I'm having one of those nights where it's hard to tell if I feel anything. Not surprisingly, it's an oddly warm November night, with a damp mist coming down, matting fallen leaves to the warm pavement. My heart hosts no palpitations of excitement or pangs of loneliness... just a feeling of neutrality that prevents any inspiration to even venture a diagnosis. But as my bike coasted down dimly lit streets and whizzed through still puddles on my way home from dinner, a thought entered my head. Initially I laughed at the prospect, but wonder now if it could be real. Barack Obama?
For nearly two years I have dared to entertain the possibility of a young black man's election as president of the United States. I became interested in the primary process, closely examining the respective candidacy of two members of my party - the familiar and undoubtedly capable Hillary Clinton, and this new guy - a confident, unique-looking man with a skinny figure and a strange name. Immediately I was intrigued. Ever since, Obama's journey through the arduous campaign process has been my own. Conversations at the dinner table were insufficient unless they included campaign talk. Messenger bags, bumpers, laptops, doors, and windows were dressed with catchy optimism: Change. Hope. Yes, we can.
And now? The thrill is gone, as they say. My inbox sits empty, longing for comforting messages from campaign manager David Plouffe that not only filled my inbox, but also my heart. Obama/Biden lawn signs sag in the wind and rain of this week, suddenly not pertinent but outdated. I frequent barackobama.com and each time, my heart sinks - the site no longer provides me inspiring daily advice on how I can help, where I can canvass, how much money I can give... now, it just says, "thank you."
Thank you? That's it? After this long, drawn-out, highly emotional relationship, all I get is a thank you? I think Obama supporters need withdrawal therapy.
(...And it looks like I'm not alone...
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_win_causes_obsessive )
2 comments:
I'm right with you Eli and LOVED listening to the Onion piece this morning as I trod across the George Washington Bridge in the mist and the mire.
In 18 months I never got a call or an email from the campaign that I resented or thought was gratuitous.
It was an amazing run concluding with the email I got from Joe Biden last Saturday when I was on the Outer Banks of NC waiting to vote Tuesday. It gave me precise directions (go 200 feet then turn right, etc,) to the County Offices of Currituck County, NC saying it would be appreciated if I voted in the next three hours (Saturday)
I just made it. It took NC three days to fall, but it ultimately did. I have never felt so proud of the impact of my single vote.
you speak for many of us, Eliza! The parties and the new administration kick off aren't until inauguration day on January 20!
It's an interesting time when we got what we wanted and now we have to WAIT.
Thanks for this entry, it really made me smile.
Love,
mom
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