I am just going to admit up front that I sat in my car and cried like a giant baby after voting.
Here’s the thing, in my defense–I drove up past colleges and churches where the Civil Rights Movement was fostered, had to wait to park, there were so many people, and it was crowded in the library (thought I only had to wait a few minutes in line, because they were well-staffed) and it seemed like every third voter they were shouting “First-time voter!” and everyone would cheer and then I got up to the screen and I voted for a bunch of Democrats and Chris Lugo (sorry, Bob Tuke. You seem like a nice enough guy but you’re kind of an overly sincere doofus) and I left and there in the atrium a woman was talking on the phone and I heard her say “I couldn’t believe his name was actually on the ballot” and I just lost it.
Listen, I don’t think Obama is the greatest thing since sliced cheese. I’m not even sure he’ll be a very good president. But I’m proud to be able to vote for him, and I’m proud to vote for him.
Tiny Cat Pants 
re: that last paragraph: totally.
i’ve been quoting and linking to your blog left and right, btw. thx for all of it.
Everytime that song that played at the DNC before his speech (“City of Blinding Lights,” U2) comes on Lightning 100, I feel weepy.
In the not-so-unlikely event that he wins, he will probably disappoint me in big ways, but I too am glad to have voted for him.
You know (off subject a bit), I’ve been wondering what the, not ‘fallout,’ but some other word I can’t think of right now, will be for this whole early voting concept. As in: in the past, we just had absentee ballots, and one had to apply for them (say if one was in college or out of the country or whatever). I mean, Election Day is Election Day, and not really Election Week or Election Two Weeks or Election Month or whatever it is now, because about fourteen or fifteen states have it in effect this year. Future historians are going to LOVE this election, that is one thing I know for sure, for many reasons.
Here’s to restoring the promise of America :).. <–restoring-the-promise-of-American tears
B, it sounds like you had a great voting experience. Nothing like that would ever happen here in Robertson county. I just heard on channel 4 that half of registered voters have voted in Davidson county. Wow.
Because of the early voting, I was able to vote in person for the first time ever during my fall break. I think my boyfriend thought I was crazy, because after he picked me up from the City-County building, I spent the entire car ride bouncing up and down going, “I got to vote!”
I didn’t have the luxury of waiting just a few minutes. I arrived at 3:20, and left a little after 4. However, I was totally okay with it, because it meant people were voting!
The Missus, wow! Half?
My hope is that I’ll be able to hear, clear over in South Carolina, bitter weeping from most of Robertson County and shouts of joy from Mack’s house and yours on Tuesday.
I always get teary after voting. This year I’ll probably be bawling like a baby.
Following the off-the-track track of Peggasus: I understand, I agree that Election Day should be Election Day, not Election Week or whatever,- it’s like taking the last week in June to celebrate the 4th of July . But, and it’s a huge damned “but” – how the hell do we get everyone in to vote without expanding somewhere or somehow?
I mean, people in states allowing early voting are going to their polling places days ahead of the “sacred” day, and STILL they’re standing in line for hours and hours. WTF? Anyway, sorry, not bitching at you, just at this out-moded system we have. Maybe Election Day could start at 00:01 and end at midnight in every state.
We don’t have early voting here. Wish we did. It’s going to be ugly in the city.
I get teary about this stuff too. I am older than some of the blogosphere and I know we are living in a historical time.
I see my nieces and they have no idea about how important this election is.
I weep for them and I find that I am full of so much emotion. It’s not bad, mind you, but I feel like I’m swimming.
Yes, I guess I need a vacation.
it’s like taking the last week in June to celebrate the 4th of July./i>
I thought every real American did that. (wink, nudge, hee hee)
Precisely, B. Not only are we proud to be able to vote, we’re proud to cast our ballots. But this is no “hippie liberal crap”. It should be the feeling all of us have, regardless of our party affiliations or political preferences, when we get the opportunity — that we have the right! — to walk into a funny-looking little booth and punch a button that can make a difference, whether it’s putting a fresh face on a local school board or re-electing a helpful state legislator. Or electing a person as president knowing full well that he will have the most heinous, difficult job in the world.
The fact that we have this opportunity without fear of violent reprisals or coercion, that we don’t have to walk miles and miles and miles to cast our ballots, that we know that somehow, someway, our voices will be heard — in fact, that the only things most of us fear are that we won’t get a parking place close enough or we’ll have to wait in a line for a little bit — just flat amazes me every day that I breathe. I didn’t cry when I voted, but I cry every time I am overwhelmed by the sense of appreciation and duty that accompanies an election day. Or week. Or month. Or year. (So yeah, I’ve been snuffling a lot the last 18 months.)
I am doing my best to communicate that awe and sense of responsibility and gratitude to Baby Fishmouth, who excitedly called The Queen Mum yesterday afternoon to announce, “GRANNY! I VOTED! I HELPED MOMMY PUSH THE BUTTONS! AND DADDY TOO! I VOTED! I want to go to the party when we win.”
Because, of course, with Baby Fishmouth, right now it’s all about the party.
Aaaaaaaand for want of a closing HTML bracket, the impact of the post was lost. Gaaaaah. I hate WordPress’s lack of a preview function.
The voting process in Robertson County wasn’t that bid a deal. Lines were short and pretty fast, all thigs considered. The biggest issue was not enough parking spaces, which says something positive about elections in general.
Now, the results of the voting, OTOH…
Ha! I voted for Chris Lugo too! My dad lectured me about TN dems needing every vote possible and how I threw my vote away, but I like Chris Lugo, dammit, and I wanted to vote for him.