I know many of you have already voted via early/absentee ballot.
And I know many of you don't have children, or don't have children living at home.
And I know for many of you, daycare, school and/or work situations make it untenable to consider what I'm about to suggest.
But if there's any way you can, take your kids to the polls tomorrow.
I will take my daughter Sophie to the polls with me tomorrow. And even though she's only two-and-a-half, and even though it may be tricky to stand in line with her for an extended period of time, and even though Alabama will end up in John McCain's column tomorrow, Sophie will be with me when I cast my vote.
Because I want her to know that she was in the voting booth on the day America made history.
If I don't take her with me tomorrow, I'm afraid that I'll always regret it.
Back in January, Obama came here to Birmingham for a rally. He spoke at the basketball arena on the campus of UAB, my alma mater and employer.
My wife was out of town that weekend, and I considered taking Sophie by myself and going to the rally. But the logistics were tricky -- had to get there early and line up, the time of the rally intersected Sophie's usual naptime, I wasn't sure if the men's rooms had changing tables, blah blah blah. All lame excuses.
Of course, I regret missing that rally now like you wouldn't believe. Like all of Barack's rallies, the one here was a rousing success, and people were talking about it for weeks.
And I missed it. And Sophie missed perhaps her only chance to see Barack Obama in person.
The voting booth won't be as exciting, obviously. But I won't make the same mistake twice, and Sophie will wear her Obama shirt with me to the polls tomorrow.
Someday, she'll know that she was in the booth to see her daddy vote for the man who changed America.