For political junkies, a presidential Election Day is like Christmas. It’s like the Superbowl for sports fans; it’s like the Tony Awards for the gays.
This is it.
As we’ve gotten closer to today, I’ve measured the days like I usually do when I anticipate big events:
The election is in 23 days… what was I doing 23 days ago?
The election is in 15 days… what was I doing 15 days ago?
The first polls close in 47 hours… what was I doing 47 hours ago?
Ever since the last presidential debate, my emotions have gone from optimism, to fear and anxiety, back to optimism, and finally to giddiness. I kept waiting for something bad to happen. I kept waiting for the polls to tighten. As the day got closer, I kept thinking, What are they holding back? and, Is [event X] going to be the thing that turns people back toward McCain? This past weekend I could focus on almost nothing else but the election.
It’s been 12 years since we’ve had a presidential election that did not appear to be a tossup. The last time the presidential candidates actually spoke on Election Night was in 1996 — Clinton vs. Dole.
The next two election nights gave me agita. I’m not sure which was worse — 2000 or 2004. The first was nerve-wracking; the second was just depressing.
And now it’s 2008, and I feel hopeful about a presidential election for the first time in years.
And this got me unexpectedly choked up.
I don’t want to jinx it… but tonight should be one for the history books.
you’re not alone – I’m a Canadian and we’re all watching closely too!!
Oh, that is so beautiful. I felt a little choked up when I went to vote today. Many of the poll workers were elderly African-American women and when you think that 45 years ago, there were places in this country where they couldn’t even vote, well, it just brings the emotion of the day home even more.
I just hope that the voters in California do the right thing, too, and defeat Proposition 8, so it can truly be a great day in the struggle for equality and civil rights for all Americans.
I am so nervous/excited, I really think I could throw up.
Back in 2000, I really wasn’t paying any attention to politics. I didn’t even vote that year — I was living abroad and it seemed like too much of a bother to figure out how to get a ballot, especially since NY was guaranteed to go blue with or without me, anyway. My European friends and roommates were FREAKING OUT, talking about what a disaster Bush was going to be, and I kept trying to reassure them that it wouldn’t be all that bad. “What’s he going to do, start a war?” I asked.
Well, then 9/11 happened and I started to pay attention because I realized that my government was doing things in the world that could get me killed right here at home. In 2004 I was a total Deaniac and voted for Kerry with nearly zero enthusiasm, but I still hoped he’d pull it off. Boy, was that depressing.
Now, despite all the many good omens, I still refuse to believe that things might be turning around until I see that map go BLUE tonight. I was a Barack supporter from the get-go, even when he was a complete longshot back in 2007. I did not want Hillary! All these months later, I can’t even believe that not only did he become the nominee, he is poised to be our next president and may rack up a truly historic victory. My mantra for today is HOPE.