On the Brink of History (written 11/4/08)

I have been resolutely staying the hell away from my television tonight, my aversion to it more pronounced tonight than it normally is. I'm trying desperately to avoid the election coverage that is bound to give me a massive panic attack every time I see a state turn red, while simultaneously inducing an uncontrollable, premature urge to jump for joy and break out the celebratory champagne each time another state turns blue.

However, this resolution does not seem to extend to keeping myself far away from my computer, with its seductive black buttons, glaring white screen, and that lovely little "reload" button at the very top of my browser. I've been compulsively reloading CNN's election coverage all night, delighting in Ohio's move to the "dark side" and soundly cursing each McCain projection. I honestly don't know how much more I can take, and with Hawaii six hours behind New York, I may just be up all night waiting for the results to be in.

I know that this election has been an intense one. I stood on line for 45 minutes this morning, waiting to cast my vote, though a lot of that was not due to the long line, but due to the many FIRST TIME voters out there who did not know how to work the ballot machine. I saw a lot of young kids who probably registered the day they turned eighteen, just like I did, standing in line, looking confused, excited and thoroughly terrified by the responsibility in their hands. Friends reported seeing lines wrapped around the block, and in some neighborhoods here in New York, lines were as long as a TWO HOUR WAIT this morning. And people waited - patiently, no complaining. In the 13 years I've been voting, I have never seen such a large, beautiful, and diverse turnout. And it did my heart SO good, especially seeing those of the younger generation exercising their RIGHT to a VOICE! The apathy of previous elections went out the proverbial window with this one, and I am so glad!

Having said all that, I realize that no matter who wins tonight - and with every fiber of my being, I am pulling for Obama/Biden - we are making history. Tomorrow morning, we will either have elected the very first black President or the very first female Vice President, neither of which I ever thought to see in my lifetime. Granted, I still believe Sarah Palin is an idiot, and I would rather have the Clintons' cat (what was his name? Socks?) making the decisions in the Oval Office than that "Maverick", but her nomination is still history-making event.

I do wish that this first female VP candidate had been someone more in-tune with what women in this country actually need and want, rather than someone who tried to appeal to the "mom-and-apple-pie" aspect of this country. I hate to tell you this, Sarah, but that mentality went out, for the most part, with Eisenhower, and that ridiculous winking habit of yours makes you look like you're about suffer a seizure.

The woman gives REAL hockey moms the willies, and she has absolutely no idea what it is like to be a "common" woman in this country. I know she has absolutely nothing in common with me, a single mom, trying to get through college, pay my rent, make ends meet, with enough medical problems to make Ripley's sit up and take notice, living on the outskirts of the projects, enough creditors to rival the National Debt, and working and/or going to school six days a week. Really, Sarah? You know what its like to be me? I doubt it. Walk a mile in my beat-up Converse All-Stars, honey, and then we'll talk.

It reminds me of when Bush Sr was campaigning and he went food shopping to prove he was a "man of the people". His handlers taped him, the whole bit. It was obvious that the man had never been food shopping in his entire life, because he stared in dumbfounded amazement at the "magic" of the barcode scanner at the grocery store! I'm pretty sure he'd have a stroke if he strolled on in to Pathmark now, and got a good ol' look at the - Heavens to Betsy! - self-scanners!! "You mean, you have to do ALL the work yourself?" "Yes, George, but we get in and out faster, because unlike you, we don't have time to waste idling on the golf course. We have to go put in a 16 hour work day to make ends meet."

Biden KNOWS what it's like to not know where you're going to get the money to pay your next bill. Obama KNOWS what it's like to grow up poor and become a success on through hard work, brains, talent and sheer will. Let the naysayers call them Socialists. I call them a breath of fresh air, what this country needs, and Gods help us all if they don't win.