I'm not going to spend too much time on this. I came up to North Carolina to relax, not to fight politics (nor traffic, nor work, nor people...). But in the last 12 hours I've seen the following:
-three Hillary commercials
-two Obama spots
-and one promo for the 11 o'clock news featuring Bill Clinton pointing angrily at someone
In addition to that I've:
-overheard my mom talking with a Hillary supporter on the phone
-overheard my uncle hanging up on another one
-and had a conversation with my Aunt about Barack Obama
It's this last one that I'm writing about. My mom had told me earlier - via whisper - that my Aunt was strongly "leaning Clinton." In talking with her, I was surprised by my Aunt's biggest concern and even more surprised by her response to my answer. So even though I came up to the Smokies to check out, turn my brain off, and just lay on the couch... I'm rising to the occasion. If sharing the story has the potential to change just one more mind, then damn me, I can't help myself.
I'll spare you all the intricate details. Again, I have a hot tub waiting for me and then a deep sleep beyond that. I'm anxious to get on that so let's skip to the good part.
As my aunt began to describe why she was leaning Clinton, she told me there was "just something about Obama I'm not quite comfortable with." I let her talk. She said it wasn't the Wright thing or the race thing... she thinks people have made ridiculous mountains out of molehills. She just wasn't sure about him. So I press a little more....
I ask if she thought it was an integrity thing or if she thought he wasn't trustworthy. She said no, it wasn't that. I asked if it was an "experience" thang. Nope, not that either. She said she actually likes his ideas and his desire to "clean up Washington." She knew Hillary wouldn't do that and came with more baggage. So damn, what was it??
She got quiet for a minute then started to talk about the 70s. She said back in the day she voted for Jimmy Carter and was incredibly excited about his candidacy. She said he represented "something different," was incredibly smart, but wasn't able to achieve what he set out to do. He had all the capacity to do it but, in the end, he wasn't elected a 2nd term and then sorta became an embarrassment. "He's doing incredible things now," she said. But back then he failed to deliver.
And now it made sense.
I said, "so you're scared that if you support Barack Obama - or, allow yourself to believe in his message - that he won't be able to achieve what he's setting out to do? Even though you agree with it and that's what you want to happen?" She was quiet again, but after a minute said "yes."
I let it sink in for a moment and then began to explain....
If every person who desired change believed in it enough to vote for Obama then he'd be given an undeniable mandate to do just that. It's just up to you. If every person in Indiana and North Carolina and everywhere else decided, tonight, that they'd allow themselves to believe in the type of change they want, and vote accordingly, then we'd all get it.
I asked her to look at the political landscape of the nation at the moment... people are sick of this President. They've seen too many of his abuses. People are sick of Republican corruption and, furthermore, their party is splintering, fractured, and uninspired. The Democrats control Congress. If there was ever a time to elect a true steward of change - and trust him to achieve it - it's now. Luckily our votes are actionable tools that set those types of things in motion, if one believes.
So I asked her to trust it. I asked her to be one person who believed enough to risk disappointment and vote for him because there was no "safer" option. I told her by making that choice she was effecting the change she wanted and setting it in motion. And hopefully, by doing so, she'd inspire others to do the same.
She looked over to me and smiled. I think I got through.
And so that's it. One person and one more vote for Obama. If I could talk to everyone in Indiana, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, and everywhere else... I'd ask them to believe too. Change needs your vote. My aunt needs your vote. We all need your vote! So come on. Vote the change you want.
BELIEVE.
Okay?
Because I'd really like relax.