A few (mercifully few) thoughts on the election:
I’m not a political animal. Rather I tend to observe from a distance. Except for yesterday. I wanted to be a part of something momentous. So I voted.
That’s not something I’m keen on doing since I have a hard time getting past the way most politicians and their minions twist and sprain our language in the rush to promulgate their half-truths and non-truths. And what some of them think they need to do to attain the office they’re seeking. But yesterday was different.
I take some modest credit for the massive turnout. In the Tip Jar section of my newsletter, which came out on election day, I wrote only one word. Guess what it was. (Four letters, starts with V.) And one of my friends on Facebook changed her middle name to Hussein. Between the two of us, I’m sure we lit a fire under all those non-participators.
Television news played its part in the festivities, as usual. Don’t get me wrong, I like the media. They’re a large part of my entertainment diet. But they weren’t as entertaining last night because they had such an easy time of it. When you can call the winner of a national election with certainty minutes after the polls close out west, well that’s like shooting carp in a coffee can.
During the day, local news had to scramble to find something dire to report. They told of long lines at the polls, but that was during the early morning hours when people stopped to vote on their way to work.
I was able to go to my polling place, a school gym, at a few minutes after 11:00. A number of people were standing around and talking, but only one person was in front of me in line. There was even time to chat with a neighbor of mine who was working the desk. My machine worked perfectly, and I could even have bought baked goods on my way out.
Even the live broadcast of a combined Daily Show/ Colbert Report was off its stride. The jokes struck me as both lame and too earnest. I see a difficult future for those shows, and for the temporarily rejuvenated Saturday Night Live. I hope they can find a way to make fun of a president they like.
This just in: Cabbage Patch Dolls are available in the image of all four candidates. Make up your own comment.
The one downside to this election: the loser wants a recount.
Ralph Nader doesn’t think 1% can possibly be right.
Legacy Road 
Nicely written. As many new folk are commenting today, “No matter how you voted, today is historic and worthy of note.”
Here’s my morning after the election prayer. For the religious, please know that I’m not trying to mock God, but rather, that as a lifelong Christian, I’m merely irreverent when it comes to politics. For non-believers, there’s a disclaimer in my salutation:
Dear God (or Whomever),
Thank you for making it possible for me to remain in my country of origin. I’m grateful for the high school French lessons, but Canadian maple syrup just isn’t up to snuff.
Thank you for giving New Hampshireans the wisdom to say no-no to Sununu, helping North Carolineans dump Dole, and Californians to vote well on most everything.
However, as your Son said, your house has many rooms (even more than John McCain!), so one would think that one could be reserved for gay wedding receptions, right? Please give California the insight to reinstate the law that proves love between two men or two women is just as good as the other kind — you know, the one with the much higher divorce rate. Please speak to the Mormons. Well known for their own “alternative” views on marriage, they funded ads to make our state behave badly on this count.
As to our Sisters Sarah: Silverman rocks! Palin, though, jeez! Please bless her with a long and healthy life in which she actually cares for her children instead of just using them as props, and when she passes, DO reincarnate her as a wolf. That’d be so funny!
Well, that’s about it. Thanks for the bike last Christmas and for broccoli. And otherwise, things are pretty good.
🙂
Excellent, Nancy! I love it!
I especially missed Tim Russert and the marker boards last night.
Me too.
I’m sorry to say that I did not watch any of the debates. That little pill I got at the dentist, I was saving for election day. When election day came, I decided red wine would be a better choice. I think Obama made a huge mistake in picking Joe Biden. He’s not a change-monger, he is an old-school Democrat! He’s just Biden his time !!! And McCain made a huge mistake in picking his running mate. I think he misunderstood and thought they told him to “pick a stunning date.” Again. He wanted to pick someone who would “Palin” comparison to Joe Biden. And B.O. can’t find his birth certificate? I can’t find MINE, either, give the poor guy a break! It’s probably under some papers in Pakistan or somewhere. He’s probably just not one of those clean freaks. You know the type: if you go to their house, they make you take off your shoes. I’m not like that: if you come to my house, I just make you take off your GLASSES! Long Live Sarcasm, It’s All We Have Left!!!!!!