Since the Democratic primaries got underway, I have spent at least 90 minutes a day blogging. I have written more than 20 mass emails to friends and family, imploring them to vote. I have watched every debate, every primary return, every major interview, every episode of "Countdown" (sometimes twice). Financially, I have donated what I could when I could to Obama and down-ticket races. I missed the Superbowl because I was phonebanking at the Obama headquarters. I missed q Cub playoff games to watch the VP debate. I have spent almost $200 on groceries for my Election Night party, to celebrate the 15 friends who contributed more than $500 to my Obama fundraising page. I have lost a friend, I have stopped speaking to a relative. I took today off from work to campaign for "No on 8" even though I live in Chicago, and Wednesday off to recover from what will surely be an all-night event at my house.
I don't know if that's enough.
I see John McCain and Sarah Palin rallies and interviews and it keeps me from sleeping. Every person I know who is voting for McCain is a person who I wonder if I can keep in my life, because I recognize that the Republican party is all about "me, me, me" and the Democratic party is about "we, we, we." I worry that I won't be able to live in a country that would elect such narrow-minded, self-centered individuals who would do or so anything for the sake of assuming greater power. My fiance and I seriously discuss where we would go if that happened.
Could I have done more? Volunteered in Indiana and Wisconsin like many of my friends are doing today? Made more calls? Given more money? These are questions I will ask myself if Wednesday morning yields the undesired result.
Then I come onto DailyKos or chat with my like-minded friends and realize that everyone has given their all and still wants to give more, and I think how can the party of the selfish defeat the party of the selfless? We're not giving money and time because our guy must win, we're doing it to save the future of our great country.
On Election Night, when my friends and I sit around my TV drinking champagne and celebrating, I know we won't say "He won"; we'll shout "We Won!"