Yes, I voted this morning in Virginia. I walked to the polls, like I do every election, through freezing rain and stood in line.
And nothing that was written by any candidate partisans or detractors on this site, MyDD, OpenLeft, TalkLeft, or any other blog had anything to do with my decision to go vote, or my decision for whom to vote.
In fact, my vote was cast in spite of a hell of a lot of what I've read in recent weeks on the blogs.
My dream candidate didn't run this time. I can't say I blame him too much--it's a crappy job, being a candidate. Those who've never worked campaigns likely can't imagine the mind-numbing and soul crushing combination of dull monotony and overreaction to every insignificant event that takes place. Candidates are either stuck dialing for contributions 8-12 hours a day, or on the road nonstop hitting every VFW and union hall in their constituency (and the really good ones manage to do both simultaneously). I don't begrudge Al Gore for not wanting to do this to himself and his family again.
So I was basically left with three options: Clinton, Obama, or neither. I went with Obama. You may not have. That's cool.
I didn't vote for Clinton myself, even though I strongly considered it. I didn't because I don't support those who cast a certain vote back in October 2002 in any primary for any office. But I could have left my ballot blank, instead of providing the potential delegate boost for Senator Obama, or I could have written in someone else entirely.
The reason I finally committed to voting for Obama was that I want our party to have a governing majority, and I think we're more likely to get one with him at the top of the ticket.
Really, that was the deciding factor for me. The one. Not because of rhetoric or record, but because I thought we'd have a better chance at actually accomplishing something if he wins.
I don't care about who's withstood what, or organized where, or given what speech, or said what gaffe, or snubbed what constituency group, or pandered to what special interest, or was endorsed by what politician, or won what prior contests, or has what columnists' support, or spends what money they have in whatever way they choose. I don't care who's supporters said what, implied what, did what, spoke where, insulted whom, or worked where. I don't care about book sales. I don't care about Grammys or other awards. I don't care about spouses.
I'll vote in November for whomever we nominate, and be damn glad for the opportunity.
Today, I voted for the candidate I thought would be able to achieve the greatest amount of progress within our screwed up and ass-backwards system.
I don't know what rationale you used to pick your candidate. Frankly, it doesn't matter to me in the slightest. If you can present a good argument and maintain a sufficiently reasonable level of discourse, I'll respect your decision either way. If you act like an indignant twerp in advocating for or against one of the candidates, then to hell with you, regardless of where you came down.
I'm a self-described Reform Jewish Universalist, so it's not in my nature to want to convert anyone already living a good life, nor is it to harp on the negatives and look for the worst in others.
I voted for Obama. You might not have. You might have voted for him for completely different reasons that I chose, or you might not have voted at all. The last one is the only one that I really have a problem with: write in Al Smith or Eugene Debs or LL Cool J if you have to, but at least show up to be counted those days when the powerful actually pay us a modicum of attention.
As long as you picked up a ballot for the purpose of making a statement about democracy and promoting what you honestly believe to be in the best interests of this country, we're cool.
"Nec audiendi qui solent dicere, Vox populi, vox Dei, quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit"-
-"And those people should not be listened to who keep saying the voice of the people is the voice of God, since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness."
Alcuin, c. 798 AD
I'm a democrat, in addition to being a Democrat, and I don't believe this sentiment is inherently accurate. I'd appreciate it if we could find a way to stop proving me wrong every day.
People will vote for whom they wish, for whatever reasons they wish. I doubt whatever clods of dirt each side flings at the other at this point will have much of an impact, and that impact will certainly be less than the damage to our community and our discourse.
If you insist on continuing the way we've been going, then I want to ask one small favor: find and watch a copy of "The Best Man," an old Henry Fonda film about what a rancorous, divisive convention will look like. It's a good movie, and even if you don't find a cautionary tale in there you can at least enjoy a Gore Vidal screenplay.
We may not have a nominee by the time the delegates hit Denver, but let's try to at least have a party ready to work when they leave. We'll never forgive ourselves, nor will the future forgive us, if we saddle America with President McCain.