We've loaded up our various clothing items, and we're ready to go. Clinton has brought her Gameboy, Obama is rocking with the iPod. The trip has started out wonderfully as the city limits approached and fewer cars surrounded the family Sedan. With only a smattering of cars left in play, the unexpected happens --
"Mommy! Obama took my Gameboy!"
"Nuh uh! Mom, Clinton's arm is on my side!"
At that moment the peaceful, joyful ride away from the old, broken home to a new, pristine place is ruined. The bickering began and continued through over 20 states.
As the election progresses, I get flashbacks to family vacations much like this. An older brother opens the window when he shouldn't have, a younger brother sips the wrong coke, or a sister says something absolutely horrible like "I like boys". The entire car would erupt in back and forth bickering that would amount to this:
"He stole my GameBoy!"
"Nuh uh, you stole my hat."
"Mom, make him stop!"
"I'm not DOING anything!"
"You're kicking me! Stop it!"
"Mom, are we there yet?"
"Mom! He's kicking me again!"
"Are we there yet?"
"Mom! MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM MOM!"
So here we are, on the wonderful road trip that we've wanted for almost a decade. We're finally getting away from the nightmare and heading to a new place that holds promise for all of us. But what do some of us, the "intelligent" voters concern ourselves with?
"He stole my health care plan!"
"Nuh uh, you voted for Iraq!"
"Make him stop, he called me a name!"
"I'm not DOING anything!"
"You're distorting my record! Stop it!"
"Are we there yet?"
"You're distorting my record again!"
"Are we there yet?"
"Vote for mine! MINE! MINE! MINE!"
My point? We have two great candidates who will offer us so much change that it could almost be considered capital theft. We're going to a post-Bush existence that will give us untold opportunities and vast amounts of hope.
Vote for who you want. Vote early. Vote often. But this back and forth between Obama's supporters and Clinton's supporters does nothing but divide us. It makes Obama, by proxy, look less credible. It makes Clinton, by reinforcement, look like the various Republican attack lines. It divides the half that support Clinton from the half that support Obama.
Let's show some respect for our candidates, please. These two are the best two choices we have had in almost 10 years. They are two great choices with great positives and debatable negatives. Let us not bicker over Obama's gay sex possibilities, Clinton's latest attackable quote, or who voted for what. Let us celebrate the drive.
Let Clinton attack Obama. Let Obama attack Clinton. Let us discuss, but let us never attack them or each other. We all have one common goal, and that is getting to our wonderful new destination.
We will all require each other, regardless of which of these two great people we personally support.
If all else fails, I will attempt the resolution my mother would always forcefully give us:
Obama, give Clinton back her GameBoy. Clinton, stop kicking Obama. If you two don't stop it, I'm turning this election around and taking us right back home!