I almost didn't blog about this. Number one ... because I don't care that much for politics ... and number two, I especially don't care for politics when it gets everyone all hot and bothered.
First let me say, I am not all hot and bothered! :) But I do feel the urge to blog.
I will now go out on a limb and risk public ridicule by saying that I'm a republican. Even with Obama fever everywhere, and republicans being the "uncool" thing to be, that is what I am. But I'm not an angry republican, so that must count for something!
The election last night was quite something! Like many people, I lasted up until about 11 p.m. and then got up early this morning to race to my television ... tripping on baby toys in the dark ... to find out what the world had been doing while I was sleeping. Quite a lot it seems!
I wish the very best for Obama, and will be praying for him as I would for any of our nation's leaders. I will admit, with no qualms, that McCain -- just another old white guy in a long line of old white guys dating back to the original George W. (that's Washington...) did NOT inspire me. But, conservative that I am, the very words "inspire" and "charisma" have made me a bit edgy lately.
I'm not saying it's not WONDERFUL to be inspired by our nation's leader ... who could wish for more? But as the past few months progressed, I came to realize that about 90% of the people I spoke to about Obama, (you 10% know who you are) were not able to articulate what it was they loved about the man, other than the warm fuzzy feeling he gave them. "He's just so inspiring!" (again, no argument there...) but when I would ask why or about what, it was never clearly explained to me. So in my mind, this massive unleashing of the warm fuzzies has me a bit skeptical.
I hope I'm dead wrong! I'm not really all that worked about it, since politics isn't high on my agenda of things to care about. I vote republican mostly because there are a few key issues I find I can't stray from even if I wanted to, but it is indeed amazing to see the massive high Obama seems to have induced on this country. I just hope the high can continue... Now yesterday in Michigan, we legalized marijuana, so we've got it covered here... but good luck to the rest of you states out there.... ;)
And now, some presidential fun facts!!
* John Quincy Adams was the first president to be photographed.
* The 9th U.S. president William Henry Harrison was inaugurated on a bitterly cold day and gave the longest inauguration speech ever. The new president promptly caught a cold that soon developed into pneumonia. Harrison died exactly one month into his presidential term, the shortest in U.S. history.
* Franklin Pierce ordered the first bathtub for the White House. Many people were upset. They thought taking baths was not healthy and would make you sick.
* Andrew Johnson did not learn to read until he was 17 years old. His parents had been too poor to send him to school.
* Rutherford B. Hayes had the first telephone installed in the White House. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, gave Hayes personal instructions on how to use it.
* James A. Garfield could write with both hands. Sometimes he amused people by writing Greek with one hand and Latin with the other.
* Warren G. Harding was the first president to give a speech over the radio.
* Calvin Coolidge liked to sit outside at night to think and relax. But so many people stopped and pointed at him that he finally gave up and sat inside.
* In warm weather, 6th president of the United States John Quincy Adams customarily went skinny-dipping in the Potomac River before dawn.
* The letter "S" comprises the full middle name of the 33rd president, Harry S. Truman. It represents two of his grandfathers, whose names both had "S" in them.
* 32nd president of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt was related, either by blood or by marriage, to 11 former presidents.
12 comments:
as i'm sure you know from reading my blog, i'm in the other camp. i'm definitely a democrat and obviously voted that way. i completely understand what you're saying about the whole inspiration thing and i think it's a very valid point. i actually had the same concerns with palin. i had a hard time wrapping my head around people saying "she's so approachable" "it's like my big sister being vice president". sorry, but for me, i don't think being approachable is a reason to vote for someone. and i definitely don't want someone like my big sister (not that i have one) in office.
i think it's great that you stuck to your guns if that's what you believe in and definitely don't think it's worth public ridicule. we all have our views and are all entitled to them. good job voicing yours! ;)
I agree with Marzi -- stick to your guns and don't apologize for what you believe in! Be a Republican and be proud of it! It wasn't so long ago that Democrats were hiding out in the wake of Lewinsky-gate. Popular sentiment comes and goes, but your integrity should never be sacrificed based on what's in vogue today.
However, I have a duty as an Oberlinian to dispute your claim that Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of the telephone. In fact, the true "winner" of that race was Elisha Gray. He just got beat out at the patent office. Here's the scoop, straight from the Oberlin College archives:
http://www.oberlin.edu/external/EOG/OYTT-images/ElishaGray.html
Isn't it funny what small towns will pick up on as part of their lore? I love the indignant Obies whose sole goal in life is to "set the record straight." LOL!
I'm sorry that your guy didn't win, and I'm really happy that Obama won. After the last 8 years, I just couldn't vote for a republican.
I hope it all works out, for all of us. I was amazed that Sarah even went out knocking on doors for Obama and was part of the group drawing chalk propaganda about Obama, on the UW-Oshkosh campus. Who knew we had a political activist among us. My sole "stumping" activity was walking my dog with my button on yesterday, which was noticed by some random kid in a minivan, who started yelling, "Obama, Obama, Obama!" as the minivan drove past me.
I wonder if the bathtub Pierce bought is the one Taft got stuck in?
I love you!
Gret
Kat,
Thanks for being a sensible Republican and remembering that we're all in this together! May everybody (on all sides) be equally sensible.
I feel the same way you do Katrina!
Scott
I love your post. I am hoping that all Americans can reach the point where you are. I heard some really angry St. Charlesians today spouting about moving to Mexico, and it made me sad. Of course, since they were all high school age, I had to smile and tell them that the great joy of living in a democracy is that on Nov. 4 we support our candidate, and on Nov. 5 we embrace and support one another as Americans. So it has been and, God-willing, so it should always be. It didn't make them totally appeased when I said that, but they stopping talking about moving to Mexico... I think the Mexicans owe me for that one! :-)
Having read "Audacity of Hope", I believe you'd find it inspiring... and at the very least, it would give you insights into the head of our Pres-elect. I read it long before he ever decided to run, and thought to myself, this is the sort of thinker I want running our country. I can lend you my copy when you visit next.
Love you guys...
Gotta tell ya... my eyebrows raised when I read the "pot in Michigan" bit... hmmmmm... never tried it in the "radical" 70's" - maybe next time I visit you..... haaa!
PS - I deleted my previous post cos' it had spelling errors and you know I am compulsive about spelling errors!!!
Thanks for your comments everyone! And Gretchen, for the record, I wanted to you know that I DIDN'T write this post after I talked to you last night ... I posted it yesterday morning! I completely enjoyed our conversation on the phone ... Did you get the box I sent?
You know, I was in the same boat as you for a bit there -- when Obama wasn't offering much substance but instead much rhetoric. I was so totally going to waste my vote as a way of protesting not having my candidate on the ballot (who is not very popular at all, but Hillary's certainly got a lot of substance, experience and a UTERUS!). But as the campaigning got more intense and Election Day neared, you could see the substance starting to make its way through from the Obama camp. ESPECIALLY compared to McCain. He was finally starting to put actual ideas behind his pretty rhetoric. And I liked those ideas. So I hear ya when it comes to a public overdose of Obama fever. But at least it's not just rhetoric anymore -- at least it better not be! The man's going to be leading the U.S. after all!
How's Asher doing with his alphabet? Norah's got down most of the letters when it comes to recognition, but she's so silly about it. She's just not as interested as Ella was. At this age, Ella was able to write her name -- and type it! We think Norah's going to be the "ditz" (in a good way!) while Ella will be the go-getter!
I got to meet both Barack and Michelle in Iowa. I found them completely real and approachable and EXTREMELY smart. I was on the O train long before a lot of others. I remember you being a strong Republican, and admire you for sticking to your guns.
I don't know if you remember how I was such a presidential nut. It's fun now living in the hometown of a president (Herbert Hoover.) I will regale you with my favorite presidential trivia tidbit:
Calvin Coolidge was known to be a quiet man, so quiet they called him "Silent Cal." One time a woman visiting the White House told him she had been dared to get Coolidge to speak three words or more.
"You lose," he responded.
Katrina,
Thanks for your honesty. I agree with the others... what's in vogue changes, but integrity shouldn't.
Like you, I am Republican. There are some issues that I just can't compromise on. In speaking with a co-worker about one of the issues I was told "yes, but the economy is a very important issue right now, I don't think anyone really cares about xxx at this time."
I was sad to hear that, because the president's power lasts far longer than the term, especially in the type of people he/she puts in the Supreme Court.
I also felt that there was little substance to the warm fuzzy promises of change. I even joked that I could campaign for myself. I don't have to know how to fix anything. All I have to do is say I will fix it.
The people I work with are extremely Obama - I dare not voice my opinion among them.
I don't dislike him, just couldn't compromise my values or vote on empty promises.
However - I didn't much care for Palin & feared having her as president. Yes, a woman w/b nice, but it has to be the right woman.
All in all... I, too, will be praying for him and his family.
Post a Comment