Tonight, I was Kevin Spidel’s guest of at the Maricopa County Democratic Party’s election party. I was very excited as I headed toward the Wyndham Hotel. I’d never been to a political party event, yet tonight was a night the media and yet-to-be-written books would consider historic. As I got there, the enthusiasm of my fellow party-goers was greater than my own. Cheers ensued each time a state was called for Obama; boos when called for McCain. As the electoral votes grew in Obama’s favor, the excitement mounted. It was so easy to get caught up in the energy.
Shortly after the election was called…
tweet tweet (1) in a room w/ Obama supporters ecstatic bout the win. one minute you say “imagine, our first African-American prez” then boo when McCain says (2) he recognizes tonight marks a significant achievement for Black-Americans. you say “why bring race into it,” but didn’t you moments ago? (3) why the hypocrisy? what makes it OK for you to say something that you would spurn McCain for? don’t be so mighty. don’t be so righteous.
Thus, hours after voting for Obama myself and minutes after the election was called in his favor, in the room of a political action organization, two statements of similar sentiment by two individuals on opposing sides soured my night. Party allegiences that open the mouth and close the mind piss me off.
#1 by Kevin Spidel on November 5, 2008 - 2:44 am
agreed. now you know why I am jaded. Glad to hang out with you tonight!
#2 by Clarence on November 6, 2008 - 12:31 am
It’s sad that two people soured you on a night when both McCain and Obama showed America the “right stuff”. I can’t apologize for the ignorance of those two people who turned your evening sideways, but, I can say — “we aren’t all like that”. (We, the people).
Were there any high points to your evening, though? (aside from the obvious)? I wasn’t fortunate enough to get down with a political party event, but, I can imagine it would have been overwhelming to be surrounded by people celebrating the the occasion.
#3 by Temple Stark on November 9, 2008 - 11:09 pm
I don’t know quite why this year was the year I decided to disengage my nrain mfrom its former political junkie status but you encapsulate one of the reasons at least. It seemed to mea meaningless and empty styatements vastly outnumbered those that would actually move the country forward. And, of those, i knew the winning candidate would fold at te first chance of real politik.
I do hope Obama does well, that he moves the country forward, but I dislike in the extreme how he got here – on empty promises and on not-so veiled cries of racism to his primary democratic opponents. That proved to me he, himself, was nothing more than biz as usual. However, his “movement” may be greater than himself. We shall see. I voted for neither JSM or BHO btw.
OOO
Temple
#4 by Temple Stark on November 9, 2008 - 11:09 pm
.. imagine all that w/o typos. gag …