Each believed he had a trump card for the 2008 presidential election.

For his part, Armey, the former Republican majority leader in the U.S. House, tells USA Today that “Bubba” (a euphemism for white, rural working-class voters) is not being represented in polls, that white voters in certain regions of the nation are not admitting to racism. Armey makes the case that any polling of the race between John McCain and Barack Obama is off because Bubba is lying to pollsters.

The Bubba vote is there, and it’s very real, and it is everywhere,” Armey told USA TODAY and Gannett News Service. “There’s an awful lot of people in America, bless their heart, who simply are not emotionally prepared to vote for a black man.

“It’s deplorable, but it is real,” said Armey, adding that he believes “Republicans would not encourage” such prejudices. He said the “Bubba vote” is “invisible” in pre-election opinion polls, because voters do not admit they would oppose a candidate because of race.

Speaking to Iowa Independent at a fund-raising steak fry in Indianola for U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a popular Democrat in red state territory who has used economic issues to successfully appeal to Bubba, says any of the dynamic Armey is talking about will be overwhelmed by a youth vote that is not fully appreciated.

“See this,” Schweitzer said, pulling a cell phone from his pocket and holding it in his hand. “A lot of young people don’t have a land line and you can’t poll. Young people are voting 70-30 for Obama. So if you want to start talking about the people that are underpolled start talking about the college students, start talking about young people. Start talking about Generation Y.”

He added, “They’re going to vote for Barack Obama and they carry cell phones.”