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Dan Kegley/The home at 335 College Street, Marion, is a house divided this fall as Bob and Anne Shults pull for opposing presidential contenders. It’s an amicable split that appears only in national politics and is managed through a long-standing agreement to disagree.

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A house divided by politics, but united by love, respect

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

The signs are ominous, particularly the hand-written ones close along College Street in Marion. “MY SIDE,” and “HIS SIDE,” read two brown-paper squares pinned to boxwoods on either side of a walk leading from the street to Bob and Anne Shults’ front door.
Signs on the lawn below these relieve observers’ concerns that maybe Anne has commenced divorce proceedings and division of property against Bob. Still, professionally printed signs standing on wire legs stuck into the ground signal a domestic dispute running along party lines.
“Obama/Biden” says one, beneath the “MYSIDE” sign. The sign on “HIS SIDE” says “McCain.”
A house divided can in fact stand with an agreement to disagree. That’s how Bob and Anne do it, and have done it, especially since the end of parenting duties left them time for political activity.
And for the record, the Shultses appear very much in love. She’s still his “Annie,” and the bond secures their household against competing political winds – even blustery ones.
“It’s always been divided,” Anne said.
“I knew Annie was a yellow-dog Franklin County Democrat when I first met her,” Bob added. “We decided then politics would not be part of the conversation at the dinner table.”
“Bob is more reserved, conservative,” Anne said, meaning it, despite his early pronouncements in a Saturday afternoon chat they graciously allowed to interrupt their watching Virginia Tech at Florida State on television.  “I’m your typical, outspoken Democrat.”
For the Shultses, conflicts in their views are generally limited to national politics and only rear their partisan heads every four years. Locally, Bob said, he and Anne stand united behind candidates, including Congressman Rick Boucher.
Anne the activist “always puts signs out,” proclaiming her support for candidates. “This is the first time he did.”
The McCain sign tacitly says “Beware of Bob,” he hopes, discouraging others from trying to engage him in the endless discussions of polls and politics of which he’s admittedly grown weary. He’s taken his stand, doggone it, to quote McCain’s vice presidential pick with whom he disagrees.
“I get tired of it. Both campaigns have been negative,” he said.
Anne called it “the most divisive election I can remember.”
But for the all the division shown on their front lawn, and his tradition of conservativism, Bob said he would “probably vote for McCain instead of Obama, but I disagree with his choice of vice president.”
Anne declined to take advantage of the opening Bob gave her in his expression of slight indecisiveness. And it turns out his leaning toward McCain is more a leaning away from Obama’s liberalism. Bob views McCain as a brother at arms while saying he is not in step with all of McCain’s positions.
“I’m a Vietnam vet, almost 65 years old. I’ve always voted conservative,” Bob said. “I don’t like Obama’s associations, Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers. He has never repudiated his associations with those people. I think it’s scary. I don’t trust Obama. I don’t think America is that liberal. Biden is too liberal. I’m not a Bush Republican. I think those are failed policies. He’s not Bush. The other side has tried to paint him that way but I certainly don’t think that’s the case.”
Anne’s turn: “I think McCain/Palin will take women back 50 years. I am pro-choice. I am anti-war. I think John McCain is a war monger. That’s what excites him. I used to think that he was a great person, but things change.”
To Bob, Anne said, “You said you’re not voting for Palin, but you are.” If something should happen to Obama, she said, “Biden is the man for me.”
“You were against McCain before Palin,” Bob said.
“The way she rolls his eyes, doesn’t answer questions,” Anne continued. “Obama is a family man, a Christian. I trust Obama’s health care plan. I was a Hillary person. I liked her plan. I think he’ll take her advice and she’ll be a big part of his administration. Although I was a Hillary person, I could vote for either one. I don’t think McCain can do it. It would be another Bush administration. I’m so glad Colin Powell endorsed Obama. The issues on the Democratic side are the ones we need to follow. Bob said an Obama administration is scary. I think a McCain administration is scary.”
With that, the discussion was over. Neither husband nor wife swayed the other. The air of contention lifted from the room and Virginia Tech was 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.
“We’ll get through it,” Anne said, “and stay married.”
“I’m looking forward to the election being over,” Bob said.
Until then, silence tiptoes in the Shults home where political disputes could otherwise rattle the windows. Despite their difference,  there’s one thing in this election Bob and Anne agree on.
Both think Obama will win.