Last week I wrote a diary expressing my nervousness with the way Ohio might turn out. This is my apology for ever doubting my beautiful, heart-shaped home state.
Last week, I wrote a blog post saying that I was
very nervous about how my home state of Ohio was going to turn out for the President. The conservatives around me seemed very confident, and my fellow liberals and leftists...not so much.
The good people at Daily Kos who commented on this post gently scoffed at me, and I thought, 'These people have drank the Kool Aid."
I was 'tense and nervous', to quote David Byrne the night before and the day of the election. I posted the following on Facebook:
"So excited about voting: don't know if I'll be able to sleep. However nervous the American people make me, it is hard to be cynical about democracy. What an awesome tool. I Hope to see you all on the battlefield tomorrow."
I had gotten myself into a positive headspace by 4am:
"Enough sleep! Time to get showered, dressed, wake up the kids, get them ready, and get to the polls. We plan to be first in line...We've got a long day of protecting America from Mitt Romney ahead of us!"
Election day is like Christmas around my house. Presidential elections are like...Super Christmas. We took the day off to celebrate together.
Standing in line, I tweeted the following dispatch:
"I feel like Alvy Singer waiting in line for the movies with this tea party yahoo behind me giving the sparks notes version of the Glenn Beck show to everyone who will listen. I Hope Obama takes his guns away."
It was gratifying to know that an uber-leftist was the first in line in my conservative district, but the conversation in line behind me had me feeling like the dogs were at my heels.
We voted, and then went to breakfast. After that, we swung by Half Price Books, and then went to the grocery store to get preparations for our election night party. In between that moment and 7:30, I must have taken the dog for a walk about 10 times.
Not long before our polls closed, I sent out the following message:
"I must have visited drudge, the daily kos, the daily dish, real clear politics, huffpo, think progress, the blaze, and NPR twenty times each today. You've got me sweating, America."
After Obama won Pennsylvania:
"It's all on us, Ohio..."
Then, finally, after the announcement that my aformentioned nervousness was for naught:
"THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! Thank you Ohio!"
My boys had dozed off during the night, so I woke them up. They smiled wanly, and promptly went back to sleep.
We got Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, Barack Obama, Tim Kaine, Alan Grayson, civil rights for homosexuals, and legalized marijuana. I liked all of my liberal friends celebratory remarks on Facebook, and then liked Mitt Romney's page. I left him the following comment after his concession speech:
"You gave my candidate a good run, Governor. Thanks for a classy and open-hearted concession speech. I wish you and your family the best of luck."
And then I went to sleep a happy man.
Sorry I ever doubted you, Ohio. You're looking pretty good to me this morning. So much was on the line, and you came through. You done good, kid. Real good.