Let McCain spew whatever cockamamie non-truths and sneery mocking chuckles he wants at the debate tonight. Let him rail about the librul media and the terrrists. I can sit in my living room, sipping my microbrew and sticking my tongue out at his sorry ass. Because I just voted for Barack Obama.
And it felt damn good.
Tally another vote in the coffers for Iowa. As I told my parents on the phone immediately after, I could have filled in the bubble to vote the straight Democratic ticket but took a little longer to vote them individually because I really wanted to fill in the bubble next to the name of Barack Obama. And I did. I practically giggled with joy all the way out of the Johnson County Auditor's building.
I do not know if I technically qualify as part of the "youth" vote, but it is only the second time I've voted (though I could have voted in 2000). And I was nervous (needlessly, of course) until this point, because I was unsure where I should vote and crunch time for either location was rapidly approaching. I couldn't let my own ineptitude at timing cheat me out voting like it did in the primaries.
(I apologize to all of you who polled who thought I should vote in Wisconsin. However, my dad said he heard Wisconsin is now up by 17 for Obama. This seems insane, Can anyone confirm this, or know where it comes from?)
But now, I can say shook the man's hand in Denver, and now, in the best form of allegiance I can muster, I voted for him.
Now, now... before you go chastizing me that the game isn't over, that we need to crush McCain with more votes than just mine, I agree whole heartedly. In fact, my "I voted" pin prompted almost immediate discussion with my mostly Republican coworkers as soon as I returned from lunch.This is my moment of absolute defiant hope. I VOTED. My voice is raised and his words of attempted conversion can no longer chafe in quite the same way. I exercised my right, my duty, and my heart.
So, eff you, McCain. I voted for Obama.