Yesterday morning I woke up in a completely giddy state of mind over election day. Throughout the day I checked the news sites to see if they had any early results, but was pretty disappointed that at 10:00am...they didn't. DUH. It was only 10:00am and 3/4 of the country was still in bed. I figured...well, New Hampshire voted at midnight...why doesn't everyone else?
My giddy feelings continued through the rest of my day and when the clock was nearing 5:00pm, I was just about coming out of my seat to get out of work and vote. Finally, I could pack up my stuff and head to the polls. As I drove the 15 minute drive to the Shaftsbury Fire House, I couldn't help but think of the situation. It is pretty amazing to reflect on the demographic of the presidential candidates...
The young man from Illinois who comes from bi-racial parenting.
Some old guy that is his cohort.
The other old guy that would be the oldest president, if elected
And the gun toting soccer mom. (I will say that it was never the moose hunting that concerned me with that lipstick wearing pit bull. I am married to a hunter after all!)
I, like the rest of the country, was probably just amazed that we had the people we had on our presidential ticket. Then there is all the seriousness of what they are going to do if elected president, well I'm not getting into that because that would take me weeks to write and it isn't as much fun.
What I also thought about on my way to the polls was that with my vote, I'm sure changing a situation for the little babes kicking in side. I felt in some way that this election and my vote mattered a little more and that I was teaching it something. Like it has any idea that what politics is or what I'm doing. (Although, now a day's there is heavy competition for space between the the baby, the placenta, and the umbilical cord..they are all negotiating their political powers). In any case, it was the bigger picture of what kind of world it would be entering into. After all, it could possibly be born on the day that the president elect is sworn into office...wouldn't that be SO COOL.
Following my vote, I headed home and then to a birthing class (hypno birthing...um..yeah...if this hypno birthing could work on my massive tooth ache I had yesterday, I can only hope that it will have some impact on childbirth. That is for another time), and then home to the doggies. When I got out of class at 9:00pm last night, the other parents to be in the class spoke about that we could all be leaving the hospital and entering a different world. I agreed and headed home to see what the latest news was. By that time, Obama had 200 electoral votes and I think McCain had 90. I went to bed, not feeling confident that Obama won, but just didn't want to sit through all of the political chatter about what is happening. They say the same things over and over anyway, like Americans are deaf and dumb and didn't hear it the first time.
This morning, I get to go in a little later than normal so I thought it would be fun to set the alarm for 6:30 instead of 5:50. Didn't work much as I woke up at 5:30. I tried laying there but between my roaring stomach, Ghillie's whining, and being punched and thrust around inside, I bit the bullet and rolled out of bed. I couldn't turn the TV on until I had my coffee, watered and fed the dogs, and my first breakfast was ready.
The moment of truth arrived and I finally worked up the courage to push the "on" button. A COMMERCIAL. Of course! And then there it was..the announcement of our new president. Well this morning, I don't feel like gloating nor do I think that I'm going to be wearing any pin saying I voted for him (well, because you don't know who I voted for) I do feel like America has overcome something greater than the last 8 years and our crappy economy and reputation. We voted in a black person. HOLY CRAP. Obviously, I didn't grow up in the 60's, but to think it was just over 40 years ago that black citizens were protesting to attend the same schools as whites...that isn't that long when you think about how long America has been around.
I can honestly say that I'm giddy this morning because I think that we finally overcame a pretty big feat and made a bit of a statement that the majority of us are ready to move into another era where we practice a bit of what we preach. As to the minority that didn't want a black man in office, I hope they'll come around. Because Baby McEnaney's life will be effected by it.
**I sound like a liberal communist in some way. I hope I got the point across and my facts were close to being right. After all, I did start writing this at 6:45am. Been dreaming about it all night though.
1 comment:
Election Day, 2008. I think I will remember this day the same way I remember Kennedy getting shot, 9/11, and the Sox winning the World Series. I will remember where I was, who I was with, and what it means. I think back to the civil rights of the 60's, and what just happened...we, the US of A, elected a black man to be President of the country. Amazing, and thrilling to me.
Without a television, we are not in the habit of turning it on when we travel. This election eve was different. We voted early as we were traveling to South Carolina. We walked around Savannah on voting day, and could sense the excitement in folks who wore their Obama buttons. People were beginning to really believe that his election was really possible.
We tuned in to CNN, and watched state after state post their results. Finally, the announcement came...Obama was the projected winner. I was moved to tears, and was touched to the core watching the folks at the celebrations who stood silently and wept.
The magnitude of this victory is enormous. Somehow I think this country grew up a bit on 11/4. The morning after, I swear every African American that I saw was standing just a little bit taller. What a thrill to have witnessed every bit of it.
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