Monday, November 03, 2008

I'm Sam duPont and I Approved This Message

It's hard to believe that election day is finally here. It's even harder to believe that, unless the bottom drops out, Barack Obama is going to be elected president tomorrow. A lifetime has passed since I drove to New York on a February morning to atone for my delinquency in applying for an absentee ballot. And since the dark hours that followed as JJ and I tried to rationalize out how it would be ok if Clinton were the nominee. And now that the day is nearly on us, I'm still rationalizing, still drumming my fingers nervously as the specter of unanticipated events haunts my thoughts.

I have the mortifying task of spending my days at work toiling under the assumption that Obama has already won: Preparing our post-election analysis, and helping to craft policy recommendations that ride on the supposition of a friendly White House. My unease was sufficient to bring me to Prince William County, Virginia this weekend, knocking on doors for Barack. I was working alongside three other people-- one of whom had traveled from Dallas to get a crack at some swing state voters. They were, like so many other people I've met, such good people, so passionate, and with such honest belief in Obama, it reminded me why I originally decided to support him over a year ago.

Many people could be competent, or even good presidents. Barack Obama, because of who he is and because of the dire situations he will face, has the potential to be a truly transformational president. Not simply in that he will deliver changed policies or progressive ideas, but that, in doing so, he could bring this nation together, and reverse the polarization that has been pulling our country and our government in two. This election is so big, so important I can hardly stand it. And I would go on like this forever, but I needn't, because there's somebody who says it much better than I do:

To steal the line Cafritz sent with this video...

See you all in a better world.

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