exploits” of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.

Bob

PS No doubt, both the Reverend Gregory Trask and Abigail Collins, those two giants of moral rectitude in Collinsport, Maine, would wholeheartedly approve of Anastasia and Christian’s unique lifestyle. 

I wonder if the good people of Collinsport, Maine tuned on “Svengoolie” on the boob tube on Saturday nights? 

I could see David Collins and Amy Jennings watching the amiable MeTV horror host faithfully every Saturday night. Maybe Blue Bartender Bob Rooney also had “Svengoolie” on the TV set above the bar in his popular establishment for everyone to enjoy as they got blitzed? 

No doubt, “Svengoolie” would have been “Must-See TV” on Saturday nights for Nicholas Blair, Angelique, Adam and Eve while that happy and harmonious bunch was staying at the House-by-the-Sea. 

Heck, even such serious and scholarly academics as Professor T. Elliott Stokes and Dr. Peter Guthrie probably checked out “Svengoolie” as a definitive source of information for their ongoing research into the occult. 

Uncle Roger,

Yes, I remember those original TV movies on late-night ABC. I recall there was one featuring KLS, George Maharis and Eileen Brennan in a love triangle drama.

And, I think there was one tv film featuring Grayson Hall in some eerie story.

Compared to the junk that’s on network television today, these nearly 50-year-old TV movies would be an extremely welcome change.

Anne,

Julia Hoffman’s home (which she rarely ever stayed at) was at her hospital, Wyndcliff, which was either twenty miles or one hundred miles from Collinwood (depending on which specific DS episode you were watching).

I wonder if Dr. Hoffman had an assisted living facility at Wyndcliff? No doubt, the Eagle Hill Cemetery caretaker and the venerable Ezra Braithwaite moved there as they were approaching nonagenarian status (90-years-young)? I can think of two prominent politicians, who might want to check-out the amenities at Wyndcliff’s assisted living facility.

Heck, maybe Barnabas, Liz, Roger and the “ageless” Quentin also checked-out the Wyndcliff assisted living facility? I like to think of that Wyndcliff senior center as  “A Place for Buzz Hackett!!!”)