Leave Me Alone, I Hate You

In honor of this historic day, I offer you a retrospective of my election manias throughout the years:

10/20/92
I saw Bill Clinton speak in Daley Plaza downtown. It was amazing. There were over 10,000 people there. Everyone was psyched. Jim Belushi got up and introduced Ron Brown, then Mayor Daley introduced Carol Mosely Braun - then she introduced Al Gore. He was a great speaker. He had the whole crowd chanting along with him. Both the candidates wives were there, they spoke briefly then Bill took the stage and talked about "change" (economics, education, etc.) Then Michael Bolton sang "When I'm Back on My Feet Again" and dedicated it to everyone who was going to get their piece of the American dream back with Bill Clinton as president. Then they played the song "Power to the People" over the speakers. I know its all a big publicity thing, but I ate it up! It was absolutely thrilling to be a part of a crowd so packed with emotion. They really made you feel like you were on the edge of a new era. Bush's days are numbered!

Ahhh, yes. There is nothing quite like your "first time." So glad mine came complete with Jim Belushi and a stirring soundtrack of Michael Bolton tunes. Really, how could I not be psyched?!

Clinton: Round Two...

11/5/96

Clinton has won the Presidential election. No shocker there. What strikes me as a shocker is that 3 years ago I was in Washington, D.C. God what twisted road brought me here?

"Here" meant Los Angeles. Clearly I had lost my youthful enthusiasm for politics at that point, and instead turned my attentions to cultivating a deep and abiding lack of self confidence.

Oh Michael Bolton, where are you now? Why have you forsaken me?

12/18/00

Election termination has arrived. Just a few days ago, Al Gore conceded the Presidency to idiot-elect George W. Bush. In his speech Gore was a gentleman, a diplomat, a grown up -- and HEY AMERICA, he was THE WINNER! God Bless America...you can't win for winning. So I write this so that I will remember how ANGRY I am. How distrustful I feel about the "Supreme" court. This has been a disgraceful display by Republicans who have acted as though they have somehow won by a landslide rather than by a technicality...(insert more talk of this faux landslide)...So FINE. TAKE, and I do mean TAKE the presidency. But know that we know the truth. We won. The Clinton era is NOT over. And we will be watching.

AH-HA! The political passion has returned! But it is accompanied NOT by wide-eyed optimism, but rather vengeful rage and an inexplicable desire to "watch". And believe me, I did some hard core watching during this administration. (note to former self: that Clinton era was so over.)

11/6/02

So, the Republicans win the goddam senate. Good lord. Where is the justice? I HATE the world. Hate it. I feel so separate from my government. My God, I can't even remember hope. Can't remember why I ever went to D.C. BAH!

Bah, indeed! There were some dark times for me over the past 8 years.

Sadly, I didn't keep a good record of my reactions to the 2004 election (it was all a haze of "security moms" and swiftboating), but it's safe to say I wasn't pleased.

What I do remember about the convention in 2004 was a speech given by a guy named Barack Obama. I could never navigate traffic quickly enough to get home in time to watch the coverage, so I would slip into my company's conference room to watch. It was a speech that rattled the rafters in all the best ways. And when it was over, I realized I was no longer alone in the room. Our night janitor was in the doorway watching too.

"That kid is gonna be president someday," he said.

Then he went back to work, end of conversation.

Four years later, and we'll see if that proves to be true. I hope he does win. Not because I think he can solve all the world's problems and will never disappoint me...but because it feels good to trade in the vengeful rage for a dose of wide-eyed optimism again.

I may even listen to some Michael Bolton.