8760 and change

I remember November 4, 2008 as if it were yesterday.  I barely slept the night before - I kept waking from dreams...dreams of victory and dreams of defeat.  I was in line at my polling place before 7 am and the place was just buzzing.  I kept looking at the news on my phone and fidgeting...just ready to get in and DO IT. I got my ballot and walked into the booth and I was shaking.  This was not my first Presidential election - that happened in 1992 and I walked into the booth humming Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop".  Then came 1996 and again, I happily cast my ballot for Bill Clinton.  Then came 2000 and I couldn't believe that we woke up the next morning and didn't know who won.  I couldn't believe that the Supreme Court stopped ballot counting.  I couldn't believe that George W. Bush was President.  (Part of me wishes that I still could get away with not believing it) but let's fast forward to 1 year ago today.

I went to work that day and was all but useless -- I was constantly checking exit polls, looking to see what Nate Silver had to say.  I was obsessed.  I was born loving politics and yes, I love policy.  I love the debates (I have watched C-SPAN for fun) but more than that -- the part I love best?  Electoral politics.  I LOVE THE GAME.  And to me?  November 4th was like the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series and Wimbledon all rolled up into one.  THIS WAS IT.

I left work and ran home to get stuff together - I was having friends over to celebrate the evening.  I have had election night parties for the last 8 years (for the mid-term and Presidential elections) and this one was going to be the best.  And then 7 pm came and went...and then 8 and the polls on the east coast closed...MA, CT, NH, VT, ME -- all going to Obama - there was no big surprise here.  NY, NJ - called at polls closing for Obama...again, no surprise.  And then came Pennsylvania.  I felt like I could let out a small sigh.  It was happening, it was really happening.  And then MD, DE, VA...and NC.  North Carolina - a majority of North Carolinians voted for an African-American.  I breathed out some more.  Then Florida.  I think I knew in my heart that we had won - that the reign of George Bush was coming to an end.  That I didn't have to fear the words "President Palin" (which to me were truly, truly scary) and then we get to 10:30 -- my rock star friend and my boyfriend were dozing on the couch and I was glued to the TV.  10:30 MSNBC projected that Iowa would go to Obama and I sent my BFF a text message and said "we won".  He immediately cautioned me - we had believed in 2000 only to be disappointed.  Don't count votes until they happen.  The polls hadn't closed yet.  Don't believe until you know.  But I knew.  I know electoral politics.  Once Iowa was called for Obama -- all he needed was California + Washington or California + Oregon to get to the magic number -- the promised land. 

11:00 PM eastern time and Keith Olbermann announced "MSNBC projects that Barack Obama will be the 44th President of the United States."  I had woken up my party goers (these parties were more rockin when we were younger.)  I opened up a bottle of champagne and we toasted and I cried.  I cried with relief, I cried with pride.  I cried because I felt like our country had overcome a gigantic hurdle.  It had been only 41 years since interracial marriage was legalized for the whole country and here we were - we elected the most unlikely of candidates.  I knew when I saw Obama at the 2004 Democratic Convention that he would one day be President - I just didn't think it would be 4 short years later.

I called my parents the next day and asked them if they ever thought they'd see the day.  "No" they both said.  My dad wrote very simply something that I think really captures what the election of Barack Obama meant...

As of yesterday when any child now comes home and says 'mommy, I want to be the president of the United States' if he be white, brown, black, yellow, or green she can look him or her in the eye and not have to lie. She can now say yes you can, you can do anything, it is up to you.

So let's fast forward some 8760 hours...

Am I still happy I voted for Barack Obama?  ABSOLUTELY

Has every decision he's made satisfied me?  Nope

But that's what politics is about.  At the end of the day, I voted for the man because I trust his judgment.  I trust that he makes well thought out decisions.  I trust that he wants what is best for this country because he wants what's best for his children.  Are there things that I am disappointed about?  yes.  Defending DOMA? Total crap.  Not closing down Gitmo immediately?  Ridiculous.  Starting the health care debate at a public option and not single payer?  DUMB MOVE.  But I still believe.  I still believe with all of my heart that this country will be better off for his service.  Do I wish he was more liberal?  Yes, I do.  I'm a die-hard bleeding heart and oh, how I wish he were truly as liberal as the extreme right wing would have you believe.  But I believe and I am happy and as Bill Clinton said when he accepted the Democratic party nomination in 1992 - "I still believe in a place called Hope."

I still believe in change and I still believe that "Yes we can".

Comments

[Jess]

I totally agree. I knew when I voted for Obama that I wouldn't agree with every decision he made. Honestly if I were president I probably wouldn't agree with every decision I made myself, because some decisions are just impossible. Yes there are things I would change about him if I could. Do I believe he's doing the best job he can? Yes. Do I think he's doing a good job overall? Yes. Am I happy he's president? Yes. Will I vote for him again in 2012? Absolutely.