Monday, 11/3/2008

I've resisted discussing here the election with which we've all by now become either completely engrossed-with, or have completely tuned-out. One or the other. I fall in the former camp: my homepage for the past three months is for all intents and purposes Politico, Pollster and Wonkette. I diddle with all the electoral maps, figuring out all the possible schemas for Democratic defeat by landslide, Republican loss by slim margins, or a comeback by Ralph Nader to sweep the entire pot of 538. The last scenario about as unlikely as the natural return of hair on the top of my head.

I've devoured all the commentary on this year's horse race, including that on the National Review, Drudge, and other conservative blogs/websites. All that mostly for perspective and insight – I like knowing how the other "side" thinks, but I'm not stupid enough to think of Republicans as enemies or nemeses. We're all Americans and like it or not, we all share a common interest: to live a good life in the unperfect beauty that is the United States. We just have different ideas on how to do so. I prefer taking the post-structuralist approach to political life, anyway.

I remember getting into a discussion a few months back with someone at a dinner party, when the returns for the Iowa Primaries were coming in. Everyone at the party was rooting for Obama, as was I. We all had some wine in us and delicious food on the way, and of course, the conversation was about the Big B. I got to talking to with one of the fellow partygoers, a guy I'll name Sam. Sam was from the south, North Carolina I think, and lived in Chicago for a couple of years, working in the arts. The topic of family and origins came up – I have an avid interest in rural issues, especially that of Appalachia, seeing as how half my family and all of Allison's is from West Virginia and southeastern Ohio. I'm some part Hatfield, for what it's worth.

So I asked Sam if he missed NC and if went home often. The answer I got was something like, "Well, not so often. Me and my family don't get along in politics." And I thought that odd as the games of politics, at least for me, are unable to usurp blood. Certainly, there could be other issues at play, of which I didn't ask.

My maternal grandparents are socially-conservative agrarians; my paternal are working-class Jews from the city, and I'm some sort of amalgam that's come out liberal in most aspects. But maybe my passion doesn't run so deep, or my ideals are flimsy, because I could never begrudge my maternal grandparents, or any of my other family members, for voting for McCain/Palin. Seems shortsighted and ridiculous.

I suppose that all of this is somehow related to my journalistic background – I'm trained to see things with a skeptic's eye and to keep emotion out of the way. I've made the study of media bias (real or otherwise) a keystone of my academic research and I try to avoid letting my heart take rein of my political beliefs. Maybe I shouldn't be critical of those who live their beliefs passionately; maybe I should see the strength it takes to take a stand for what one feels. I so feel ambivalent sometimes, especially after the tragedies of 2000 and 2004. And while I've not gotten to the point where I see the democratic process as a sham, (which is a subject for another day), I am certainly wary of lofty claims and overly ambitious plans.

However, tomorrow, if Obama takes the 270 electoral votes he needs, I'm going to gloat and maybe I'll let some of the elation I'll likely be around as I watch the returns sway me – just a little bit.